Stephanie (Stef) Gambrell LGPC

Insurance: Cigna, BCBS, Johns Hopkins EHP, and Aetna

Location: In-person (Catonsville Office) and Virtual

Hi, I'm Stef (She/They)

Do you find yourself caught in an exhausting tug-of-war with your own mind? Maybe feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, tangled in intrusive thoughts, or navigating the unfamiliar territory of a major life shift? I want you to know you don’t have to carry it alone.

Perhaps you are spending so much energy trying to push away difficult feelings just to get through the day that you feel disconnected from what genuinely matters to you. Or maybe you are actively exploring who you are: questioning your values, sexual orientation, navigating your gender identity, or untangling what living authentically looks like for you. The journey of self-discovery can bring incredible liberation, but it can also bring uncertainty, social pressure, and grief for past versions of yourself.

Whether you are living with OCD, working through the weight of past trauma, or seeking an affirming space to explore your LGBTQIA+ identity without fear of judgment or having to explain your existence, feeling overwhelmed is completely valid. You don’t have to have everything figured out before stepping into the room, and you don’t have to walk the path forward by yourself.

Why I Became a Therapist

At my core, I consider it a profound privilege to walk alongside people as they navigate life’s complexities and take meaningful steps toward the values that matter most to them.

I have witnessed firsthand how evidence-based care helps individuals transform their relationship with difficult thoughts, emotions, and external challenges. I deeply believe in the healing possibilities that emerge within an empathetic, genuine, and nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship. My goal is to build a foundation of mutual respect and compassion, offering tailored care that empowers you to reach your personal goals.

Three Words That Best Describe Me

• Curious: I enter each session eager to understand your unique world, your story, and how you make sense of your experiences without assumptions.

• Collaborative: Therapy isn't something done to you; we work as equal partners, shaping goals and tools together.

• Warm: I prioritize creating a safe, grounded, and welcoming atmosphere where you can show up fully as yourself.

Therapeutic Approaches

My clinical work is grounded in evidence-based modalities, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Examining the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to interrupt unhelpful cycles.

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Developing skills to exist in the present moment more fully while committing to value-driven action.

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Building tangible skills in mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

In addition, I am deeply passionate about transdiagnostic processes of change. Many mental health struggles share underlying roots rather than operating in isolation. By targeting shared processes—such as psychological flexibility—we focus on building adaptable, lifelong emotional and cognitive tools rather than simply managing isolated symptoms.

Areas of Specialization

• Identity Exploration & Affirming Care

• Anxiety & Panic

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Trauma & Recovery

• Life Transitions & Adjustment

Who I work with

• Ages Served: Adults (18+)

Outside the Therapy Room

When I am not in the therapy room, one can usually find me conducting academic research, working with clay in the pottery studio, spending time outdoors exploring nature, or tuning into music, podcasts, and audiobooks.