Metropolitan Counseling Associates
Our Associates
Mackenzie Bell, LCPC
Mackenzie provides individual, family and group therapy to children, adolescents and young adults. Her work integrates skills and strategies from DBT and CBT to help clients reduce negative behaviors and to manage emotions in healthy and effective ways. She is a member of the Ascend Lite treatment team.
Prior to developing an outpatient practice at MCA, Mackenzie worked as a treatment provider within inpatient and community-based settings. Her familiarity with treatment across levels of care leads her to approach therapy with a goal directed approach to change. Her previous work includes training and practice with evidenced based treatment for complex trauma and dissociative disorders. In her outpatient practice, Mackenzie specializes in using skills-based strategies and interventions to treat a wide range of anxiety and mood disorders with clients of all ages.
Mackenzie is a licensed clinical professional counselor in Maryland, DC and Virginia. She has a Masters in Psychology from American University and a Professional Counseling Studies Certificate from the University of Baltimore.
Email bellm@metcounseling.com
Caryn Harris Bohac, LCPC, NCC
Caryn has a full time outpatient practice providing individual, group, and family therapy to adolescents and young adults. Caryn is the director of the Ascend 2 and Ascend Lite programs as well as a member of the Ascend team. She is also co-founder of the LaunchWell™ college readiness program. Caryn has developed an interest and specialization in mental health assessments and completes intakes for both the Ascend program and young adult outpatient services.
Caryn specializes in treating Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Mood Disorders in adolescents and young adults. Caryn is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) as well as certified in Exposure Response Prevention (EXRP). In addition to her clinical work, Caryn provides professional and community-based trainings in the areas of anxiety and exposure. Prior to developing her practice, Caryn co-founded About Time, a tutoring service for students struggling with executive functioning. Caryn is passionate about empowering adolescents and young adults with the skills and confidence to improve self-esteem, manage stress, and navigate the difficult transition into college and adulthood.
Caryn is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor in Maryland, DC, and Virginia. She completed her undergraduate degree from Tufts University with a double major in Psychology and Child Development. Caryn received her graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from George Washington University.
Email bohacc@metcounseling.com
Amye L. Fried, LCSW-C
Amye is the co-founder of Metropolitan Counseling Associates, LLC (MCA) and has been providing individual, group and family therapy to children, adolescents and young adults in the Washington, DC metropolitan area for over 25 years. Amye is the Founder and Director of the Ascend Program, a certified Clinical Supervisor, and an expert on human development and mental health assessment. She has served as a consultant and keynote speaker at many DC metropolitan schools, hospitals, and to many other outside professionals.
Amye graduated Summa Cum Laude from Emory University with a degree in Psychology and from Smith College with a Masters degree in Clinical Social Work. Amye then completed 5 additional years of post-masters clinical training with a specialization in family and group therapy. In recent years, she has completed training in DBT (Dialectical and Behavioral Therapy), EXRP (Exposure and Ritual Prevention), cultural competence and comprehensive assessment. Her work both within MCA and in the broader community is focused on developing a comprehensive and collaborative approach to promoting independence, a sense of purpose, confidence and overall wellness in young adults.
Email frieda@metcounseling.com
Sina Jones, LMSW
Sina has a full-time outpatient practice with adolescents, emerging adults, and adults. She provides individual, family, and group therapy. She is a member of the Ascend and Ascend 2 treatment teams.
Sina has had the privilege of serving a diverse range of individuals in a variety of settings, including college counseling centers, public schools, and community mental health clinics. Her clinical interests include grief, anxiety, life-stage transitions, intersectional identity development, relationship stress, and trauma. She strives to create an atmosphere in which clients feel supported and heard and uses an integrative approach to therapy, incorporating relational, humanistic, and mindfulness-based interventions into her work. She has a background in international program development, working primarily with youth outreach, reconciliation, and empowerment in post-conflict communities.
Sina is a Licensed Master Social Worker in Maryland. She earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical social work from the Catholic University of America and is a Postgraduate Trauma Fellow at George Mason University.
Email joness@metcounseling.com
Chelsea Kaplan, M.S.Ed
Chelsea provides executive functioning as well as individual and family therapy to adolescents, young adults, and adults. As Director of Outreach, Chelsea coordinates MCA’s outreach and marketing efforts.
