Meet your therapist

Nice to meet you!

I’m Claire M. Dempsey

Licensed Professional Counselor

⭐ About Claire

Hi! I’m a child and family therapist living on the East Coast with over 15 years of clinical experience. I work collaboratively with my clients, practicing skills in session to increase confidence and create lasting change in their lives. I believe this is possible through new experiences and deeper understanding.

🙂 Style

  • Authentic, funny, empathetic.

👍 Fun facts about Claire

  • Superpower 🦸
    Humor and being direct.

  • Free Time ☀️
    Spending time with friends/family, traveling, exploring creative opportunities (jewelry making, fused glass, collage) and having fun!

  • #1 Dinner-Date 🍽️
    Bill Watterson - cartoonist and creator of Calvin and Hobbes. I own a bunch of the books, and know I'd spend the whole dinner laughing - my favorite thing to do!

  • Self-Care ✨
    A healthy balance of being active and slowing down. I enjoy hiking, playing sports and spending time outdoors. I also enjoy making delicious foods, meditation, and spending quality time with my loved ones.

📚 Specialities

  • Adjustment, Anxiety, ADHD/Inattention, Coparenting conflict, Couple’s Therapy (relating to parenting), Identity Development, OCD, Parent-Child Conflict, School Issues, Social Skills Training, PTSD.

👥 Approach

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Strength-Based Therapy, Structural Family Therapy (SFT).

🤝 Works with

  • Children 5-18+

🎓 Credentials

  • M.S.Ed. in Counselor Education from Duquesne University.

  • Licensed in Pennsylvania.

💬 Why did you become a therapist for kids and families?

I've always enjoyed working with kiddos and families from the time I was babysitting at 13-14, to lifeguarding, being an RA and TA in college, and post-college. It felt like a natural progression. However, when I began to understand eco-structural family therapy, everything clicked as far as how I could make real change happen for families in ways that I had never experienced growing up.

➕ More about Claire

I specialize in family therapy which includes regulation strategies, emotional support, consistent structure, and communication skills. I also had extensive experience working with anxiety, ADHD and attachment.