About Therapist Diana Gomez
Hello! My name is Diana Gomez. Before I graduated from the University of Baltimore, I was a clinical intern at Montgomery Counseling Center. Now I am a licensed graduate professional counselor under the supervision of Sara Varga, LCSW-C.
I am passionate about Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) which focuses on providing a supportive, non-judgmental space for you to feel comfortable sharing your thoughts. Operating within a DBT framework also means that I will strive to push you towards your goals when you need that extra nudge. I find active listening to be important. Yet at the same time, I believe there has to be more than that in therapy. Don’t get me wrong, active listening is super helpful! But I also find guidance towards goals to be just as important. My hope is that you feel you are talking to someone who understands both where you are coming from and where you want to go, rather than a parrot who simply repeats what is being said.
My own experiences have shape me into the style of therapist that I strive to be: a genuine and lively advisor, providing you with the tools and support and hopefully a dash of humor here and there in our journey together.
Education and Experience as a Therapist
In 2018, I received my undergraduate degree, a BS in Psychology, from Mount St. Mary’s University. Eventually, I returned to school to earn my graduate degree, and in 2022, I earned an M.S. in Applied Psychology at the University of Baltimore. My previous experiences includeApplied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as a Registered Behavior Technician. For 5 years, I provided services to children with autism. This is where my love for behavior therapy began. Although I believe behavior therapy is quite helpful with behavior change, I felt there was an empathy component missing. This is how I found myself learning Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) at my first internship location, Thompson Child Therapy. While there, I learned elements of Filial Therapy and Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT). Currently, I am participating in the DBT comprehensive training through Behavioral Tech.
Specialties
- Adolescents
- Young Adults
- Anxiety & Depression
- Interpersonal Concerns
- Grief work
- Identity Exploration (cultural identity , sexual identity, vocational identity) etc
- Life Transitions in Emerging Adulthood
- Perfectionism
- Self-esteem
- Self-awareness
Personal Life
I am the type of person who loves to spend time with family, whether it be going out to eat or spending time at home watching a movie together. I also enjoy traveling to New York to eat at the hotspots and walk in the city (but mostly eat). When I’m not social, I enjoy trying out new baking recipes or watching a Studio Ghibli movie in bed. If I’m really feeling up for it, I could spend a whole afternoon playing any Legend of Zelda game! Lastly, my family is from El Salvador, so I try to travel every year to spend time with them. The entire trip always involves the beach, the mountains, hiking volcanoes, and lots of Salvadoran coffee. Enough about me, I’m eager to get to know you!
Contact Diana Gomez
Email: Diana@mccounselingcenter.com