Compassionate Psychiatrist in Columbia, MD Offering a Wide Range of Comprehensive Mental Health Services
Searching for a dedicated and experienced Psychiatrist in Columbia, MD?
Dr. McWilliams offers comprehensive and compassionate mental health services tailored to your unique needs. Led by an M.D. trained psychiatrist, his provides evidence-based diagnosis and personalized treatment plans for a wide array of conditions, including addiction, anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, and more. Discover how his integrated approach, combining expert psychiatric care with diverse therapy services, can support your journey toward improved well-being and lasting mental health.
Clinically known as Substance Use Disorder (SUD), is a chronic, treatable brain disease, not a moral failing. It’s characterized by a compulsive drive to seek and use substances (or engage in certain behaviors) despite significant harmful consequences to one’s health, relationships, work, or overall well-being.
Addiction causes lasting changes in brain circuits related to reward, motivation, memory, and self-control, which can make it incredibly difficult to stop using independently. Dr. McWilliams approaches addiction as a medical condition, offering evidence-based and compassionate care to help individuals regain control, manage symptoms, and achieve sustained recovery.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how the brain functions, impacting attention, impulsivity, and activity levels. It’s not a matter of willpower or intelligence, but rather a difference in brain chemistry and structure that can make daily tasks challenging.
Individuals with ADHD may experience difficulties with focus, organization, managing impulses, or controlling hyperactivity. Dr. McWilliams provides comprehensive, evidence-based evaluations and personalized treatment plans to help individuals understand their ADHD, manage its symptoms effectively, and unlock their full potential in all areas of life.
Anxiety Disorders involve persistent, excessive worry and fear that significantly interfere with daily life. These aren’t just passing feelings; they can manifest as intense nervousness, panic attacks, social avoidance, or overwhelming physical symptoms like a racing heart or difficulty breathing.
Anxiety disorders are common and can impact individuals of all ages. Dr. McWilliams offers thorough evaluations and personalized, evidence-based treatment approaches to help you understand your anxiety, develop effective coping strategies, and regain control over your emotional well-being.
Bipolar Disorder is a chronic mental health condition characterized by significant and unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration. These shifts involve distinct emotional “highs” (mania or hypomania) and “lows” (depression), which are more intense than typical mood swings.
During a manic or hypomanic episode, an individual might experience elevated energy, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, or impulsive behavior. Depressive episodes, conversely, can bring profound sadness, loss of interest, low energy, and feelings of hopelessness. While these mood changes can profoundly impact daily life, Bipolar Disorder is highly treatable. Dr. McWilliams’ approach focuses on accurate diagnosis and personalized management plans, often combining medication and psychotherapy, to help individuals achieve mood stability and live fulfilling lives.
Beyond typical sadness, Depression (Major Depressive Disorder) is a common and serious mood disorder that deeply affects how you feel, think, and act. It’s a persistent state of low mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure in activities, lasting for at least two weeks and significantly impacting daily life.
Symptoms can include persistent sadness, irritability, changes in sleep or appetite, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating, and even thoughts of self-harm. Depression is a medical illness, not a sign of weakness, and it is highly treatable. At McWilliams Psychiatry, we offer comprehensive evaluations and personalized, evidence-based treatment plans to help you find relief from symptoms, regain your vitality, and improve your overall well-being.
Complicated Grief (Prolonged Grief Disorder) is a deeply painful and persistent response to loss that significantly interferes with daily functioning, extending beyond what is considered typical grieving. Symptoms can include intense yearning for the deceased, preoccupation with the loss, profound emotional pain, and difficulty moving forward. While grief is natural, when it becomes debilitating, it’s a medical condition, not a sign of weakness, and it is highly treatable. Dr. McWilliams, offers comprehensive evaluations and personalized, evidence-based treatment plans to help you process loss, navigate intense emotions, and find pathways toward healing and integration.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic condition characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts or images (obsessions) that trigger intense anxiety, leading to repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) performed to reduce distress. Symptoms can include fear of contamination, a need for symmetry, intrusive thoughts, excessive washing, or checking rituals. OCD is a complex condition, not a sign of irrationality, and it is highly treatable. Dr. McWilliams, offers expert-level evaluations and personalized, evidence-based treatment plans, often utilizing specialized therapies like ERP, to help you manage symptoms and regain control.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event, causing lingering and disruptive effects. Symptoms can include intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of reminders, negative changes in mood, and heightened reactivity like irritability or hypervigilance. PTSD is a trauma-related illness, not a sign of weakness, and it is highly treatable. Dr. McWilliams, offers comprehensive evaluations and personalized, evidence-based treatment plans to help you process trauma, reduce symptoms, and foster resilience.
