Welcome to Anchored Hope Therapy!
Below is some helpful information about our practice. We are here to support you on your healing journey.
The Land on Which We Work
We respectfully acknowledge that the land on which we work, live, and practice is the traditional unceded territory of the Piscataway, Nanticoke & Susquehannock Nations. We believe healing our inner worlds also involves a connection with our environments and larger community.
Our Beginning and Now
In May of 2016, we opened our doors in Annapolis, Maryland. We started the practice as two friends and therapists (Chelsea and Christine). Before making the transition to private practice, we worked alongside one another (literally, we shared a wall) at the Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress at Kennedy Krieger Institute, in Baltimore, MD for seven years. Baltimore City holds a special place in our hearts and our work there is the foundation for our work in the community of Annapolis and beyond. We value creating partnerships and collaborating with the community to support clients’ healing.
In the height of the pandemic, our team grew vastly and quickly to accommodate the needs of our community. We were fully virtual at this time and, in December 2021, we re-opened our doors after a summer expansion to support a larger physical office space for our growing team and to meet the community’s need to have in-person sessions. We still offer virtual therapy for those who desire that mode of treatment. All of our providers offer virtual therapy and some offer both virtual and in person. We also offer trauma-informed ecotherapy, for a small group of clients, at a farm locally.
Who We Are
We are a collaborative group of social workers, licensed professional counselors, colleagues, and friends. We are also community advocates and believe deeply in social justice and in working in and with our community to support change. Many of us are connected to organizations and social movements close to our hearts and families. We believe in sustainable practices that support the helper and those we help. Many of our therapists are also parents in the community and juggle caring for families in addition to their clients. Read more about our team.
What does the name “Anchored Hope Therapy” mean to us?
Our name serves as an embodied anchor to who we are and what we do every day. We brainstormed with friends and family to capture the essence of healing in our practice’s name. Anchored Hope is a grounded place to heal amongst the waves of life. We aim to promote healing, growth and resilience within our team, ourselves, with our clients and our community.
What is Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and how do we use it at Anchored Hope Therapy?
The foundations of trauma-informed care guide every aspect of Anchored Hope, from our intake process to our office suite. We designed our physical space using “trauma-informed design” principles. The wall colors, the physical layout, the sound proofing between offices, and the choice of natural light, plants and decorations are ALL intentional.
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) includes: Safety, Trustworthiness & Transparency, Peer Support, Collaboration & Mutuality, Empowerment, Voice & Choice, Cultural, Historical, & Gender Issues
Our ongoing work and commitment to growth
We share a deep commitment to providing mental health services that intersect with social justice efforts. We create partnerships and collaborations that support our community and minimize barriers to services when possible.
We are intentionally working to rehumanize therapy and to remove stigma and reconnect to self and business practices with purpose. This process is called decolonizing. This process also includes internal work. With both personal and professional self-reflection on how we are upholding systems of harm, we are figuring out ways to dismantle/challenge ourselves to do better, while still working in systems that are not trauma-informed and not safe or accessible to all people. To learn more about what decolonizing therapy means visit the work of Dr. Jennifer Mullan.
All of the clinicians at Anchored Hope Therapy accept commercial insurance to promote accessibility to mental health care. We are actively working to recruit a diverse team of therapists that are affirming and representative of our larger community.
How do we approach therapeutic work?
We believe in using evidence-based models and recognize the importance of blending somatic therapies and other trauma-specific integrated approaches to promote healing. Healing does not happen in isolation, it happens within relationships. We also acknowledge power, privilege, and equity dynamics in our work with clients. Learn more about the types of therapy we provide.