PhD-level psychologist · bilingual · telehealth in 43+ states
You've earned your place. So why doesn't it feel that way?
Dr. Rendon provides culturally-rooted, neurodivergent-affirming psychotherapy for high achieving professionals ready to stop performing and start belonging.
Supporting trailblazers in the DC Metro area and 43 states nationwide via telehealth
Ph.D. Level Psychologist
Licensed in MD, VA, and DC
Beck Institute CBT Training
Structured, evidence-based care
IOCDF ERP Training
Specialized OCD treatment
Bilingual - English and Spanish
Cultural fluency, not just translation
You've spent your whole life climbing. Seeking security. Recognition. Belonging. But the higher you got, the less solid the ground felt.
You have built a career that by any standard is successful. You have learned to navigate systems that were not built with you in mind, as a first-generation professional, as a neurodivergent thinker, as an immigrant, or as a person of color. But here and there, you may have weathered subtle, hard-to-name moments that planted a quiet doubt: ‘Do I actually belong here?’“
And nonetheless, you persisted. But much of the work that once felt meaningful now sparks fatigue and panic.
You may be recognizing yourself in some of these:
- You battle a loud inner critic that discounts your achievements.
- You feel stuck in a cycle of activation and exhaustion, no longer able to truly relax.
- You struggle to find joy in work that used to inspire you.
- You are constantly wearing a mask, vigilant that others will “find you out.”
- You are activated by subtle bias and signals that you don’t belong.
- You are drained from navigating unspoken workplace expectations.
- You don’t recognize who you are outside of what you produce.
- You carry the weight of being a model for your family, your community, or your colleagues, with no space to let your guard down.
These are not character flaws. They are the predictable outcomes of navigating high-demand environments that are not build for you.
You need a framework, solid tools, and support to face these challenges. These are the pillars I bring to our work.
I help people understand the patterns that are keeping them stuck; build the tools that will help them approach these problems with more authenticity, and find a way forward that fits who they actually are.
SPECIALTIES
I work with adults navigating high achievement, cultural identity, and neurodivergence.
Select the description that resonates most to learn more about working together.
Neurodivergent Professionals
You easily spot solutions others fail to see. You love optimizing systems and care deeply about your work. Yet constant demands, the hidden load of performing socially, and difficulty pacing yourself make work-life balance feel impossible.
Together we design flexible strategies that support your productivity while respecting your autonomy and control.
Latinx & BIPOC Professionals
You have learned to move between worlds. At work, at home, in your community. That kind of code-switching takes a toll that is rarely named or addressed.
I work with Latinx and BIPOC professionals navigating identity, acculturation, and the particular pressures of being a first.
Scientists & Researchers
You apply yourself to rigorous scientific work. Your path demands excellence not just in carrying out projects and writing manuscripts, but also in navigating complex hierarchies and advocating for yourself and your team. So much pressure, and so little space to acknowledge it.
I work with graduate students, postbacs, postdocs, and established investigators. Together we build strategies that sustain your productivity without costing you everything else.
Multilateral Development Professionals
Staff at the World Bank, IDB, IMF, PAHO, and related institutions carry a distinctive set of pressures: high-stakes work tied to humanitarian mission, international relocation, G-4 visa complexity, and profound institutional disruption.
I bring cultural fluency, bilingual capacity, and clinical training specifically suited to this population’s experience.
HOW I WORK
Structured. Collaborative. Built around your specific goals.
I work with you on an individual basis to develop a treatment plan that is intentional, structured, and adjusts to your pace and resources. Together we:
- Clarify your goals. What does ‘better’ look like for you, in your work, your relationships, your relationship with yourself?
- Understand the patterns. We map the specific thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are maintaining the problem: perfectionism, avoidance, overcompensation, trauma responses.
- Challenge limiting beliefs. Using CBT and schema-informed approaches, we examine the core beliefs that are driving those patterns and begin to revise them.
- Build and practice skills. We work on concrete strategies in session and between sessions, adjusted to your pace, your schedule, and your cognitive style.
- Develop independence. My goal is not ongoing dependency on therapy. It is for you to leave with the tools, the self-awareness, and the confidence to function as your own effective guide.
- Track progress deliberately. We review goals periodically, measure what has changed, and update the treatment plan as your needs evolve.
My primary orientation is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Where clinically indicated, I draw on schema-informed approaches and DBT skills within that CBT framework.
Ready to see if this is the right fit?
AREAS I WORK WITH
Who I Am, Who I Serve
I’m Dr. Maria Jose Rendon, a licensed psychologist, and the founder of Potomac CBT Center.
I chose to specialize as a cognitive behavioral therapist not just because the evidence supports it effectiveness, but because its structured, goal-oriented approach reflects how I naturally think and work through problems. I find that structure, when offered with genuine care, is itself a form of respect. It is my way of saying that I take your time, your suffering, and your goals seriously.
For people who have spent years feeling stuck and wishing for guidance, I invite you to work with me to develop a clear framework and a concrete path forward.
On a personal note, I was born and raised in Ecuador and have lived in the U.S. for over 20 years. I carry the perspectives of a bilingual immigrant, a first-generation professional, and a U.S.-trained scientist-practitioner. Each stage has shaped how I show up for the people I work with.
Belonging is not something you have to earn. My hope is to help you embrace your own story, your abilities, and your differences, and leave therapy truly believing you belong.
INVESTMENT IN CARE
Fees
Initial Intake
$400
90 min
Individual Session
$250
60 min
Individual Session
$230
45 min
My practice is primarily fee-for-service. A limited number of spots are available for clients using insurance. All major credit cards and HSA/FSA cards are accepted.
Remote Services Nationwide
- Potomac CBT Center is a fully telehealth practice.
- All sessions are conducted via secure, HIPAA-compliant video, designed to fit the schedules of professionals who travel, relocate, or simply prefer the efficiency of remote care.
- Dr. Rendon is licensed in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC, and holds a PSYPACT authorization that allows her to provide psychotherapy across 43+ participating states nationwide.
See All PSYPACT States
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Ready to see if this is the right fit?
The first step is a free 15-minute consultation. I’d love to hear what you’re looking for and explore with you if my approach is the right match.
Questions first? hello@potomaccbt.com – 240 200 0842