Dr. Annette Burns Porter, MD, LCPC

Dr. Annette Burns Porter meets people where they are and helps them find clearer ways forward. She listens closely to each person’s goals and works together with them to improve relationships, manage intense emotions, and make practical changes. Her approach is collaborative and respectful of the client’s own knowledge about their life.

Dr. Porter practices forms of therapy that focus on thoughts, behavior, acceptance, and present-moment awareness. She blends approaches to match what the client needs, drawing on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness techniques. Sessions focus on learning skills, trying new behaviors, and shifting unhelpful thinking patterns.

She brings 21 years of experience in inpatient and outpatient settings across the lifespan and with people from diverse backgrounds. That background informs work with mood and anxiety problems, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief and loss, and relationship and intimacy-related concerns. Dr. Porter also addresses issues such as eating concerns, anger, self-esteem, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes.

Her practice includes attention to aging and geriatric concerns, blended family dynamics, codependency, communication problems, and postpartum mood difficulties. Veteran and armed forces issues, social anxiety, and young adult challenges are also part of her focus areas.

Dr. Porter holds an MD and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, LCPC. She works with adults and older adults in Maryland and conducts sessions in English.

How practical therapies translate to online care

Dr. Porter commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to address common problems. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which can help with anxiety, depression, and mood regulation. ACT emphasizes accepting difficult feelings while clarifying values and taking committed action, which is useful for stress, life transitions, and addictive patterns.

She approaches treatment collaboratively, and finding the right method is part of the process. The therapist and client review goals, preferences, and how symptoms show up in daily life, then choose or combine approaches that fit. That decision is revisited as progress is made so adjustments can be made together.

Online formats available include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, giving practical flexibility. Video sessions allow face-to-face work on skill practice and observation of nonverbal cues. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and messaging are useful for brief updates, homework check-ins, or when someone prefers typing over speaking. These options help fit therapy into busy schedules and differing comfort levels.