Clare Bubniak

Clare provides compassionate, trauma-informed therapy for children, adolescents, adults, and families navigating anxiety, depression, grief, identity development, parenting challenges, attachment concerns, and major life transitions. She understands that seeking therapy—for yourself or your child—can feel vulnerable or intimidating. Clare creates a warm, trusting space where clients feel genuinely understood and supported as they develop coping strategies, strengthen relationships, and move toward meaningful change.

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With experience in outpatient trauma clinics, residential treatment centers, and schools, Clare brings a thoughtful understanding of how emotional and relational challenges can affect individuals across different stages of life. She has specialized experience supporting foster and adoptive families, children with sexual behavior concerns, individuals healing from religious trauma, and clients exploring sexual orientation, gender identity, or changing spiritual beliefs. She also works with perinatal mental health concerns, adjustment difficulties, mood challenges, and family transitions.

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Clare believes therapy is most effective when it is tailored to the client rather than expecting the client to fit a particular approach. She collaborates with each individual or family to understand their strengths, experiences, and goals while honoring their culture, identities, relationships, and broader life context. Her approach is evidence-informed, neurodiversity-affirming, and grounded in the belief that clients already hold meaningful insight and inner wisdom.

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Depending on each client’s age, needs, and preferences, Clare integrates play and expressive therapies, Theraplay-informed interventions, sand tray therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), walk-and-talk therapy, and traditional talk therapy. This flexible approach allows children, adolescents, and adults to engage in ways that feel natural, comfortable, and meaningful to them.

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Clare earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore and is a Licensed Certified Social Worker–Clinical (LCSW-C). She is currently completing advanced training toward becoming a Registered Play Therapist.