- Years in practice
- 23
- Credentials
- LISW, MD, LCSW-C
- Licensed in
- Maryland, Virginia, Ohio
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
- Focus
- Self esteem
About Tracy
Tracy Kessler is a licensed social worker who focuses on helping parents and caregivers navigate stress and parenting challenges. She brings a calm, down-to-earth manner and aims to make sessions practical and approachable for busy families. She draws on 23 years of clinical experience and has spent the last 18 years providing school-based mental health services to children and adolescents.
That background gives her a strong sense of how child development and family routines affect behavior and mood.
Background and approach
Tracy uses a strengths-based outlook to help people notice what works, build on it, and set realistic goals. She blends client-centered listening with techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-focused work when needed. Mindfulness and emotional work are also part of how she helps clients regulate stress and respond to triggers.
Her practice includes work with ADHD, trauma and PTSD, mood concerns, anxiety, grief, and parenting struggles. She also supports people dealing with caregiver stress, chronic health challenges, body image, and the effects of past abuse. Tracy holds LISW, MD, and LCSW-C credentials and practices in Maryland.
She describes herself as energetic, encouraging, and committed to practical change. Outside of work she spends time outdoors and with her sons and their dog.
What Tracy works with
Everything Tracy lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Tracy helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- ADHD
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Eating disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self-harm
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
Approaches Tracy lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness 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.
Approach and online options for parenting and trauma work
Tracy commonly uses client-centered methods and cognitive behavioral therapy to help parents and caregivers. Client-centered work focuses on listening and building a respectful relationship so parents feel heard and understood. Cognitive behavioral techniques look at patterns of thinking and behavior and teach practical skills to change unhelpful reactions and reduce stress.She also draws on trauma-focused approaches when past abuse or traumatic events affect parenting or a child's behavior. Trauma-focused work aims to stabilize reactions, teach coping tools, and gently process distressing memories when the timing feels right.
Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, assess what is most pressing, and try techniques that fit the family's needs and preferences. Adjustments are made over time based on what helps.
Online therapy offers flexibility for busy caregivers. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, while phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or camera time isn't convenient. Live chat and text-based messaging let parents check in between sessions, track progress, or have shorter focused conversations. These options make it easier to fit regular support into a family routine.
Questions people ask about Tracy
What parenting concerns does she address?
She helps with common parenting stressors such as behavior challenges, school-related issues, child trauma effects, and managing ADHD symptoms.
What is her general therapy style?
She combines client-centered listening with practical techniques from cognitive behavioral and trauma-focused work, plus mindfulness and emotionally-focused tools.
How long has she been working in this field?
She has 23 years of professional experience, including 18 years providing school-based mental health services for children and adolescents.
What credentials and location are listed?
Her credentials are LISW, MD, and LCSW-C, and she practices in Maryland.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available online?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging as ways to connect.
How are fees handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule based on the therapist's availability.
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