Courtney Gum, LCSW-C

Courtney Gum is a licensed clinical social worker in Maryland who helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and concentration or focus difficulties. She writes and talks plainly with clients, creating calm space to talk about what matters most. Her approach is practical and straightforward, aimed at making each session useful for day-to-day life.

With eight years of experience, Courtney blends listening with structured methods to address mood, attention, and relationship concerns. She uses techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness to help people notice unhelpful patterns and try small changes. Emotionally-focused ideas guide conversations about closeness and communication when relationship struggles come up.

Courtney also supports people dealing with life transitions, career stress, parenting strains, and caregiver responsibilities. She has additional focus on aging and geriatric issues, chronic illness and pain, cancer, and fertility-related stress. These areas often come with practical decisions alongside emotional work, and she helps people sort through both.

Her style emphasizes collaboration and clear goals. Sessions are used to name priorities, practice new ways of coping, and check what works between meetings. She encourages people to set manageable steps that fit busy lives.

Start-up is kept simple: a short matching questionnaire and a scheduling step. Courtney aims to help people build steadier routines, reduce distress, and make progress toward the life they want.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and following the person's lead. The therapist creates space for people to talk through concerns, reflect on feelings, and set their own goals. This approach is helpful for stress, grief, and self-esteem work.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions link together. It breaks problems into small, testable steps and teaches practical strategies for anxiety, depression, and attention issues. CBT often uses worksheets or short exercises between sessions to track progress.

Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps people identify and change patterns in close relationships. It supports clearer communication and greater emotional connection when intimacy and relationship problems are a concern.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. The therapist will work with each person to identify priorities, try approaches, and adjust based on what helps most. That collaborative process lets goals and methods evolve together.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm the available session formats before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow brief check-ins when a full in-person visit is hard to schedule. It also makes it simpler to continue care through life changes and caregiving demands without promising a specific format.