Chelsea has worked with students and families in New York City and the Washington, DC metropolitan area as a middle and high school teacher and advisor at schools including The Chapin School, Trevor Day School, and Maret School. At Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda, she ran the College and Career Guidance program, which readied junior and senior students for post-high school life, focusing on instruction regarding managing credit and finances, securing and maintaining employment, and continuing their education at vocational school or college. In her clinical practice, Chelsea specializes in supporting those who struggle with the motivation to make meaningful changes in their lives, whether it be in the areas of executive functioning or strengthening/maintaining personal relationships. She incorporates DBT and CBT strategies into her work to help clients move forward and achieve their goals.
Chelsea graduated from Lehigh University and earned her Master’s of Science degree in education from Bank Street College of Education in New York City, a leader in progressive education training. In this program, she received specialized training in the social-emotional development of middle and high school students with specific concentration on adapting instruction for students with learning differences. She is currently in her Advanced Clinical Year of completing the M.S.W. program at Catholic University, where her studies have focused on the adolescent and young adult population and providing trauma-informed care.
Rebecca Kullback, LCSW-C
Rebecca is a co-founder of Metropolitan Counseling Associates, the Director of Outpatient Services, and a co-founder of LaunchWell™ college readiness programs. She specializes in assessment and the treatment of trauma related disorders. Her work at MCA focuses on providing individual, family and couples therapy to young adults and adults.
Rebecca received her MSW in clinical social work from Smith College School for Social Work in 1994.and began her career alongside Anthony Fauci MD, Wayne Fenton MD and their respective teams of researchers and providers at NIH and Chestnut Lodge Hospital. Developing a passion for mental health assessment and prevention, Rebecca left hospital work to create and direct the first upper school counseling department at Sidwell Friends School. She participated in the pilot development of advanced adoption competent therapist training through PACE and the University of Maryland, is a former faculty member of the Catholic University School of Social Work, is a certified clinical social work supervisor and public speaker on mental health and wellness throughout the DC area.on issues pertaining to child and adult mental health and wellness. She is certified in DBT, EMDR and CPT treatment and has extensive training in family therapy and the neurobiology of mental health.
Rebecca is passionate about mental health assessment and believes that unsuccessful treatment is often the result of misdiagnosis. She has a special interest in helping parents, educators and health care providers and other professionals better understand differences in human behavior that are commonly mistaken as disorder; and helping people develop the understanding and support they need to promote life-long health and wellbeing.
Email kullbackr@metcounseling.com
Bridget Kuzma, LCPAT, ATR-BC
Bridget is part of the Ascend treatment team and leads the Art Therapy groups. Art therapy uses art mediums, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to enhance relatedness, personal insight, and growth. Bridget provides compassionate space for discovery and healing with a spirit of curiosity and co-exploration to develop a safe environment for expression. Because words are often not enough, Art Therapy provides a nonverbal way to represent inner experiences that is naturally integrative as creativity engages emotional, sensory, kinesthetic, spatial and cognitive levels of processing. No skills required!
Bridget’s experience includes work with children and adults ages 2- 97. Her work with adults, children and families encompasses non-profit, school, and hospital settings including pediatric, palliative, and intensive care units. Along with Art Therapy, she is trained in Psychodynamic and Somatic Psychotherapy modalities. Bridget specializes in trauma and is certified in the somatic modality Sensorimotor Psychotherapy to treat dysregulation, survival defenses and traumatic memory. Before becoming a therapist, she worked at the National Institutes of Health where she developed supportive programs for families, teens and young adults. There she learned to appreciate the value of person-centered care and the meaningful benefits of creativity.
Bridget is a Nationally registered and Board-Certified Art Therapist licensed as a Clinical Professional Art Therapist in Maryland and New York. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Studio Art at the University of Dallas, her master’s in Art Therapy and Creativity Development at The Pratt Institute and completed her clinical training at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. In addition to being a therapist, Bridget is a painter. Her own creative practice informs and enriches the work she is honored to do with clients.
Email kuzmab@metcounseling.com
Kim Levin MS, CCC-SLP
Kim is director of educational and vocational services at Metropolitan Counseling Associates. She works with adolescents, young adults, and adults as well as runs groups. She is a member of the Ascend and Ascend Lite programs and co-founder of the LaunchWell™ college readiness program.
Kim specializes in assessing and treating executive functioning disorder. Kim focuses her work on assisting individuals develop and implement skills to improve executive functioning in an effort to feel successful at school and/or work. Kim has experience both evaluating and treating executive function disorder as it relates to neurological and mental health concerns. Kim is trained in conducting many educational and vocational assessments.
Kim is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist in both Virginia and Maryland and has over 20 years of experience working in the Washington DC area. She obtained her undergraduate degree from James Madison University in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Psychology and her Master of Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Speech Language Pathology.
