Meet Our Washington, DC and Maryland Therapists

At Dandelion Counseling & Care, we have a team of knowledgeable therapists who offer therapy for a diverse range of needs. If you’re a young professional struggling with imposter syndrome, a new parent who’s having a tough time bonding with their child, a teen worried about transitioning into college life, or you’re feeling overwhelmed by intense thoughts or emotions, we’re here for you. You can get to know each of our therapists a little better on this page. If you want to find out more about working with us and which therapist will be a good fit for your needs, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Shantius Jackson, MS, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor & Psychotherapist

Shantius Jackson is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Tenleytown, Washington, D. C. She has many years of experience working with young adults who are learning to manage life’s responsibilities/”adulting,” as well as partnering with children, adolescents, and their families. Her background as both a mental health counselor and school counselor has allowed her to develop skills to build a solid foundation with clients to overcome challenges and find the strength to excel.

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Zyer Beaty, PhD, LGPC, NCC

Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor

Zyer Beaty is a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor in Washington, D. C. with over 6 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and their families. She has a heart for youth, education, travel, and mental health. Zyer currently serves as a high school counselor in the DC Public School System; her background as a school counselor and counselor educator has allowed her to grow the skills it takes to make strong connections with clients helping them overcome obstacles to their social-emotional well-being and access to success. With Zyer’s academic background, Zyer specializes in working with teenagers, young adults, college students, and graduate students.

Heather Ruiz, MSW, LMSW, LGSW

Licensed Graduate Social Worker & Psychotherapist

Heather Ruiz is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker in Washington, DC with several years of experience working with individuals and families in various settings, including crisis counseling at a residential treatment center, ​care coordination at a family shelter, and outpatient psychotherapy to individuals with psychiatric diagnoses. Her eclectic background in teaching, EdTech, and musical theatre has exposed her to diverse communities, encouraged her to address issues creatively, and adapt to individual needs.

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Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW LCSW, LCSW-C

Director, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker & Psychotherapist

(Licensed in DC, MD, NY & FL – practicing in person and online!)

Erika Bugaj is a licensed independent clinical social worker practicing in Tenleytown, Washington, DC. Erika has many years of experience as a social worker and therapist, as well as experience as a teacher. She specializes in perinatal mental health at this time, though she is a trained child, teen, and family therapist.

Camille White, MA, MS, LPC, NCC

Licensed Professional Counselor & Psychotherapist

Camille White is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Tenleytown, Washington, D. C. with over fifteen years of experience working with children, adolescents, and their families. Her background as both a teacher and school counselor has allowed her to grow the skills it takes to make strong connections with clients, helping them overcome obstacles to their social-emotional wellbeing and access to success.

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Anne-Marie Ruwe, MSW

LGSW & Staff Therapist

Anne-Marie Ruwe is is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker in Washington, D. C., with several years of experience working with children and adults in various settings. After beginning her journey with Dandelion as an intern during graduate school and having recently graduated, Anne-Marie has officially been brought on as a full-time staff therapist. She takes a fresh, creative approach to therapy and enjoys practicing from a feminist perspective. Anne-Marie enjoys working with teens, college-aged students, and young adults.

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Caroline Erickson

MSW Student | Student Therapist

Caroline is a DC-based second year MSW student at Ohio State University, specializing in mental health counseling and substance use. She has over a decade of experience working with youth and adults in various settings. Her background as a sexuality educator and human resources advisor has allowed her to develop the skills needed to create safe spaces for people to bring their most sensitive issues and empower them to develop the skills needed to cope and thrive. Caroline is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and loves to support Queer youth and adults.

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Emely Taveras, MS, Resident MFT

Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy

Emely Taveras is a Resident in Marriage in Family Therapy in Tenleytown, Washington, D.C., and provides individual, couple, and family services and works with all populations in all stages of the life cycle including children, adolescents, and adults. Emely graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies. Maintaining a culturally competent and trauma-informed lens is imperative to Emely’s work with her clients, as she believes the intersectionality of our identities can play a significant role in our experiences and view of self. Emely provides services in both Spanish and English.

Emely’s Psychology Today Profile

Talia Pfeffer, Dandelion Counseling & Care student intern

Talia Pfeffer is an advanced-year Master of Social Work Student with a concentration in Clinical Social Work with Adults at The Catholic University of America. Talia has prior field experience in medical social work, where she provided brief psychodynamic psychotherapy and care coordination to individuals and families with chronic health conditions.

Talia Pfeffer
Sarah Hair

Sarah Hair, MA, MSW 2nd year candidate

Sarah Hair is an advanced year student in Clinical Social Work at Catholic University,  Washington, D.C; a Fellow at Children’s National Hospital and an intern in psychotherapy in Tenleytown, Washington, D. C. She has 18 years of experience working with children and their families as an educator. Her background as both a Mental Health Therapist and Educator has allowed her to develop skills to build a solid foundation with clients to overcome challenges and find the strength to excel. She is also focusing on perinatal mental health to help prepare future and current parents for the transition in their life.

Get Started Working with Us

If you’re interested in learning more about working with the Dandelion Counseling & Care team for therapy services in our Tenleytown practice or via online counseling sessions, we look forward to hearing from you. You can get in touch with us by:

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Therapy for Adults

If you’re here, you’ve taken the first step toward becoming the best and most fulfilled version of yourself, and the Dandelion Counseling & Care team is excited to be part of your therapy journey.

