Stephen Murphy, LICSW, MD, LCSW-C
Calm-focused, practical therapy for strong emotions
Book with StephenWorks with
- Anger
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Depression
How Stephen works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LICSW, MD, LCSW-C
- Licensed in
- Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, District of Columbia, Maryland
- Years in practice
- 10
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Stephen
Stephen Murphy is a licensed clinician with ten years of experience helping people manage strong emotions and life changes. He holds LICSW, MD, and LCSW-C credentials and practices in Maryland while working with clients across state lines. His work often addresses anger alongside stress, anxiety, and depression.
He aims for straightforward, usable therapy. Sessions focus on skills people can try between meetings. He listens for patterns that lead to anger, overwhelm, or shutdown and helps clients build alternatives that fit their daily life.
Background and approach
Stephen mixes practical techniques with attention to relationships and personal history. He uses tools from cognitive behavioral work to change unhelpful thinking and behavior. He also draws on attachment-based ideas to understand how early bonds affect current reactions.
Sessions are collaborative and paced to what each person needs. For some, that means short-term coaching on communication and anger strategies. For others, it means deeper work on trauma, grief, or identity concerns tied to long-standing patterns.
People who reach out typically want clear steps, honest feedback, and help translating insights into everyday choices. Stephen supports issues ranging from addiction and parenting strain to career stress and compassion fatigue. He also helps people coping with ADHD, bipolar symptoms, and recovery from abuse.
He offers multiple online formats so clients can pick what fits their schedule. New clients begin by completing a brief matching questionnaire and then scheduling sessions according to availability.
What Stephen works with
Everything Stephen lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Stephen's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Depression
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Stephen lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How specific approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts without getting stuck in them and then act according to chosen values. It can be useful for anger, anxiety, and life transitions by shifting focus to meaningful actions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behavior and teaches practical strategies to change patterns that feed anger or depression. It often includes homework to practice new skills between sessions.Finding the best approach is a team effort. Stephen will listen to your goals, try methods that fit your style, and adjust the plan as you go. Some people respond quickly to skill-focused CBT work, while others need more time with ACT or attachment-informed conversations to change long-standing patterns.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions work well for face-to-face conversation and teaching new techniques. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or when a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging make it easier to keep momentum between sessions and to fit support into a busy day. These options make therapy more flexible and easier to use alongside work, family, or travel.
Questions people ask about Stephen
What concerns does Stephen commonly address?
He works with stress, anxiety, depression, anger, addictions, trauma and related challenges such as grief, self-esteem, and career stress.
How would you describe his therapeutic style?
He offers a practical, collaborative style that blends skill-building with attention to relationship patterns and personal history.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has ten years of experience working with a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns.
What are his credentials and where is he based?
He holds LICSW, MD, and LCSW-C credentials and practices in Maryland.
Are sessions offered in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English, and he accepts international clients.
Which session formats are available?
He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How are costs and subscriptions handled?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What is the first step to begin working together?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.