Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
You are looking for the best possible experience when you decide to hire a mental health professional. The relationship will be an integral part of your success. When we begin, I want you to understand how my 30+ years of experience have shaped my approach and my ability to support your growth.
My work with others has taught me that change is possible at any age. In my early work with children, I learned that our brains are creative as well as vast store houses of early experiences. From early experiences of bonding, relating to others and reacting to circumstances, we lay down reaction pathways that stay with us as we grow. In this way, the past is always an important part of the present, The key to change is appreciating that our brains enjoy neuroplasticity that allows us to change at any stage of life. Techniques based on this principal and current research in brain function can be found in the two primary techniques I use in my practice: Emotion Focused Therapy and Internal Family Systems. You can read more about these techniques on the Resource page.
Professional Experience
- Director of Child and Adolescent Services at the Chesapeake ADHD Center of Maryland in Silver Spring, Maryland
- Co-Editor of The World of Collaborative Practice
- President of Vanderhorst & Associates, a multidisciplinary private practice in Baltimore, Maryland, which included psychiatry, psychology, social work, and pastoral counseling
- A tenured Assistant Professor of Psychology at Towson University in Baltimore, teaching Developmental Psychology
- A Diplomate in the American College of Forensic Psychologists
Advanced Training
- Emotion Focused Therapy
- Emotion Focused Family Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
- Neuro-Cognitive Therapy
- Family Systems, Post-Doctoral Internship at Sinai Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland
- NeuroAdvantage treatment for ADHD
- Mediation
- Collaborative Dispute Resolution
Educational Background
- Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Math, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, 1968
- Master of Arts in Experimental Psychology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, 1970
- Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, Bowling Green University, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1974
- Post Doctoral Fellowship in Family Systems, Sinai Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, 1982
Professional Affiliations
- American Psychological Association (APA)
- Maryland Psychological Association (MPA)
- Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
- American College of Forensic Examiners International (AFEI)
- International Association of Collaborative Professionals (IACP)
- Maryland Chapter of AFCC, past Board Member