Email levink@metcounseling.com
Paige Lewis, LCPC, NCC
Paige has a full time outpatient practice working with adolescents, young adults, families and groups. She is a member of both the Ascend and Ascend Lite programs. In addition to her clinical work, Paige takes a lead role in assisting individuals with any case management services needed to further treatment.
Paige specializes in treating adolescents and young adults with mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, and challenges within their family. Paige is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Paige uses mindfulness and a strength-focused approach to compassionately help individuals identify and work through their challenges and achieve their goals.
Paige is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor in Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia. Paige earned her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University where she majored in Criminal Justice. She received her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University.
Email lewisp@metcounseling.com
Michelle Manket, LMSW, LGSW
Michelle has an outpatient practice working with adolescents, emerging adults, and adults. She provides individual, family, couples, and group therapy. She is also a member of the Ascend treatment team.
Michelle specializes in working with mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, and life transitions. She incorporates various behavioral, cognitive, and psychodynamic approaches to support the growth of her clients. Her goal is to help clients develop the awareness, tools, and vocabulary to access, identify, and manage their feelings in an effort to feel empowered to explore deeper and more successful relationships with themselves and others. Prior to MCA, Michelle has a background in the corporate and startup spaces, working primarily in strategy, partnerships, and sales.
Michelle is a Licensed Master Social Worker in Maryland and Virginia, and a Licensed Graduate Social Worker in Washington DC. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and her MSW from New York University.
Email manketm@metcounseling.com
Charlotte Masters, LMSW, LGSW
Charlotte provides individual and group therapy to children, adolescents, and adults. She specializes and finds meaning in working with the individuals who identify as LGBTQ+. Her work is psychodynamically oriented and integrates CBT, DBT, and somatic practices based on clients’ feelings and experiences. Charlotte’s work primarily focuses on mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, and life transitions.
Prior to her time at MCA, Charlotte worked in a variety of settings, including residential substance use, inpatient oncology and general medicine, and outpatient pediatric behavioral health. In her roles as an addictions counselor and medical social worker, Charlotte worked with adults to complete intake assessments, treatment plan, and coordinate discharge. At the detox facility, she also led weekly psychoeducation sessions, process groups, and a Talking About Tobacco group to explore the connection between nicotine use and substance use disorders and promote behavioral change. As an outpatient clinician at a pediatric hospital, Charlotte gained experience in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), supportive psychotherapy, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and weekly assessments for youth aged 3 to 18. Charlotte is also passionate about her work as a Mental Health Professional with Kesem, a national organization dedicated to providing free summer camp and year-round programming to children whose parents and/or guardians are impacted by cancer.
Charlotte is a Licensed Master Social Worker in Maryland and a Licensed Graduate Social Worker in Washington, DC. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and her MSW with a Social Work in Health Care specialization from the University of Pennsylvania.
Email mastersc@metcounseling.com
Liz McCarthy, LMSW
Liz provides individual and family therapy to adolescents and young adults. She works part-time as an outpatient therapist and full-time as a social worker at a DC high school.
Liz has been serving students and families in public schools as a teacher and case manager for over 25 years. She also served as an instructional coach and the Deputy Chief of Professional Learning for DC Public Schools, where she supported teacher development, particularly their understanding of trauma-informed practices important for attending to the whole child. She is passionate about building authentic relationships and empowering her clients to live fulfilling lives. In her clinical practice, Liz is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and specializes in supporting those impacted by trauma and associated symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Liz is a Licensed Master Social Worker in Maryland. She earned her Master’s degree in clinical social work from George Mason University where she also received a scholarship to participate in the Community-Academic Partnerships in Behavioral Health (CAP-BH) Program. Through this program, she received specialized behavioral health training to address the complex issues that arise from untreated trauma and behavioral health issues in children and adolescents. Liz also holds a Master’s degree in secondary education with dual certification in special education and English as a second language from George Washington University and is Nationally Board Certified in Adolescent and Young Adulthood: English Language Arts.
Email mccarthyl@metcounseling.com
Rachel Ress, LCSW
Rachel has an outpatient practice providing individual therapy to clients throughout adulthood. Rachel specializes in working with chronic illness, grief and loss, anxiety and mood disorders, and life transitions.
Rachel incorporates a variety of therapeutic approaches to support the unique needs of her clients, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and internal family systems therapy (IFS). Prior to joining MCA, Rachel gained extensive experience working with individuals impacted by cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, and other chronic illnesses. She spent several years working in academic hospital settings and nonprofits providing direct support and program delivery. Rachel takes a relational and strengths-based approach while ensuring a compassionate and continuously supportive therapeutic environment for each client. She is passionate about the intersection of chronic illness and emotional well-being. Additionally, she has a particular interest in supporting young adults as they navigate the challenges of early adulthood.
