Aysha Kemp
Aysha Kemp, MSW, Supervisee in Social Work
She/her/hers – what are personal pronouns and why do they matter?
Clients I work with: Adult individuals and teens aged 13 and above, and their families
Issues I work with: Relationships, communication, emotional intimacy, self-discovery, anxiety, depression, life transitions, mind-body-soul connection, self-esteem, healthy coping mechanisms, relational patterns, trauma healing, life purpose, trust, identity, emotional wounds, and emotional regulation.
My Approach
I believe that as humans we are all here to live in the fullness of our whole self and reach our full potential, whatever that means for each of us. Life and relationships sometimes have a way of sending us inaccurate messages about who we are, what we deserve, and what is available to us. Where you have had experiences that left you feeling invalidated, shamed, limited, or unsafe, I want to help you rewrite your story. I am most passionate about human connection, communication, mind-body-soul healing, and guiding others into their light.
If you have had to tuck away parts or pieces of who you are in an effort to fit in, feel secure, or meet the needs of others, I know the toll these strategies have had on you. Whether your pain has occurred in your family or the wider systems in which you live, I offer a warm and welcoming place for you to reclaim your authenticity, self-esteem, sense of connection, and internal dialogue.
I support individuals and couples in finding the root cause of their discomfort. We all learn strategies for getting our needs met as best we can, even if they cost us something along the way. If your patterns include over-functioning, perfectionism, placating, shutting down, withdrawing, or problem-solving, I can be alongside you.
As a trauma-focused therapist, I can also help you explore the ways your lived experiences have shaped you. We can all recall a time when life required us to access our survival mode. While these survival instincts kept us moving through experiences that were overwhelming or outside of our capacity to cope, later on, they can also create protections, blocks, or barriers to connecting – with both Self and others.
When we aren’t guided or supported to process these experiences as they occur, we can often find ourselves living more permanently in this place of survival and not knowing how to return to a place of security or thriving. I am committed to making space for all the ways your survival strategies were needed and deeply rooted, and then helping you reset, resource, and resolve so you can move back into a place of safety. I am invested in being a resource for the particular survival strategies needed by minority communities and/or military service members.
As a military veteran, I deeply understand the military way of life as an opportunity to build strengths, gifts, and resilience. The focus on optimal functioning during times of stress, threat, and high-pressure and the lack of support or guidance on how to transition back into connection, emotional responsiveness, and vulnerability can also be a real challenge for those who choose to serve. I can help you, and your partner, to navigate communication struggles, emotional disconnect, and unwanted relational patterns.
I am also passionate about helping Black women and men on their journey of self-discovery, healing of emotional wounds, and leaning into vulnerability and authenticity. You deserve to feel safe, seen, and understood in the world.
I lean upon somatic healing practices, mindfulness, meditation, narrative therapy, dialectical-behavioral techniques, cognitive behavioral techniques, yoga, attachment, art therapy, and expressive writing therapy in service of your goals.
You are not alone in the journey of uncovering your purpose, I am in the same process as you. My path of becoming a healer continues to include exploring my own experiences as a Black woman, double minority, and veteran.
I have come to know we are not here just to be a reactive and passive responder to our environment. Instead, we can observe, choose, and make choices about how we perceive, interact, and connect with life, especially with our important others. We can design life in ways that are satisfying, meaningful, and intentional. I hope to serve as a resource for you and your loved ones as you decide what this looks like for each of you.
Individual Therapy
The demands of adulthood are real and we all need support. Ongoing stress, competing needs, and transitions can make you feel lost and unsure of yourself. As humans, we are constantly in a process of change and adjustment, on the inside of ourselves and within our relationships.
Navigating the challenges of life, emotions, and relationships can be hard, especially when you might have old wounds, limiting beliefs, or protective strategies that prevent you from reaching your higher Self. I can help you uncover shame, release tension in the body, shift your narrative, and increase your ability to connect authentically. Where clients are looking to welcome their body into their work I am happy to incorporate somatic approaches, yoga, and meditation.
If you would like support to organize and clarify what underpins your current responses to the world and important others, I can help you navigate the process of healing. If you have experiences that were traumatic, overwhelming, disempowering, unjust, or invalidating, I can help you discern what belongs to you and how to release anything that no longer serves you.
You deserve clarity about what your younger, wounded parts need and the opportunity to heal those parts at their core. You also deserve to come out the other side of old hurts and access your more well-resourced, adult, compassionate Self, who knows what you deserve and knows you were made for more.
I believe that healing work, going back for your wounded parts, and becoming more fully your Self is on some level a spiritual experience. Integrating exiled parts, welcoming the body, and learning to trust your intuition is part of the process of becoming whole. If you are looking for support on your journey in your sacred exploration, I will be honored to be alongside you.
Additionally, I have experience working with minority populations. I am invested in offering support, nurture, and comfort in navigating the specific and niche experience of Black and Brown people in today’s world. I am extremely passionate about working with Black women and men on their journey of self-discovery, life purpose, and reaching their potential.
Teen and Family Therapy
The transitionary teenage years can be tough on everyone, teen and parents alike. Trying to find the balance between building a sense of self and also belonging is a primary task for teens. Finding ways to guide and parent while also making space for mistakes and autonomy is the challenge for parents. I have a passion for working with teens and young adults exploring their identity, relationships, and resilience.
I work with teens to their comfort level and find fun and expressive ways to encourage them to build confidence, self-worth, identity, and emotional awareness. Being a teenager in this fast-paced, technology-focused, and performance-rewarding world can be a difficult experience. Navigating peer pressure, social media influences, fitting in, and other environmental factors can really put your teen to the test.
I hope to support your teen in building positive self-expression, internal validation, and self-concept. Where your teen is vulnerable to feelings of anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation, I can help you all get to the roots of their struggles and find more satisfying ways of living, from the inside out.
I particularly enjoy working with minority youth and the ways in which the world can present specific challenges as they learn to navigate their role in the world. I have previous experience working with teenage girls struggling socially and academically and who may be relying on rebellious behaviors as a way of communicating their pain.
When I work with teens (aged 13 and above), I am always working with you as parents. You are the primary resource they have for navigating this phase of growing up and I want you to feel clear about how best to nurture, guide, support, and provide structure in ways that safeguard your connection. I offer a holistic approach to change, offering parents and teens a sense of safety and security knowing that any changes will be welcomed in and outside of sessions.
My Background
I served in the military for 4 years, during this time I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences with a minor in Biology from the University of Maryland. Upon my transition out of the Military, I pursued and graduated with a Master’s in Social Work degree from the University of South Florida.
My education and experiences have given me a broader perspective on the effects of an individual’s environment and how environmental factors influence the way a person shows up in the world. I am an LGBTQIA+ ally, non-monogamy-affirming, sex-positive, culturally humble therapist.
I am currently working towards licensure as a Social Work Supervisee. In the event that clients have any questions or concerns about my work, my supervisor can be contacted at: aharz@thecenterforconnection.com, (703) 878-3290, 3930 Walnut St, Suite 250, Fairfax, VA 22030.