Dr. Allison Bethea, MD
Experienced psychologist focused on practical parenting support
Explore online therapy options- Years in practice
- 20
- Credentials
- MD
- Licensed in
- Maryland
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- LGBT
- Focus
- Parenting issues
About Allison
Dr. Allison Bethea is a Maryland-based psychologist with an MD and twenty years of experience. She began studying psychology early and has spent decades helping people navigate stress, anxiety, depression, and parenting concerns.
Her work often centers on practical steps and steady support rather than jargon or sudden fixes. She favors clear, collaborative conversations in sessions. She listens for what is working and what is getting in the way, then suggests small, manageable changes to try between meetings.
Background and approach
That might include simple skills for sleep, stress relief, or handling intense emotions. Her approach draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness practices, and solution-focused ideas to tailor plans to each person. She pays attention to how physical health and brain function affect mood and behavior, and she uses that information to shape treatment choices.
Dr. Bethea has experience with ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, grief, trauma, and many anxiety-related problems such as panic and phobias. She has also worked with people who are LGBT and with parents caring for children with special needs.
Her work includes helping people facing chronic illness or disability and issues around identity and discrimination. Sessions are offered in English and conducted remotely by video, phone, live chat, or text messaging. To begin, a person completes a short matching questionnaire and schedules according to the therapist's availability.
The practice uses a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What Allison works with
Everything Allison lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Allison helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Parenting issues
- Depression
- ADHD
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Sleeping disorders
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Emptiness
- Gender dysphoria
- Impulsivity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visually impaired
Approaches Allison lists
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How therapy approaches translate to online care
Dr. Bethea uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness Therapy in ways that fit well with remote sessions. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors; it often includes short exercises and homework that transfer easily to phone or video sessions. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce stress and improve sleep, and those practices can be guided in a live call or reinforced through text reminders.The best approach is a collaborative choice. She will work with each person to decide which methods to try based on current needs, goals, and what feels usable in daily life. That means trying an idea, reviewing how it went, and adjusting together rather than committing to a single method up front.
Online sessions offer practical flexibility. Video calls let the therapist see nonverbal cues and work through exercises together. Phone sessions can be a good fit when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging make brief check-ins and step-by-step coaching easier to fit into busy days. These options help people keep momentum while balancing school, work, and caregiving responsibilities.
Questions people ask about Allison
What concerns does she help with?
Dr. Bethea works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, parenting concerns, ADHD, trauma, grief, sleep problems, and anger.
What is her therapy style like?
Her sessions are collaborative and practical. She focuses on clear conversations, small experiments, and skills to try between meetings.
How much experience does she have?
She brings twenty years of clinical experience, having practiced in Maryland and developed long-term experience with anxiety, stress management, and ADHD-related concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She holds an MD and practices as a psychologist based in Maryland.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What formats are available for sessions?
Appointments can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How does billing and getting started work?
Costs vary by location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to availability.
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