Sophia Alapati, LCPC

 

“Never to suffer would have been never to have been blessed.” -Edgar Allan Poe

She/They

Towson University, 2018/MA in Clinical Psychology

Accepting new clients.

What’s therapy with me like? I focus on Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (hair pulling disorder/trichotillomania, skin picking disorder/dermatillomania/excoriation disorder, etc.) utilizing the Comprehensive Behavioral Model for BFRBs (ComB). I treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and anxiety disorders (Panic Disorder, specific phobias, Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Illness Anxiety) utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention.

For me, CBT and ERP stand out as evidence-based therapeutic practices with large bodies of support. These modalities enable people with OCD and anxiety disorders to embrace uncertainty and get back to the things that matter to them, instead of living a life in the service of anxiety.

I like that the comprehensive behavioral model for BFRBs is customizable to each client. Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach, ComB helps clients identify the factors that uniquely influence their BFRB and develop strategies to address those factors.

How I’ve kept learning…I am a member of the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, and the International OCD Foundation. I am a graduate of the TLC Foundation’s Virtual Professional Training Institute. In addition to attending conferences and trainings provided by the TLC Foundation, ADAA, and IOCDF, I continue my education by reading books by professionals in the field. I am also in the process of starting an OCD-focused peer consultation group so that I can continue collaborating with colleagues.

Who do I work with? I specialize in individual therapy with young adults and adults. I’m also happy to collaborate with families/support people to help them understand their loved one’s diagnosis and how they can most effectively help. I will work with children and adolescents, as long as they are committed to participating in therapy.

My impacting identities are…I am biracial (white/Asian Indian) and a member of the queer community. I have personal experience with hair pulling disorder (trichotillomania). I was raised Catholic and am agnostic.

I feel allied/aware/informed/knowledgeable about…queer/LGBTQIA+ (part of) and biracial (part of).

I am the best fit for a client who…is willing to embrace uncertainty and challenge behaviors that no longer serve them. I am a great fit for a client who enjoys the use of humor and is committed to trying new strategies.

I am not a good fit for a client who…is not interested in completing assignments or “homework” outside of the session. I am not a good fit for someone who holds prejudicial views against queer people or people of color.

What makes me unique? I believe in a collaborative approach that puts me on equal footing with my clients. You have expertise about you, I have expertise about BFRBs/OCD/anxiety. While CBT is a very structured approach, real people are not textbook cases. I’m flexible with my clients and pull in aspects of other theoretical orientations, like ACT and DBT, to support their treatment.

 

The Practical Stuff

What insurances do I accept? I am in network with Carefirst BCBS and Evernorth (previously known as Cigna).

Do I offer telehealth or in person sessions? I prefer telehealth, but can offer some in-person availability on a case-by-case basis to patients who are vaccinated and boosted, Covid-permitting.

 

The Fun Stuff

Did you know…In college, I minored in classical studies, with a focus on magic in ancient Rome.

Any pets? I have a cat named Fenris (named after a character from Dragon Age II).

What I’ve Learned Lately

• Mandatory Reporter Training, Baltimore Child Abuse Center, April 2022
• Working More Effectively with the LGBTQ+ Community, Relias Academy, April 2022
• HIPAA and Behavioral Health, Relias Academy, April 2022
• Best Practices in Suicide Screening and Assessment, Relias Academy, April 2022
• Legal and Ethical Standards of Care in Behavioral Health, Relias Academy, April 2022
• Understanding and Addressing Racial Trauma in Behavioral Health, Relias Academy, April 2022
• Anti-racism Training 3 Month Training Dr. Nathalie Edmond, April 2022
• Inclusive Evidence-Based Practices in Gender Non-Binary Mental Health Services SMIAdvisor, webinar presented by Dr. Lisa A. Razzano and Dr. Brandon J. Hill April 2022
• The Anxious Perfectionist by Clarissa W. Ong & Michael Twohig, May 2022
  
• Dungeons & Dragons & Mental Health, Charlene MacPherson, May 2022
• 2-Day Supervision Training (18 Hours), Dr. Marsha Riggio, June 2022
• Gender Affirming Surgery Letter Writing Training, July 2022
• Sometimes Therapy Is Awkward, Nicole Arzt, August 2022
• Treatment for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors: An Integrative Psychodynamic Approach book by Stacy K. Nakell, LCSW, September 2022
• The Game to Grow Method of Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games: A Level One Training For Mental Health Professionals Game to Grow,  Adam Davis & Elizabeth Kilmer, PhD, October 2022
  
• Implicit Bias in Behavioral Health, Gisele Ferretto, LCSW-C & Neijma Celestine-Donnor, LCSW-C, October 2022
• Neurodiversity Training, Eddie Lomash, LCPC, November 2022
• Overcoming Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors book by Charles Mansueto, Sherrie Vavrichek, & Ruth Golomb, December 2022
• Clinician’s Handbook for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Kieron O’Connor and Frederick Aardema, January 2023
• Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games: Level Two for Mental Health Professionals, Adam Davis of Game to Grow, February 2023
• Don’t Become a Legal Case: Documentation Liability Risks, Jennifer Flynn, CPHRM, February 2023
• Practical Application of I-CBT: A case-demonstration workshop, Michael Heady, LCPC & Carl Robbins, LCPC, March 2023

 

How to Give me A Buzz

The best way to contact me is…by email, at s.alapati@honeybwellness.com