Find validation and support to heal from the heavy weight of your burdens

resilience is a double edged sword

You’ve been carrying the weight of the world, holding it all together, but what you really need is space to break down and be vulnerable. You push through, but it comes at a cost — working twice as hard while fighting imposter syndrome. You’ve been told to be strong, and resilience is celebrated — but it can also be a double-edged sword. Strength becomes an expectation that others take advantage of, leaving you feeling like you have no choice but to keep going. Therapy offers a space to heal, reclaim your strength, and navigate the pressures without doing it all alone.

you’re burned out

You’ve been holding everything together for so long—carrying the weight of the world not just for yourself, but for everyone around you. You've always been the strong one. But deep down, you're exhausted. You keep going because you feel like you have to, but privately, you wonder if it is sustainable. You’ve put everyone else’s needs before your own, shouldering responsibilities that were never meant to be yours. You wonder, if you don’t do it, who will? If you don’t, will things fall apart? It’s time to take care of you—because your well-being matters just as much as the people you care for.

you’re trying so hard to fit in

How should I carry myself? When it comes to appearance, you're told you need to present yourself 'perfectly,' especially in professional settings — even in school. For young Black and Brown folks, there's pressure to fit certain standards, to play a part that isn’t authentic to you. On top of that, you're expected to work twice as hard just to be noticed. You wonder, "What do I wear? How do I speak? How can I advocate for myself without being labeled the 'angry Black woman'?" These expectations can lead to imposter syndrome, making you feel like you're not enough. The pressure to look a certain way to achieve success can take a toll on your self-esteem, and even foster internalized self-doubt and self-hate. It’s time to break free from these damaging beliefs—because you are already enough, just as you are.

internalized oppression

You may find yourself distancing from your true identity as a black or brown person, internalizing harmful messages, and feeling the weight of self-doubt or even self-hate. The pressure to fit into a world shaped by white supremacy can lead to behaviors that you don’t even realize you may inadvertently be supporting. Prejudice and racism are constant forces you’ve had to navigate. But we are the global majority, and it's time to reclaim our power. It starts with unlearning the lies we've been told about ourselves and embracing the truth of our worth, strength, and beauty. Let’s break free from the restraints of internalized oppression and stand boldly in our brilliance.

If you have been feeling this way, you’ve come to the right place :)

Celebrate
all that is black and brown girl magic

We believe in recognizing your gifts, celebrating them, and helping you flourish.

We believe that you get to be soft. We believe that you deserve a soft life.

We believe in dismantling cultural assumptions.

We believe in seeing you for who you are — for your authentic self.

We believe in putting you at the center instead of making you fit into a preconceived mold. This world is not made for black and brown women. While therapy may not fix everything, we can still flourish and thrive even in a world not made for us.

We believe in tailoring top, evidence-based treatments for you, to recognize your intersectional identities within a multicultural framework. Our therapy approach is integrative, incorporating therapies such as interpersonal therapy, CBT, ACT, and DBT.

Hey sis, it’s giving…

There’s no code switching here. You will be accepted as you are. we want to meet you where you’re at. We want to truly, authentically, and fully connect with you.

We have extensive expertise in a wide range of areas.

If you’re looking for guidance with all things couples, kink, sex positive, sex exploration, women, dating, relationships, reconnecting and finding joy even when times are hard, neurodivergence and quirks, owning your own story, then Angelique Bush, LCSW is your girl.

If you are looking for support with renegotiating roles and dynamics in relationships, understanding the adverse impact of stress, strengthening your talents, building confidence in your gifts and purpose, balancing success and ambition, value identification, exploring your identity, then Dr. Joi Burnham is your jam.

If you need assistance with gender exploration, lifestyle and wellness, family and children dynamics, black and brown girls and teens, value exploration, high achievement, academic stressors, finding your voice, building and discovering self-confidence, hit up Dr. Gwenna Blanden.

All of us can help support you with ..

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Trauma

• Racial Trauma

• Relationship Concerns

• Spirituality

• Identity Concerns

• Sexual Orientation Identity Development

• LGBTQ+ Queer Issues

• Gender Identity

• Self-Esteem

• Empowerment and Self-Love

• Self-Acceptance and Being Comfortable in Your Own Skin

• Academic Stressors

• Finding and Developing Community, Civic Engagement

• Expressing Emotions

It is important that you find the therapist that is the best fit for you. Therefore, we invite you to learn more about us, read our blog, and to read about getting started and frequently asked questions. When you are ready, you can reach out to us to ask a question or to schedule an initial consultation appointment.

You are not alone. We are here to help.

Hope+Wellness provides therapy for black and brown women of color with depression, anxiety, stress, life adjustment, trauma, and more. We serve Falls Church, McLean, and Arlington, as well as Tysons Corner, Vienna, Reston, Great Falls, Fairfax, Merrifield, and Alexandria, as well as Washington DC and Maryland. Telehealth is available across 20+ other states.

We provide exceptional psychotherapy services to empower people to live happier, healthier lives. Our services are grounded in evidence-based treatments that suggest an important interconnectedness between mind, body, life experience, and wellness, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based therapies. We will work together to help you heal and develop the skills to live fully aware, fully resilient, fully peaceful, mindful, and alive.