Heather McQuay, LCSW-C

Heather McQuay is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) practicing in Maryland. She has spent more than 20 years in the human services field and over a decade working as a licensed therapist. Heather focuses on practical help for everyday struggles and long-standing difficulties alike. Her work centers on listening first and then building goals together. She favors a person-centered style that respects each person’s pace and priorities. Sessions often focus on reducing anxiety, managing mood changes, handling grief, and moving through trauma from childhood or adulthood. Heather draws on several approaches to match what an individual needs. She uses cognitive behavioral techniques to spot and shift unhelpful thinking. She also uses acceptance and commitment ideas to clarify values and create meaningful steps forward. Many people come for help with stress, relationship concerns, parenting strain, career stress, ADHD, or compassion fatigue. Heather also supports those working through adoption and foster care issues, attachment concerns, chronic illness, and caregiving burdens. She adapts strategies for mood disorders including bipolar presentations and disruptive mood dysregulation challenges. Her style is collaborative and down-to-earth. Heather helps people set realistic steps, practice skills between sessions, and check progress along the way. To begin, use the site's Start Therapy flow to match and schedule with her.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Heather uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. CBT breaks concerns into small parts and teaches concrete tools for managing mood, worry, and stress.

She also draws on acceptance and commitment therapy, which helps clarify what matters most and build small actions that match those values. ACT can be useful for coping with persistent worries and finding direction during life changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Heather will discuss options and adjust methods based on a person's goals, needs, and what feels most helpful during sessions. That collaborative planning helps ensure therapy fits the individual's life and preferences.

Session formats are not specified in the provided biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Many people find remote sessions help maintain consistency while practicing skills between meetings.