Niki Picogna, Psy.D., M.S., LCPC, LPC, LMHC, RPT-S™
*Not accepting new clients at this time
Contact Info: email: Niki@bethesdaplaytherapyhealing.com ph: 301-821-1723
Our Founder, Niki, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor licensed in Maryland, DC, Florida, and South Carolina, who specializes in child and adolescent mental health, trauma, and working with young adults. She’s a Board Approved Clinical Supervisor in the State of Maryland, as well as a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. She is certified In Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR training through the Child Trauma Institute) and is an EMDR Consultant in Training. She is also a trained provider of Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), a parent-based treatment program developed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center for children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, and related problems. Her research interests include the treatment of trauma and anxiety disorders. She finds pleasure in both national and international travel, utilizing these opportunities not only for personal enjoyment but also to conduct trainings for mental health professionals. Niki is Past President of the Maryland/DC Association for Play Therapy (APT) and nationally, is an APT Leadership Academy Graduate and a member of the APT International Conference Committee. Niki is a proud past recipient of the Outstanding Service Award from the MD/DC Association for Play Therapy. In her free time, she enjoys advocating for child and adolescent mental health, playing tennis, biking, spending time with her family, all things music, being in nature, and volunteering at a local children’s hospital with her certified therapy dog. Animal-Assisted Play Therapy and related services are offered on site on a case-by-case basis.
Niki has over 15 years clinical experience working with children, teenagers, and adults across a variety of settings including school-based mental health, intensive outpatient, and community based therapy, group practice, as well as ER crisis intervention. Before establishing the practice in 2016, she managed a child and adolescent mental health program in both school and clinic settings. During this time, she discovered a passion for training and supervising emerging professionals. Her expertise was further honed through specialized post-graduate training and certification at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. There, she received certification in Trauma Treatment for Children and Adolescents as well as in Managing and Adapting Practice (MAP), an evidence-based systems practice known for enhancing outcomes in child and adolescent mental health. Additionally, Niki is a Certified Positive Parent Educator, helping parents to work from a strength-based and attuned perspective when responding to their children. Her focus is simple yet essential- to empower her clients to reach their full potential in a non-judgmental, supportive & nurturing environment. She utilizes a diverse range of creative and evidence-based interventions, employing a collaborative approach tailored to meet each client’s unique needs.
As an integrative therapist, Niki combines several approaches—client-centered, strength-based, cognitive-behavioral, and a neurobiological perspective—to tailor therapy to each individual. She prioritizes forming authentic connections with clients, aiming to understand them deeply, and helping them feel safe and connected within their own bodies. Niki strongly believes that much of the healing journey occurs within a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship.
Niki enjoys and has extensive experience supporting adolescents and young adults navigate and thrive through life’s toughest moments while helping them discover who they truly are. She strives to understand the unique complexities involved in adolescent development and strives to help them navigate such issues related to physical and mental health, body-image, identity, social, academic, and college/career goals.
In addition to traditional talk therapies, Niki offers play therapy services to children ages 3-12. As an experienced registered play therapist-supervisor and trainer, Niki will discuss the best play therapy approach to fit your child’s needs from Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy to Child-Centered Play Therapy. Play therapy is structured and theoretically based and can be used alone or in conjunction with talk therapy. With certifications in Kids Yoga, Play Therapy, and EMDR, she skillfully integrates these modalities when necessary, weaving them together to aid children in their healing journey from traumatic or other adverse life events.
Niki’s background is unique, blending experiences in sports and the performing arts. She takes pleasure in guiding youth to explore their talents, elevating their motivation and performance. She also enjoys incorporating art, mindfulness, yoga, physical activity, sand, and music into her therapy and has found it to be very helpful with children, teens, and adults. Additionally, she provides in-person and virtual clinical supervision, training, and consultation services.