INDIVIDUAL & GROUP THERAPY FOR NEURODIVERSE CHILDREN IN THE BALTIMORE AREA
Meet Briana Quinlan, LCSW-C
Hello! I’m Briana.
I am here to help your child impacted by executive functioning and learning challenges build the skills they need in order to meet their social, emotional, and learning goals.
In the first years of my career, I met and worked with so many children, teens and young adults who had so many strengths and were wickedly smart, but there were other things that their brain made difficult for them to learn. This interfered with their confidence, resiliency and success. Being that these individuals were in mainstream schools in most cases, pursuing general education and diplomas, there was a real gap in understanding about what was needed to help them.
My clinical work and advocacy in these areas began to take shape around these “outliers” – the consistently inconsistent child, the sometimes majorly explosive child (who is otherwise “fine”), the twice exceptional reader who can’t “read a room”, the kid who self-sabotages and alienates, the child who wants to connect but does not know how, the quiet child in the back amongst the squeaky wheels…or the squeaky wheels.
I believe that when we can identify and understand our strengths and differences as individuals, we can advocate for what we need and find solutions.
I believe that no child wants to feel uncomfortable – whether it’s agitated, angry, anxious, left out or excluded.
This is generally a starting point for me with clients – “It can’t feel comfortable to FEEL this way inside”. I’ve never, ever met a child that has said, “I LIKE feeling angry and acting out.”
I relate to this as someone who was a quiet child growing up. I was a student identified as “smart and bright but not living up to her capabilities.” School work got harder for me, and teachers struggled to understand how to help me in a way that was supportive of my unique (and then, non-identified) learning style.
Learning, studying and academics were incredibly difficult for me, and my adolescent path was plagued with self-destructive behaviors as a result.
I was able to come to the other side of adolescence because of my support system and unconditional love from my parents and family. I see myself in one way or another in many of my clients – the fighters and the flighters. I value the collaboration and working relationships with their parents as pivotal to the treatment process.
My Approach
I believe in hands-on therapy as opposed to traditional talk therapy. I create tangible, concrete strategies to make therapy more accessible, including worksheets, games, visuals, and lessons tailored to each unique learners’ learning style.
I have a direct, transparent, compassionate and casual approach. There are a lot of bad Dad jokes and puns involved. I utilize expressive modalities to engage clients in sessions: art, building, STEM, cooking, baking, sewing, embroidery, knitting movement, sensory integration, mindfulness, music, video and computer gaming as well as traditional board games.
My superpower is that I have ADHD and anxiety myself so I am a master of ideas and always dabbling in new hobbies/activities, which I bring to my work. I always believe in functional spaces that allow children and families to feel comfortable, welcome and accessible.
When I’m not working, I enjoy…
Sketching, drawing, home improvement projects, designing and decorating spaces with functionality and budget in mind, cooking, being in the woods, spending time with my son and my dog, attempting to be a better gardener, cooking, crafting, painting, coloring and planning adventures!
In this COMMUNITY, we believe…
DIFFERENCES are worth CELEBRATING
a SPRINKLE of KINDNESS can help any problem
There is STRENGTH in the STRUGGLE and MAGIC in the MESS
Shine your LIGHT. Feel your FEELS
You GET what you have the COURAGE to ask for
The HARDER you fall, the STRONGER you bounce back
We see YOU. You BELONG here
Degrees, Licenses, and Certifications
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Salisbury University, 2006
Maternal and Child Health Scholar, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Social Work, 2007-2008
Master of Social Work, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Social Work, 2008
Licensed Certified Social Worker - Clinical (LCSW-C), State of Maryland, 2010
Board Approved Social Work Supervisor, Maryland State Board of Social Work Examiners, 2012
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Health and Wellness Coaching, Maryland University of Integrative Health, January 2018
Social Thinking Clinical Training Level 1 Assessment Certification, Social Thinking, October 2022
Trainings Given
Executive Functioning: What is it? Concrete Strategies to Promote it in my Child/Youth?
Anxiety: What is Healthy & Developmentally Normal? Promoting Strategies to Cope
Self-Regulation: What is It? Concrete Strategies to Promote it in my Child/Youth
Increasing Compliance and Avoiding Power Struggles
Help Boys with Executive Functioning Difficulties by Using Collaborative Language
Strategies for Success Workshop: Executive Functioning Workshop for College Students
The Brain and Building Confidence in Children and Adolescents who are Neurodiverse
Ready to Get Started?
Maybe you are interested in services for your child or maybe you just want to stay connected with us for yourself! We'd love to connect with you and better understand how we can support your journey as a parent.