About
Tiffani Smithson, LCSW-C, LICSW
Founder/Lead Clinician
Licensed in MD, DC, & VA
Tiffani Smithson is the founder of Embraced Strength Therapy Services, LLC providing services in Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, and South Carolina. Tiffani earned her bachelors from Bowie State University and her master's in social work from Howard University.
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While Embraced Strength Therapy Services, LLC serves the Black and Brown community, she specializes in working with busy moms who may be struggling to or with prioritizing their own needs and wants, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, rejection, attachment and abandonment issues. Tiffani also loves working with couples (pre-marital and marital) who are wanting to strengthen their relationship. Tiffani utilizes an integrative approach to meet clients where there at, is EMDR trained, and is currently in the process of obtaining her Certification in Perinatal Mental Health, PMH-C. Tiffani has more than 14 years of experience, including children and families, child welfare services, medical social work, and school social work.
As an active mental health practitioner who also believes in giving back, Tiffani serves as a mentor to other social workers and is a board approved clinical supervisor.
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Tiffani is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., who looks forward to opportunities to become more active in the community. Tiffani enjoys working out (her way of laying some heavy things down), traveling, spending quality time with her husband and two sons as the "queen" of the household, and activities that bring a sense of thrill to life.
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Tiffani accepts: Carefirst/BCBS, Johns Hopkins, Cigna, and United Healthcare (Out of Network)
EAP: LifeWorks, BHS, and Ulliance
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Samantha Towns, LMSW
Licensed in MD & VA
Samantha is a Licensed Master Social Worker licensed in Maryland and Virginia. She earned her undergraduate degree in Social Work from Alabama State University and obtained her Masters from Howard University.
Samantha has experience working with a variety of populations to include teens, young adults, adults along with extensive experience working with adults with HIV. Samantha has worked in the fields of medical, housing, group homes, and served as a community health instructor. She works as a therapist and medical social worker.
Samantha is passionate about working with young adult to adult struggling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief/loss, codependency, relationship issues, parenting, single parenting, stress, low self-esteem, life transitions, PTSD, and living with HIV. She takes a client centered approach with her clients and meets clients where they're at.
Samantha accepts: Carefirst/BCBS & Self Pay
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Bria Turner, LMSW
Licensed in MD
Accepting New Clients (Teens/Adults)
Bria Turner earned her master’s degree in social work from Marywood University. Bria is pursuing a Doctorate in Social Work from Capella University and plans to finish in 2025. Bria’s background includes an educational studies degree and a psychology minor from Cedar Crest College. Bria has worked clinically in various settings, including school-based behavioral health, substance use, and outpatient mental health care. Bria has a solid clinical background in counseling and therapy for individuals with anxiety, substance abuse, depression, and low self-esteem.
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Bria is passionate about working with adolescents, young adults, and older individuals. She believes a solid educational foundation is essential and develops a strong rapport with her clients, leading to meaningful growth. She knows therapy can be a struggle, but it is also a beautiful personal journey full of compassion and support. Bria believes therapy is a continuous learning exchange between the client and the therapist. Bria loves to share stories and have a good laugh with the clients because therapy does not always have to be serious. Some topics that have come up for Bria in the therapeutic setting are Beyonce, football, education, cooking, and dogs!
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In Bria’s downtime, she loves to spend time with her partner and service dog in training, Murphy! For self-care, Bria enjoys her crystal collection, listening to music on vinyl, shopping, reading, watching the family dogs, and having coffee or tea at a local cafe. She can’t wait to be apart of your therapeutic journey!
Bria accepts: Carefirst/BCBS, Cigna, & Self-Pay
Alexis Bell, LMSW
Licensed in MD & DC
Alexis is a Licensed Master Social Worker in Maryland. She earned her undergraduate degree in Social Work from Salisbury University and Sociology with a Minor in English from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She earned her Masters in Social Work from Salisbury University.
Alexis has years of experience working with children, youth, families, and adults in a variety of settings to include an inpatient setting, substance abuse/addiction, DHHS, foster and kinship care. She provided individual therapy and organized and facilitated groups. She worked with children and families with a goal to keep them together using a strength-based approach.
She is an Eastern Shore native with a bubbly personality, that's transparent, and takes a holistic approach incorporation of the mind, body, spirit (soul) in her work with clients. She has a passion for working with adults who may struggle with adjusting to new life situations, relationships, anxiety, depression, trauma, spirituality, self-esteem issues, substance abuse/addiction, and beyond!
Alexis accepts: Carefirst/BCBS, Cigna, & Self-Pay
Tangalia Williams-Garcia
Tangalia is Embraced Strength Therapy Services, LLC office manager/admin. She was born and raised in Oakland, California. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from California State University, East Bay in May 2018 where she was awarded the Renaissance Scholars and Stan Herbert Bridge Builder Leadership and service award.
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Tangalia has a huge heart and strong passion for serving others. She has years of experience managing an office and in mental health. She serviced as a Mental Health Counselor and Family Support Specialist for youth and their families at Mental Health Systems Inc in California for the past two years. She has stepped down from that position to prioritize her household and focus on furthering her education. Tangalia is a wife, a stay-at-home mother to an almost one year old, and pursuing her MSW from Florida State University-expected to graduate in 2024. Tangalia will be completing her first-year internship providing services to woman of color who had experienced pre-term births. We can't wait for Tangalia to join us soon as a clinician.