- Focus on codependency
- Practical coping skills
- Values-based work
About Monica
Monica Dada (Barham) is a licensed clinical social worker in Maryland who helps people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, relationship strain, grief, and codependency. She offers straightforward support for mood concerns, trauma, eating and intimacy issues, and changes like divorce or caregiving strain. Her tone is practical and attentive, aimed at people who need clear next steps rather than jargon.
She draws on 20 years of experience as a clinician. Sessions focus on real-life coping skills and clearer communication. Monica blends structured techniques with a warm, person-centered presence so clients feel heard while they practice new responses.
Her work often addresses overlapping challenges such as chronic illness, caregiver burden, body-image struggles, and co-occurring mental health concerns. She pays attention to how identity and life context shape coping, including LGBT and gender dysphoria related issues.
Monica uses approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing alongside client-centered and solution-focused methods. Those tools help people set short-term goals, shift stressful thinking, and take steps toward values-based living.
She is credentialed as LCSW-C (Maryland) and brings two decades of practice to sessions. Monica aims to make therapy practical and usable, helping people build habits that fit their daily lives.
Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice what matters to them and take small meaningful actions even when emotions are hard. It is useful for stress, anxiety, codependency, and life transitions because it focuses on values and steady action.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts and behaviors keep problems going and teaches concrete skills to change them. It works well for anxiety, depression, eating-related struggles, and coping with mood shifts.
Motivational Interviewing supports people who feel stuck or ambivalent about change by exploring their own reasons for wanting different behavior. It can be helpful for addiction concerns and making steps toward healthier habits.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose and adjust techniques based on goals, preferences, and what actually helps in day-to-day life. That process can include trying a short goal, reflecting, and shifting strategies together.
If you are interested in online therapy, confirm the session formats offered before booking so you know what will be scheduled. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reduce travel time, allow brief check-ins during the workday, and offer options for lower-bandwidth conversations when video is difficult. Ask about current session options when you schedule to find what will work best for your routine.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
Maryland
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does this therapist support?
Monica supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, addiction concerns, relationship and family problems, trauma and grief, codependency, and related issues such as body image and caregiver stress.
How would you describe the therapy style?
The style mixes practical skill-building with a person-centered, empathetic approach. Sessions emphasize clearer communication, behavior changes, and short-term goals people can try between meetings.
What is the therapist's background and experience?
She has 20 years of clinical experience working with a wide range of life stressors, chronic illness concerns, and identity-related issues.
What credentials and location apply to this therapist?
She holds LCSW-C in Maryland and practices as a licensed clinical social worker in that state.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with this therapist?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with this therapist?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.