Anyone who has met Ciara can testify to her warm, empathic nature. She brings this to the therapy room in order to help her clients feel loved, heard, and understood. She believes that all people are inherently good and that all have the ability to reach their potential with a little assistance. For this reason, Ciara is tirelessly dedicated to helping her clients gain the ability to resolve issues, cope with life stressors, and be happy no matter their situation.
Meet Ciara. Ciara N. Dresser is an associate therapist at Tiffani Stevenson Lloyd & Associates. She is a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist who enjoys helping couples, families and individuals reach their goals, heal from emotional pain, and ultimately find happiness in whatever areas they are developing.
Thoughts on therapy. “I believe that all people are interconnected and that relationships play an important role in our lives. I work to help couples, families, and individuals understand and improve relationships. My goal is to teach, validate and empower clients so that they can learn how to “be their own therapist” in the future.”
Experience. Ciara earned her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University before graduating with a Master’s degree in Couple and Family Therapy from The University of Maryland, College Park. Ciara has since helped many clients with issues ranging from life stressor to serious mental health disorders. While she enjoys helping all types of clients, she is particularly passionate about working with Latinos as she speaks Spanish fluently. She has been working with Latino populations for many years both in the therapy field as well as in her personal life. She is also a certified Prepare/Enrich counselor and enjoys helping couples enrich their relationships in preparation for marriage.
Aside from her work in the private sector, she also is employed as a full-time therapist assisting children and families who are struggling with issues such as ADHD, depression, and sexual abuse. Ciara has been employed diagnosing PTSD symptoms in railroad employees, and assisting those who were feeling suicidal. She also has experience as a bereavement counselor for children who are struggling with the loss of a loved one. Ciara also worked as a therapist intern, helping couples and families at the Center for Healthy Families. She brings this knowledge and experience to the therapy room in order to provide her clients with the highest level of care.
Education
- Masters degree: couple and family therapy, University of Maryland, College Park
- Bachelors degree: psychology with a minor in Spanish, Brigham Young University
License
- LCMFT (Maryland, LCM646)
Additional Training
- Child centered play therapy and filial therapy
- Family play therapy
- Trauma and addictions within family therapy
- Testing and assessment in a couple and family therapy setting
- PREPARE / ENRICH (premarital counseling)
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT)
- Middle Atlantic Division of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (MAD-AAMFT)