In-Network Individual Therapy for Adults
Bay Beacon Counseling offers individual therapy for adults seeking steady, thoughtful support during periods of stress, transition, or healing. My work is collaborative and grounded, with an emphasis on helping clients develop greater clarity, resilience, and a sense of stability over time.
I am an in-network provider with many major insurance plans, including Cigna, Aetna, and CareFirst. Most sessions are covered at in-network rates.
Services are offered via secure telehealth for clients located in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, with limited in-person availability.
If you’re unsure whether your plan is accepted, feel free to reach out — I’m happy to help clarify coverage.
Areas of Focus
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Trauma can shape how people feel, think, and relate long after the event itself has passed. I work with clients to process traumatic experiences safely and at their own pace, helping restore a sense of stability and choice.
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Anxiety often shows up as constant worry, physical tension, or feeling stuck in patterns that are hard to break. Therapy can help you understand these patterns and develop more flexibility and calm in daily life.
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Substance use is often a response to pain, stress, or unmet needs rather than a standalone problem. I take a nonjudgmental, harm-reduction–informed approach that focuses on safety, insight, and meaningful change.
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Major life changes and ongoing stress can leave people feeling overwhelmed or disconnected from themselves. Therapy can offer space to slow down, clarify what matters, and build resilience during periods of uncertainty.
These are common themes I work with, not an exhaustive list. Many people come to therapy with concerns that don’t fit neatly into a single category or have co-occurring concerns. Therapeutic Approaches
Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. I draw from different approaches depending on what’s most helpful for you. Below are some of the core approaches I often draw from in my work.
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is an evidence-based approach that helps the brain process distressing memories that feel stuck or unresolved. It is often used in trauma work but can also support anxiety and other concerns.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness helps cultivate awareness of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment. This practice can support emotional regulation, stress reduction, and a greater sense of presence in daily life.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT focuses on helping people live in alignment with their values, even when difficult thoughts or emotions are present. Rather than eliminating discomfort, the goal is to increase flexibility and meaningful action.
Somatic and Nervous System-Informed Therapy
Somatic and nervous system–informed therapy bridges the gap between mind and body, helping you tune into physical sensations and release stored stress and trauma. By fostering a sense of internal safety, this work supports emotional regulation and helps loosen patterns of “survival mode,” such as fight, flight, or freeze.
Meet Alex Persons
Licensed Clinical Therapist (LCSW-C)
A strengths-based approach is the foundation of Alex’s work with clients. He recognizes how a person’s place in their environment can have profound effects on how they experience life. In his work with clients, he opens up space for people to explore areas of ambivalence and to experiment with profound, sometimes radical, acceptance of life’s experiences. Alex specializes in trauma, anxiety, long-term health challenges, and substance use. Through these approaches, he helps his clients: 1) build the skills needed to tolerate distress, regulate emotions, navigate crises, and communicate more effectively in relationships, and; 2) explore the deeper roots of core values and beliefs that can drive day-to-day behaviors and help them live a values-aligned life.
Alex is a true believer in the power of therapy to help clients reconnect with their inner truth. Living with the lines “...grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference” sum up what he believes can support us all in living closer to our true selves and connecting with other people and the world around us.
Alex earned a dual-Masters in Social Work and Public Health from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. His clinical work experiences include the Maryland Public Defender’s Office, Kennedy Krieger High School, Johns Hopkins Community Mental Health at Bayview, and Kolmac Outpatient Recovery Centers. In addition to working with individuals, Alex is interested in the social and environmental determinants of health, and how they affect mental health, trauma, and substance use.
Insurance and Fees
Bay Beacon is an in-network provider, accepting many major insurance carriers, including Cigna, Aetna, and CareFirst. Contact me to see if I am in-network with your insurance provider.
For out-of-network pricing, please contact me.
Contact Alex
Interested in working together? Fill out the info requested and I will be in touch within two business days. I can’t wait to hear from you!