Willie Simmons, MD, LCSW-C

Willie Simmons, MD, LCSW-C helps people coping with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship concerns, grief, and challenges like self-harm or bipolar mood changes. He also supports people dealing with parenting strain, intimacy questions, anger, self-esteem, career stress, seasonal affective disorder, and LGBT-related issues.

He started listening to people as a child and carried that skill into a career in social work and medicine. He holds a medical degree and a Master of Social Work, and he has practiced for thirty years in crisis intervention, individual therapy, group work, and case management. He is licensed in Maryland.

Willie uses practical, goal-oriented methods. He draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. He also uses Motivational Interviewing to build momentum for change and Narrative Therapy to examine the stories that shape a person’s life.

Sessions focus on clear steps and things people can try between meetings. He works in a straightforward, conversational way that breaks problems into manageable parts. Many clients find this helpful when they feel stuck or overwhelmed.

Willie offers phone sessions, video calls, live chat, and text-based messaging. He guides people through a short matching questionnaire to begin and helps set practical goals for therapy. He practices in Maryland and conducts work in English.

How these approaches work in online therapy

Willie often draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and test practical behavior changes. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and mood concerns because it focuses on specific steps to alter thinking and action.

He also uses Motivational Interviewing to help people find and strengthen their reasons for change. This approach is short-term and collaborative, and it can help with patterns such as self-harm urges, substance-related ambivalence, or getting started on new routines.

Choosing the right approach is a team effort. Willie discusses goals and preferences with each person and adjusts methods as needed. He aims to pick techniques that match the issue, the person’s pace, and what feels realistic for daily life.

Online sessions include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and screen-sharing for worksheets. Phone sessions can be easier when internet bandwidth is limited and work well for a shorter check-in. Live chat and text messaging are helpful for quick reflections, brief coaching, or when writing feels more comfortable than speaking. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule or to continue work between in-person options.