Heather McQuay , MD, LCSW-C

Heather McQuay is a licensed clinician with more than 20 years in human services and over a decade practicing as a therapist. She holds an MD and is an LCSW-C in Maryland. Heather works with people facing stress, anxiety, mood concerns, trauma, grief, and parenting strains. She aims to make the first steps feel manageable and clear.

Heather takes a person-centered approach. She listens first and helps set goals that match what each person wants to change. Sessions focus on practical steps and usable skills rather than labels. Her style is collaborative and respectful, with attention to what fits each person's life.

She draws from several therapeutic methods. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice unhelpful thinking and try different actions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy offers skills for emotional regulation and distress tolerance. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy supports people in clarifying values and taking committed steps toward them.

Her work often addresses trauma from childhood or adulthood and long-term mood concerns such as bipolar disorder. Heather also helps with parenting stress, relationship and family issues, compassion fatigue, ADHD, and career concerns. She adapts techniques to match the presenting problem and a person’s rhythm of life.

Clients can expect straightforward conversations, skill practice, and gradual goal-setting. Heather emphasizes strengths and small changes that add up. She aims to help people build routines and strategies that feel sustainable in everyday life.

How Heather’s Approaches Fit Online Work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people clarify their values and take small steps toward them. Online sessions can focus on values-based goals and short exercises to practice between meetings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and uses specific exercises to change unhelpful patterns. That method adapts well to brief homework, worksheets, and skill practice done between sessions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy teaches emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and communication skills. These skills can be introduced in-session and reinforced with text check-ins or short videos.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Heather will talk with each person about their needs, goals, and preferences and then try methods that seem likely to help. The plan can change over time so the approach stays useful and practical.

Online therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences. Video calls are useful for conversations that benefit from face-to-face interaction. Phone sessions can be easier when lower bandwidth or a hands-free option is needed. Live chat and text messaging are helpful for brief check-ins, between-session coaching, or when shorter contact works better with a busy day.