Practice Philosophy:
Dr. Sharon Thomas works with children, adolescents and adults and uses a client-centered approach to therapy. She specializes in treating anxiety, depression, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder in children and adults, and works extensively with parents. Patients describe her as knowledgeable, direct, supportive, dedicated, and skilled in complex cases. Children relate well to her, and she offers age-appropriate treatment for preschoolers and children with anxiety, learning disabilities, and behavioral disorders. In addition to working with the child directly, she teaches parents and caregivers strategies to help their child gain greater independence, manage emotions in a healthier way, and become more organized and successful in school. Parents also learn techniques to reduce conflict among family members. Dr. Thomas uses humor to help clients process difficult emotions and empowers clients to advocate for themselves and their families. She believes in identifying specific goals and equipping clients with the tools necessary to meet and exceed their goals.
Areas of Expertise:
Dr. Thomas provides evidenced-based interventions that achieve results, and offers therapy to individuals, families, and groups, in addition to interdisciplinary and school consultations. Dr. Thomas also offers psychological assessment to preschoolers, children, adolescents, and young adults. She helps families of children with ADHD better understand their child’s diagnosis and develops an individualized plan of care specific for each family. With expertise gained through extensive research experience and clinical training, she is skilled at utilizing a multitude of treatment methods including behavioral parent training, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), social skills training, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), executive skills training, and special education services consultation. She treats adults and children with anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, and executive function deficits.
Experience and Training:
Dr. Thomas received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2016. She was awarded the prestigious NIH National Research Service Award in 2013 based on her dissertation study examining maternal stress reactivity and parenting children with ADHD. She completed pre-doctoral internship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Consortium, a postdoctoral fellowship in Behavioral Psychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI) at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and practicum training in outpatient pediatric neuropsychology at KKI and Children’s National Center for Autism and Related Disorders. Dr. Thomas has served in a leadership role on The Ross Center’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Taskforce.
Dr. Thomas has completed continuing education requirements that meet the initiatives of The Ross Center’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force.
Blog Posts, Events and Groups:
- Blog: Black Lives Matter: Preventing and Treating Suicide In Black Youth
- Group Therapy Facilitator: Social Anxiety Group for Adults
