Dr. Lediya Dumessa
Staff Clinical Psychologist at the Washington Anxiety Center of Capitol Hill

Dr. Lediya Dumessa earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Mississippi State University, her M.A in Clinical Psychology from Western Carolina University, and her B.A. in Psychology from University of Tennessee. She completed her pre-doctoral internship training at Johns Hopkins University Counseling Center. Prior to that, she trained in various settings including specialty outpatient clinics, residential treatment programs, substance use units, and inpatient hospital.  
 
Prior to joining the Washington Anxiety Center of Capitol Hill, Dr. Dumessa worked as a staff psychologist at Johns Hopkins University Counseling Center providing brief therapy, group therapy, and workshops to undergraduate and graduate students. She has experience treating varied presenting concerns, such as depression, anxiety, adjustment issues, disruptive behavior in children, grief, trauma, acculturation issues, interpersonal difficulties, and substance use disorders.
 
Dr. Dumessa utilizes a wide range of interventions including, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, Parent Management Training (PMT), Trauma Focused CBT, and Motivational Interviewing (MI). She provides treatment in various modalities including individual, couples, group, and family coaching. 
 
“As a therapist, I integrate cognitive-behavioral and humanistic theories, which I find effective in building meaningful therapeutic relationships while simultaneously challenging and restructuring thoughts and modifying relevant behaviors. My personal and professional experiences living in different parts of the world have increased my sensitivity to the differences in how individuals from different cultural backgrounds experience mental health concerns and seek treatment. As such, I am passionate about making mental health resources accessible to a wide range of communities and strive to provide culturally sensitive treatments. I am also interested in examining protective factors that promote resilience in individuals with trauma, and in implementing research about adverse childhood experiences to promote awareness of their lifetime impact.”

​Dr. Dumessa is currently licensed in Maryland and Washington DC. She sees patients in person and via teletherapy. 

Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Dumessa just published an article about peri-and postpartum care in women of color. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/mental-health-as-a-role-in-mortality-rates-in-peri-and-postpartum-black-women

To contact Dr. Dumessa, please call her at (202) 768-6494 or email her at admin@washingtonanxietycenter.com