Dr. Rao was first introduced to the field of medicine when he visited his grandfather, a well-known General Practitioner, in a small town in India. Despite having limited resources, he saw how much the patient?s appreciated his grandfather?s care and compassion as well as his medical acumen. He witnessed the transformation of many patients? lives through excellent medical care delivered by his grandfather, which served as his motivation to enter the field of medicine.

Dr. Rao was born and raised in New Jersey. He obtained his undergraduate Bachelors of Science degree in Bio-psychology from the University of Michigan and graduated with Class Honors. He obtained his Medical Doctorate from St. George?s University School of Medicine. Through his internship in Internal Medicine at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, he learned a great deal about the pathophysiology of the human body and the corresponding challenging treatments required to improve patient?s lives. He added to this knowledge base during his residency in Anesthesiology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center where he was awarded distinguished honors in Neurological and Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology upon graduation.

Dr. Rao went on to further specialize in Interventional Pain Medicine as a Fellow at Mt. Sinai College of Medicine. He then worked at Baylor College of Medicine as an Assistant Professor in Pain Medicine where he educated fellows and residents. He also was fortunate enough to be able to work at Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, Texas. Dr Rao assisted in enhancing the pain clinic to begin providing advanced pain management techniques to the active-duty soldiers with war-related chronic pain issues. He was the first to bring spinal cord stimulation to Fort Hood and was able to treat chronic neuropathic pain using cutting edge technology. He continues to feel that having the opportunity to assist the Army pain physicians as well as treating wounded soldiers was an honor and privilege.

Angie strongly believes in maintaining a harmonious relationship between mental health and physical health. She received her Bachelors of Science in Social Sciences and Secondary Education at Towson University. She completed her graduate studies at McDaniel College and received a Master of Sciences in counseling. Angie is a big lover of animals and has dogs, cats, and goats! She also has two human critters that happen to call her “Mom.” Her hair color changes frequently throughout the year and her clients have gotten used to seeing flashes of purples and greens. She is a (former) NETA accredited certified personal trainer. She uses her knowledge and experience in the field to support her clients in their journeys towards harmonious health. Angie has treated a wide variety of clients, all with very individualized and unique concerns.

Her areas of focus consist of:

• Substance Abuse/Addiction Treatment
• Health/Wellness
• Depression
• Anxiety/Stress
• Grief Counseling (CGCS – Evergreen Certifications)
• Couples/Marriage Counseling (Gottman Couples Counseling Level 1&2)

• Life Transitions (divorce, adoption, grief, loss, etc…)

Angie does not believe in a “cookie-cutter” approach to therapy. She likes to bring an eclectic and innovative mix of therapies to best support her clients. The theories/modalities Angie incorporates into her sessions are:

• CBT (Cognitive Based Therapy)
• DBT Informed (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
• Person-Centered Therapy
• Reality Therapy
• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
• Motivational Interviewing

Jessica strongly believes in the benefits people can experience when they begin to feel empowered. Jessica works closely with her patients to make sure they are living full and filling lives by overcoming their past traumas. For many patients, past traumas hinder their ability to live the quality of life they are craving. As a counselor, Jessica guides her patients to discovering the routes that liberate them from being paralyzed from the past. She completed her Masters in Social Work at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her prestigious graduate program is ranked #3 for social work in the nation. She has also been accredited as a Clinical Social Worker and a Substance Use Specialist.

She is trained in:

• Dialectic Behavioral Therapy
• Cognitive Processing Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Jessica specializes in treating patients who are suffering from:

• Anxiety
• Grief
• Depression
• Trauma
• Psychosis
• Mood Disorders
• Emotional Dysregulations

Jessica is also passionate about animals. She’s an advocate for rescuing animals, and has two rescue dogs and a cat. She enjoys spending her free time with her family, going hiking on the local trails with her husband and son, and doing projects around the farm.