Stephen Murphy, LICSW, MD, LCSW-C

Stephen Murphy is a licensed clinician with ten years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and major life changes. He holds LICSW, MD, and LCSW-C credentials and practices in Maryland. His work focuses on practical steps people can use right away to feel steadier.

He keeps sessions direct and down-to-earth. He listens first, then helps people notice patterns that cause pain. From there he works with clients to try clearer ways of thinking and acting. He often uses cognitive behavioral ideas to break unhelpful cycles.

Stephen also draws on acceptance and commitment approaches to help people clarify what matters to them. That can be useful for coping with grief, addiction, or big transitions. Attachment-based ideas guide work on relationship and family concerns.

He helps people with a wide range of issues including parenting stress, communication problems, trauma and abuse, ADHD, and burnout. He also supports those facing adoption and foster care concerns, aging questions, or the fallout from separation and domestic violence.

Sessions focus on concrete skills, steady support, and goals that a person can measure. Stephen uses straightforward tools so progress feels real and understandable. He aims to make therapy practical and relevant to everyday life.

How these approaches translate to online work

Stephen commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. CBT is practical and task-oriented, which fits well with short exercises and homework between sessions.

He also incorporates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients name what matters and take small steps toward those values even when feelings are difficult. Attachment-based ideas guide work on communication patterns and trust in close relationships.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. He will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and how they respond to different strategies. Together they decide whether to focus on skills training, acceptance work, or relationship patterns.

Online formats offer useful flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face work when that helps. Phone sessions can fit into a shorter break or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text-based messaging are practical for brief check-ins, coaching-style support, or when someone prefers not to be on camera. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around busy schedules.