Shanita Burch , MD, LCSW-C

Shanita Burch brings more than 22 years of experience in social work to her clinical practice in Maryland. She approaches care with a belief that steady progress represents meaningful success and that lasting change often requires patience and time. Using a systemic lens, she helps people identify patterns, set achievable goals, and build practical strategies that lead to measurable improvement.

She holds the credentials MD (Doctor of Medicine) and LCSW-C (Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Clinical), combining medical knowledge with clinical social work skills to support a wide range of concerns. Her background includes work with individuals, couples, and groups across the lifespan - from teenagers to seniors - as well as with Active Duty Service Members and Veterans. Shanita has substantial experience supporting people facing addictions, grief and loss, trauma, and other life challenges.

Her clinical focus covers stress and anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family issues, sleep difficulties, anger and self-esteem concerns, caregiving stress, and career transitions. She emphasizes collaboration, compassion, and practical tools, tailoring interventions to each person’s needs to encourage resilience and a greater sense of internal calm.

Therapeutic approaches and remote care

Shanita Burch draws on client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy to guide her online work. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and collaboration so that people feel understood and can set goals that matter to them; it is useful for building self-esteem, navigating relationship and family concerns, and coping with life changes. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and offers concrete strategies to change unhelpful patterns; CBT can be especially effective for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and stress-related difficulties.

She also uses motivational interviewing techniques when appropriate to help people clarify their readiness for change and strengthen internal motivation, which is helpful for addiction, lifestyle adjustments, and other behavior-focused goals. Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process - Shanita works collaboratively with each person to identify what fits their needs, goals, and preferences and adjusts methods over time.

Online therapy with Shanita is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, fit sessions into busy lives, and access licensed professionals from home or other convenient locations.