- anger management skills
- communication training
- caregiver stress
About Allyson
Allyson Shaffer is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the District of Columbia and a Licensed Certified Social Worker in Maryland with 20 years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, anger, relationship strain, grief, parenting challenges, and career concerns. She also addresses trauma and abuse, depression, and compassion fatigue. Her practice includes additional focus on adoption and foster care, attachment issues, caregiver stress, and multicultural concerns.
Allyson uses straightforward conversation to help people notice what is and isn’t working in their daily life. She treats clients as the experts on their own stories and looks for strengths to build on. Sessions typically involve practical steps for coping, clearer communication skills, and ways to manage strong emotions like anger and resentment.
Her approach aims to make change feel manageable rather than sudden. She helps people set small, concrete goals and tries out different skills in session. When anger shows up at home or work, she works with clients to understand triggers and to practice alternative responses.
Allyson also supports those dealing with complicated grief, attachment wounds, and the long-term stress of caregiving. She pays attention to how family of origin issues and cultural pressures shape feelings and behavior. People come to her for steady, skills-focused sessions that address real-life problems.
Her training and licensure span both District of Columbia and Maryland. She draws on evidence-based methods to guide the work and adjusts tools to fit each person’s daily life. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
Approaches for managing anger and stress online
Allyson draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on skills people can use right away. One common approach involves learning concrete emotion regulation skills to notice triggers, pause before reacting, and choose a different response; this is useful for anger, panic, and high stress. Another approach emphasizes communication skills and problem-solving so people can state needs clearly, reduce misunderstandings, and handle relationship conflict more effectively.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. She collaborates with each person to pick techniques that fit their goals, preferences, and daily routines. Sessions include trying out skills in session and adapting what works into real life, so the plan changes as progress is made.
Confirm the session formats directly before booking since the biography does not specify which online options are used. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten the travel burden, and allow a quicker check-in during a break at work. Some formats also let people choose audio-only conversations when bandwidth is limited or shorter sessions when a brief focused check-in is needed. Discuss practical scheduling and format options when arranging the first appointment.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
District of Columbia, Maryland
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to anger?
She helps people handle anger along with related issues such as stress, relationship strain, parenting challenges, and grief.
What is her therapy style like?
Her style is practical and skills-focused, using conversation to identify strengths and try concrete strategies for managing emotions and behavior.
How much experience does she have?
She has 20 years of professional clinical experience working with a wide range of concerns.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She holds LICSW in the District of Columbia and LCSW-C in Maryland and practices from Maryland.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English only.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions billed?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.