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Therapy for Children & Families

Whether you’re a parent who needs guidance or you’re looking for a therapist to support your struggling child, the Dandelion Counseling & Care team is here to help.

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Therapy for Parents

Let’s face it – being a parent is hard. Whether you have a baby on the way, you’re adopting or fostering, or you’re having trouble bonding with your child, you may want to consider working with a family therapist.

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Group Therapy & Support Groups

At Dandelion Counseling & Care, we are proud to offer group therapy and support groups in the Tenley town community. You can learn more about group therapy services on this page...

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Therapy for Anxiety

If you’re struggling with anxiety, we’re here to talk about it. At Dandelion Counseling & Care, we offer therapy for anxiety in our Tenleytown practice to help alleviate the effects of anxiety and develop skills...

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Therapy for College & University Students

One of the great things about working in the heart of Tenleytown is that Dandelion Counseling & Care is located near American University, The Washington College of Law, and...

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Therapy for Teens

At Dandelion Counseling & Care, we welcome adolescents and teens from the Tenleytown community to visit us for therapy. We regularly work with teens from Woodrow Wilson High School in the heart...

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Therapy for Depression

Depression may be the most common mood disorder impacting millions of people in the U.S. every year. If you’re one of the countless people trying to overcome the effects of depression, the good news is...

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Shantius Jackson, MS, LPC

Shantius Jackson is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Tenleytown, Washington, D. C. She has many years of experience working with young adults who are learning to manage life’s responsibilities/”adulting,” as...

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Heather Ruiz, MSW, LMSW, LGSW

Heather Ruiz is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker in Washington, DC with several years of experience working with individuals and families in various settings, including...

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Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW LCSW, LCSW-C

Erika Bugaj is a licensed independent clinical social worker practicing in Tenleytown, Washington, DC. Erika has many years of experience as a social worker...

Luba-Gritsunov

Luba Gritsunov, Dandelion Counseling & Care student intern

Luba Gritsunov is a first-year MSW student at Ohio State University, specializing in mental health counseling. Having spent several years as an individual educator, she honed the skills of personalized support and active listening.

Julia-Nessman

Julia Nessman, Dandelion Counseling & Care student intern

Julia Nessman is a second and final year Master of Social Work student through the Catholic University of America.  She has several years of experience with advocacy and research pertaining to neurodiversity and youth mental health.

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Anne-Marie Ruwe

Anne-Marie Ruwe is Dandelion’s newest intern. She is a Master of Social Work student at Ohio State University, specializing in mental health and substance misuse. Anne-Marie is excited to expand her skillset...

Molly Byrom, MSW, LICSW & Staff Therapist

Molly Byrom is a licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who serves clients in both Washington, D.C. and North Carolina. She specializes in working with individuals.....

Devon Pu,MSW, LGSW

Devon Pu is a licensed graduate social worker in Tenleytown, Washington, D.C. with extensive experience in healthcare systems treating severe mental illness and trauma.

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Zyer Beaty, PhD, LGPC, NCC

Zyer Beaty is a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor in Washington, D. C. with over 6 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and their families. She has a heart for...

Courtney-Johnson

Courtney Johnson, Dandelion Counseling & Care student intern

A first-year student at Ohio State University, specializing in mental health counseling. He is a native of Memphis, TN and has been working in the HIV field for over 10 years. 

Keisha-Jones

Keisha Jones, Dandelion Counseling & Care student intern

As an intern at Dandelion Counseling and Care, Keisha brings a unique blend of education and hands-on experience that reflects their commitment to fostering empowerment and healing in diverse populations.

Katie Jarvis, Dandelion Counseling & Care student intern

Katie is a second-year master’s student at Catholic University, focusing on clinical social work and therapy. She previously worked in housing counseling with tenants at risk of being evicted.

Antonella Zara, Dandelion Counseling & Care student intern

Antonella Zara is a recent BSW graduate from The Catholic University of America and is currently working towards her MSW. She has previous experience with one on one counseling, case management and is now looking forward to working in a more therapeutic setting

Rachel Sanders, Dandelion Counseling & Care student intern

Rachel Sanders is a recent graduate of the Catholic University of America. She studied social work in her undergrad degree, and found social work to be her passion, so she is now pursuing her Master’s degree at CUA.

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Camille White, MA, MS, LPC, NCC

Camille White is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Tenleytown, Washington, D. C. with over fifteen years of experience working with children, adolescents, and...

Elżbieta Jabłońska, EMBA, PhD candidate, MCC ICF

Elżbieta holds Master Certified Coach credentials that place her in the top 3% of all ICF certified coaches in the world.

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Caroline Erickson

Caroline is a DC-based second year MSW student at Ohio State University, specializing in mental health counseling and substance use. She has over a decade of experience working with youth and adults in various...

Talia Pfeffer

Talia Pfeffer, Dandelion Counseling & Care student intern

As a Dandelion Counseling & Care student psychotherapist, creating a solid therapeutic relationship with clients is central to Talia’s effective and transformative therapy approach.

Sarah Hair

Sarah Hair, MA, MSW 2nd year candidate

An advanced year student in Clinical Social Work at Catholic University, a Fellow at Children’s National Hospital and an intern in psychotherapy in Tenleytown, Washington, D. C.

Emely Taveras, MS, Resident MFT

Emely Taveras is a Resident in Marriage in Family Therapy in Tenleytown, Washington, D.C., and provides individual, couple, and family services and works with all populations in all stages of the life cycle including children, adolescents, and adults.

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