- Blended family issues
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Attachment-based care
About Bernadette
Dr. Bernadette Boozer-Madison is a licensed marriage and family therapist with licenses in the District of Columbia and Maryland. She has practiced for 30 years and works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, and issues that arise in blended households.
She focuses on helping people manage day-to-day stress and larger life changes. That can mean developing coping skills for anxiety, finding ways to handle anger, or talking through grief and loss. She also supports people dealing with attachment concerns, caregiver strain, compassion fatigue, and intimacy-related issues.
Her approach draws on cognitive behavioral techniques and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thinking and build values-driven actions. She also uses attachment-based ideas to look at relationship patterns and client-centered methods that keep the person’s experience central.
Sessions aim to be practical and skill-focused. Clients can expect to work on concrete strategies, communication skills, and small behavior changes that fit daily life. The therapist uses motivation-focused conversations when change feels hard or stalled.
Her background includes long-term clinical work with adults affected by foster care experiences, separation and divorce, and post-disaster stressors. She brings three decades of practice to cases involving blended family issues and adoption or foster care-related concerns. People who want a straightforward, experience-based clinician often choose to start here.
How therapeutic approaches guide online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and choose actions that reflect their values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and when a person feels stuck during life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical skills to shift those patterns. It is often used for anxiety, mood concerns, and stress management. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns in relationships and helps people understand how early bonds affect current connections and boundaries.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to match methods to their goals, values, and daily realities. That means trying strategies, checking what helps, and adjusting the plan together rather than prescribing a single method up front.
Confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life by reducing travel time and allowing shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Some formats also require less bandwidth or let someone avoid being on camera if that helps. Licensed professionals can adapt techniques like CBT and ACT to work in remote sessions, focusing on practical skills, homework between visits, and regular progress checks.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Listed in
District of Columbia, Maryland
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to blended households?
She works with adults on issues common in blended families such as loyalty conflicts, step-parenting stress, communication problems, and merging routines.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is practical and collaborative, using client-centered work plus CBT and ACT techniques to build skills and reduce distress.
How much clinical experience does she bring?
She has 30 years of clinical experience working with adults on trauma, grief, relationship concerns, and life transitions.
What are her professional credentials and location?
She holds LMFT and LCMFT credentials, licensed in the District of Columbia and Maryland, and practices from Maryland.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What does therapy cost and how are sessions billed?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.