Amal Afzal LCSW-C

Do you ever struggle to prioritize your own needs and treat yourself kindly, while still giving your best to others—only to feel let down in return? As salamu alekum,

My name is Amal (arabic for ‘Hope’) and I am a therapist / Licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-C) in Maryland + the founder of Hope and Shine | Therapy.

With years of experience practicing psychotherapy in top-tier clinics and hospitals, I specialize in empowering deep-feeling and deep-thinking, self-reflective, and growth-oriented individuals — who feel lost, stuck, or overwhelmed in life and relationships and struggled with depression, anxiety, and/or a difficult childhood — to develop a stronger sense of self and foster a deeper, genuine, and secure connection with themselves and others.

Sessions with me are online and I offer a flexible schedule, including evening and weekend slots. I create a safe — warm and non-judging space for you to share your thoughts and feelings, and listen attentively to make a customized plan together for your needs and goals. I use a trauma, culture, and identity-sensitive eclectic approach, blending various evidence-based modalities like CBT, DBT, IFS, ACT, mindfulness, and psychodynamic with simple talk therapy, to address your unique challenges at a pace comfortable for you.

I also offer a sliding scale and accept both insurance and private pay. If you are ready to explore and heal your true self and potential, I encourage you to reach out and book a free-consultation call through Headway.

(Fun fact about me: My biggest hobby is learning languages. I am a polyglot and take pride in having become fully fluent in the Turkish language by just watching tv shows and then practicing conversing with the natives. So now, I also offer sessions in Turkish.)