- Years in practice
- 10
- Credentials
- MD, LCPC
- Licensed in
- Maryland
- Languages
- English, Japanese
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
- Focus
- Self esteem
About Kumi
Kumi Pledger is a mental health professional with ten years of experience. She holds an MD and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and she practices in Maryland. Kumi focuses on practical steps that help people sleep better, worry less, and enjoy daily life more.
Her work often centers on stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma. She also helps people with parenting challenges, relationship struggles, and issues tied to identity such as LGBT concerns and gender dysphoria.
Background and approach
She supports people facing grief, addiction, bipolar mood concerns, and career or life transitions. Kumi blends several gentle, evidence-informed approaches. She uses attachment-based ideas to look at how relationships shape feelings.
She draws from client-centered work to follow each person’s pace. Cognitive behavioral techniques help with thoughts and behaviors that get in the way of functioning. Sessions are conversational and goal-focused.
Kumi encourages practical tools like mindfulness and guided imagery alongside discussion of personal history. She aims to make small changes that add up to less anxiety, better sleep, and clearer direction. She offers care in English and Japanese and accepts international clients.
People can expect an inviting, respectful tone and straightforward strategies to manage symptoms and strengthen relationships.
What Kumi works with
Everything Kumi lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Kumi helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- First responder issues
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Kumi lists
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How Kumi’s Approaches Translate to Online Care
Attachment-based work focuses on how early and current relationships shape feelings and reactions. Online sessions can help people notice those patterns, rebuild trust in relationships, and practice new ways of relating that reduce anxiety and conflict.Client-centered therapy centers the person’s experience and pace. In remote sessions the therapist listens closely and follows what matters most to the client, allowing discussion, validation, and exploration to guide each meeting toward practical next steps.
Finding the best approach happens together. Kumi will talk through goals, preferences, and day-to-day needs and then suggest whether attachment-focused work, client-centered methods, or a combination is most useful. That plan can change as progress is made.
Online formats offer flexibility for busy schedules and differing needs. Video calls let people use visual cues and more in-depth conversation. Phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging can be useful for quick reflections, between-session support, or when someone prefers writing over speaking. These options make it easier to fit therapy into parenting routines, work commitments, or travel.
Questions people ask about Kumi
What kinds of problems does Kumi help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and sleep problems. She also addresses parenting, relationship issues, grief, addictions, and mood concerns such as bipolar.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her approach is compassionate and conversational. Sessions mix coping skills, mindfulness, guided imagery, and chances to reflect on relationship patterns.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Kumi brings ten years of clinical experience to her work. That background informs her practical, goal-focused sessions.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an MD and is an LCPC, practicing in Maryland.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Japanese, and she accepts international clients.
How can sessions be delivered?
She meets using video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on client preference and situation.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What is the first step to begin therapy?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to therapist availability.
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