Rachel is a licensed clinical social worker in Maryland, DC, and Virginia. She earned a Master’s degree in clinical social work from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Michigan.
Email ressr@metcounseling.com
Macarena “Maca” Santelices, LCPC
Maca has a full time outpatient practice treating children, adolescents, young adults, and families. Maca provides individual, family, and group therapy. Maca is fluent in Spanish and provides bi-lingual therapy services.
Maca specializes in treating depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Maca is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She incorporates mindfulness and solution-focused therapies to help individuals work through social, emotional, and behavioral challenges and to achieve their goals. Maca also has extensive experience providing support and guidance to parents, conducting mental health consultations, and assisting with case management.
Maca is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia. She received her undergraduate degree from The University of Maryland where she doubled majored in Psychology and Spanish. Maca obtained her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Email santelicesm@metcounseling.com
Katherine Whorton Todman, LCSW-C
Katherine has a part-time outpatient practice working with adolescents and adults. Katherine joined MCA when the practice first opened and has continued to provided individual, family, and group therapy over the years.
Katherine specializes in treating anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and bereavement. Katherine has completed training of the adult psychotherapy program at the Baltimore Washington Center for Psychoanalysis and advanced clinical training at the Clinical Social Work Institute in Washington, DC. In addition to her practice at MCA, Katherine works fulltime at the National Institute of Mental Health with a focus on human subjects’ protections for research participants. Her expansive work in research and ethics is a consistent asset to our group and is seen in our outcome-based studies in the Ascend program and in-house ethics adherence and training. She also provides ceaseless and sophisticated attention to the complexity of variables that impact clinical work and helps our team safeguard the integrity of practice.
Katherine is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker licensed in Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia. Katherine graduated from Chapman University and earned her MSW from Smith College.
Email todmankw@metcounseling.com
Robyn Wechsler, MD
Dr. Wechsler is the consulting psychiatrist for the ASCEND program, a consultant to LaunchWell™ college readiness program, and routinely collaborates in the treatment of clients and families in our outpatient practice. Dr. Wechsler is also co-founder of Capital Mental Health, a very busy child, adolescent and adult psychiatric practice in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Dr. Wechsler integrates a sophisticated knowledge and practice of medicine with warmth and enthusiasm for her patient’s success and well-being. Her wisdom, competence and energy make her a highly sought-after provider and an invaluable asset to Ascend. Before moving to fulltime private practice in 2012, Dr. Wechsler was on the faculty of Georgetown University Hospital Department of Psychiatry and a staff supervisor and psychiatrist. Dr. Wechsleer also completed a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine and spent time out west where she was a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Children’s Institute in Los Angeles.
Dr. Wechsler is an ABPN board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist. Dr. Wechsler graduated from Brown University and received her medical degree from the University of Maryland. She completed her residency at the University of Pittsburg Western Psychaitric Institute.
Anna Wolf, DSW, LCSW-C
Anna has a full-time outpatient practice treating adolescents, adults, and families. She provides individual, family, and group therapy, and is a member of the Ascend program. Anna is fluent in Spanish and provides bilingual mental health services.
Prior to MCA, Anna has worked as a psychotherapist, program director, and clinical supervisor in various settings such as child welfare, public schools, and community health clinics. Anna is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Exposure Response Prevention (EXRP) She is passionate about helping clients develop skills to improve emotional, relational, and psychological wellbeing. She utilizes a collaborative approach that is strengths-based and solution-oriented.
Anna is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Board Approved Supervisor in Maryland. She completed her MSW at the University of Maryland and earned her Doctor of Social Work in clinical practice and leadership from the University of Tennessee.
Email wolfa@metcounseling.com
MCA Staff
Sondra Brassel, Billing Specialist
Email brassels@metcounseling.com
Charisse Bravo, Office Manager
Email office@metcounseling.com
Indy, Therapy Dog
Indy, short for the color Indigo, is a male, soft-coated wheaten terrier who has been a part of the fabric of Metropolitan Counseling Associates and the Ascend program since she was a mere 13 week-old pup. Although not certified, he has graduated from 16 weeks of training as a therapy dog. He predominately uses physical closeness, constant invitations to pet him (favorite spot is under the neck), gentle and inviting puppy-dog eyes, and an occasional kiss to work his therapy magic. His years of experience comforting all in his wake and his joyful presence in the waiting room reflect the warmth that clients experience at MCA.