Psychosis signifies a significant disengagement from reality, fundamentally altering how a person perceives and interacts with the world. This experience can involve vivid hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there) or strong, fixed false beliefs (delusions), leading to profound confusion and distress. Psychosis is a symptom that can arise from various underlying conditions, and while the experience can be frightening, it is highly treatable. Dr. McWilliams provides expert evaluations and personalized, evidence-based treatment strategies to bring clarity, stabilize symptoms, and support your journey toward recovery and a stable life.
Beyond an occasional restless night, Sleep Disorders are persistent conditions that profoundly disrupt your ability to achieve restorative rest, significantly impacting your mental clarity, mood, and overall health. These can range from difficulty falling or staying asleep (insomnia) to overwhelming daytime sleepiness, or even breathing interruptions during sleep like sleep apnea. Given the intricate connection between sleep and mental well-being, chronic sleep problems are a serious concern, but they are highly treatable. Dr. McWilliams offers comprehensive evaluations and personalized, evidence-based treatment plans to address the root causes of your sleep issues and help you reclaim the benefits of truly restful sleep.
Burnout is a severe state of chronic exhaustion stemming from prolonged and unmanaged stress, particularly in demanding professional or personal roles. This pervasive depletion of energy is often accompanied by feelings of cynicism or detachment towards one’s responsibilities, and a noticeable decline in personal effectiveness. Burnout can undermine both mental and physical health, but it is a serious condition that is highly treatable. Dr. McWilliams offers comprehensive evaluations and tailored, evidence-based strategies to help you recover your vitality, build resilience, and restore balance to your life.
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Therapy Services in Columbia, MD
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy:
ACT helps individuals develop psychological flexibility by teaching them to accept difficult thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or avoiding them. ACT emphasizes living in the present moment, clarifying personal values, and taking committed action toward meaningful goals. It combines mindfulness techniques with behavioral strategies to help people build a more fulfilling life, even in the presence of emotional pain or discomfort
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
CBT is a structured, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. It helps individuals recognize how their thoughts, feelings, and actions are interconnected and teaches practical strategies to manage emotional challenges, reduce symptoms, and improve overall functioning. CBT is commonly used to treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions, and is typically short-term and goal-oriented.ACT helps individuals develop psychological flexibility by teaching them to accept difficult thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or avoiding them. ACT emphasizes living in the present moment, clarifying personal values, and taking committed action toward meaningful goals. It combines mindfulness techniques with behavioral strategies to help people build a more fulfilling life, even in the presence of emotional pain or discomfort
Interpersonal Therapy:
IPT is a time-limited, structured psychotherapy that focuses on improving interpersonal relationships and social functioning to help reduce psychological distress. It is based on the idea that mental health symptoms, like depression, are closely linked to relationship issues. IPT helps individuals address problems in areas such as grief, role transitions, interpersonal conflicts, and social isolation by improving communication skills and strengthening support networks.
Insomnia Therapy (CBTi):
CBTi is a structured, evidence-based treatment specifically designed to address chronic insomnia. It focuses on identifying and changing thoughts, behaviors, and habits that interfere with healthy sleep. CBT-I typically includes strategies such as sleep restriction, stimulus control, relaxation techniques, and cognitive restructuring to promote long-term improvements in sleep quality without relying on medication. It is considered the gold standard, first-line treatment for insomnia.
Supportive Therapy:
Supportive psychotherapy is a flexible, patient-centered approach that focuses on providing emotional support, strengthening coping skills, and enhancing self-esteem. Unlike more structured therapies, supportive psychotherapy emphasizes building a strong therapeutic relationship, offering encouragement, practical advice, and empathy to help individuals manage current life stressors and maintain psychological stability. It is often used alongside other treatments or for individuals with chronic mental health conditions.
Contact Information
7330 Grace Dr. Suite B
Columbia, MD 20144