Chelsea Straub

A compassionate therapist for anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, grief, depression, and life transitions in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

If panic attacks are making it hard to feel like yourself, if a medical diagnosis has turned your world upside down, or if getting out of bed feels like running a marathon—Chelsea can help. Whether you’re grieving the loss of a loved one or a cherished pet, feeling overwhelmed by daily life, or struggling with focus, attention, and mental clarity, Chelsea provides a safe, supportive space where you can begin to heal.

Chelsea works with teenagers, young adults, adults, and older adults navigating anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, grief, depression, and life transitions. She brings a special focus to individuals coping with the emotional and social challenges that accompany neurological conditions like aphasia, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease—a perspective shaped by her unique dual background in clinical social work and speech-language pathology.

Clinical Focus

Chelsea specializes in helping clients who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or shaken by circumstances beyond their control. Whether you’re facing chronic worry that won’t quiet down, panic attacks that leave you feeling disconnected from yourself, or a grief that colors everything—Chelsea meets you where you are with patience, warmth, and genuine care.

For clients living with OCD, Chelsea provides evidence-based treatment using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), helping you understand the cycle of obsessions and compulsions and gradually reduce their hold on your daily life. She creates a structured yet compassionate environment where you can move at your own pace toward lasting relief.

Chelsea is especially skilled at supporting individuals navigating health-related life changes. With over five years of experience as a home health and hospice social worker and nearly three years as a practicing speech-language pathologist, she understands firsthand how conditions like aphasia, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease affect not just speech and cognition—but identity, relationships, and emotional well-being. If you or someone you love is adjusting to a neurological diagnosis, Chelsea offers the rare combination of clinical depth and medical system experience to help you cope, adapt, and find meaning through the transition.

She also works with clients processing grief and loss—whether that’s the death of a loved one, the loss of a pet, or the more ambiguous grief that comes with watching a family member’s health decline. Chelsea holds space for the full weight of your experience without rushing you toward “moving on.”

For those dealing with depression, low motivation, or the emotional toll of major life transitions—career changes, relationship shifts, aging, or caregiving—Chelsea helps you reconnect with your sense of purpose and build a path forward that feels manageable and meaningful.

Therapeutic Approach

Chelsea believes in helping you gain insight into your past while building practical strategies to improve your present and move toward meaningful future goals. Her approach is integrative, drawing from multiple evidence-based frameworks tailored to your unique needs:

She draws from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and mindfulness-based approaches. This flexible toolkit allows her to meet you exactly where you are—whether you need grounding skills for panic, structured support for OCD, or a deeper exploration of the patterns that keep you feeling stuck.

Above all, Chelsea shows up as a genuinely warm, steady presence. Her style is supportive and collaborative—never rigid or clinical for the sake of it. She creates the kind of space where you feel safe enough to be honest, to slow down, and to start building the life you want.

Background, Education & Experience

Chelsea holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Misericordia University. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

Chelsea brings over five years of experience as a home health and hospice social worker, where she supported individuals and families through some of life’s most difficult transitions—end-of-life care, chronic illness, and bereavement. In 2023, she expanded her scope of care by becoming a licensed speech-language pathologist, and she brings nearly three years of clinical experience in medical settings. This dual professional background gives Chelsea a uniquely holistic understanding of how physical health, cognition, communication, and emotional well-being are deeply interconnected.

Her experience in hospice and home health deepened her capacity for sitting with grief, navigating family dynamics during crisis, and helping people find dignity and meaning even in the hardest moments. These skills inform every therapy session she leads.