CASE: Counseling & Support Services

Support Services - Adoption Competent Therapists

The following are our very talented, dedicated team of therapists who are qualified to address an extensive array of mental health issues in children, adolescents and adults.

Our highly trained and experienced C.A.S.E. therapists not only specialize in treating adoption-related issues, such as a child who is troubled by aspects of his adoption story, but they also have the expertise to treat the most common mental health problems: depression and suicidal ideation, learning/ attention problems and school refusal, low self-esteem, social or peer-related problems, ADHD, effects of trauma, attachment issues, risky behavioral problems including alcohol/drug abuse, and self-mutilation.

To address these concerns, our clinical team provides the following services:

Individual therapy
Marital and family therapy
Group therapy - Kids Adoption Network
Sand tray therapy
Consultations
School advocacy and consultation

In their work, you can be confident that the C.A.S.E. team is especially sensitive to the impact of pre-adoptive experiences, as well as to the possible complex connection between adoption issues. Debbie Riley, Executive Director provides a consultation with a family and the problems the child or adolescent is exhibiting. That is what makes C.A.S.E.'s clinical team unique.

In addition to our services for children/adolescents and their families, C.A.S.E. therapists also work with adults who were adopted, prospective adoptive parents and birth parents. Clients at C.A.S.E. also benefit from the Center's strong collaborative community network of educators, pediatricians, psychologists, and other mental health providers, which ensure extensive access to school and community services.

Clinical Staff info

Diane Banks, LICSW, LCSW-C has been in the field since 1975 with expertise in pre and post adoption. She has worked extensively with teenagers, particularly those who have finalized adoption but are struggling to adjust and those who have been sexually abused or where there is a suspicion of abuse.

Julie Bulitt, LCSW-C has been in the field of adoption for 10 years and a family therapist for 15 years. She specializes in adolescents with adoptive families who also have biological children, and has led parent and children's groups. Her expertise includes families with birth and adopted children. She specializes in teenagers who are struggling with depression, self-esteem and self-image. She is the parent of four children, two by adoption and two by birth.

Cynthia Cubbage, LCSW-C manages our satellite office in Frederick , Maryland and provides clinical services to adoptive families. Cynthia has provided individual, group and family psychotherapy to youth and their families for over 10 years. She has has extensive experience with clients who present with depression, anxiety, self-injurious behavior, ADHD, sexual abuse, complex trauma, bicultural socialization, and intergenerational/intercultural family issues. She especially enjoys developing outdoor therapeutic recreation services for youth who are less responsive to traditional office psychotherapy techniques. Cynthia is a parent by adoption of two children.

Sean Delehant, LCPC, CP, earned his graduate degree in Clinical and Community Psychology and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Maryland and Washington, D.C. He is an adoption therapist who specializes in working with teens and has provided individual, family and group psychotherapy for over 20 years. In addition, Sean is certified in psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy. Sean has supervisory level training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a systematic treatment approach grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy, for traumatized children and their families. He is also a Becoming a Love and Logic Parent Facilitator.

Lisa Dominguez, LCSW-C provides school-based services in Baltimore County Public Schools. She has more than 10 years of experience working with children and families in educational and community-based settings. Over the past few years, she has served as an adoption therapist with CASE, receiving extensive training in adoption competency and providing specialized services to children, youth, and families who have been touched by adoption and foster care.

Sharon Hyman, LCSW-C, MSW, RYT provides clinical therapy services in the CASE satellite office in Bethesda, Maryland. She has provided individual, couples, group and family psychotherapy for over 10 years. She has extensive experience training social workers, attorneys, families and art therapist in working with children around complex grief issues including loss of a child or a parent or a sibling, management of a chronic illness within the family and planning for the future of children who are orphaned. Sharon's current experience with clients includes those with depression, anxiety, trauma, grief/loss, infertility, poor self esteem, learning challenges and relationship issues.

Mari J. Itzkowitz, LCSW-C will manage our Adoptive Families Preservation Project program in Virginia as well as provide clinical services to adoptive families. Marie has more than 10 years of specialized experience in the areas of loss and grief, including working with foster children and families
as the prepare for adoption. Her expertise extends to transitional loss, role adjustment, and healing after unexpected life changes. Contact her at 703-425-3703 or email her at itzkowitz@adoptionsupport.org .

Madeleine Krebs, LCSW-C, C.A.S.E Clinical Coordinator, has over 35 years of experience providing psychotherapy for families with children of all ages. She has worked extensively with foster and adopted children who have experienced early trauma, grief and loss and with families concerning domestic, international and kinship adoptions. Ms Krebs is frequently called upon to provide expert testimony in court on behalf of the child.

Susan LaVigna, LCSW-C, has been providing individual, group, and family therapy to children, teens, and adults for over 10 years. Her areas of expertise include adoptee identity issues, grief and loss, and ADHD. Ms. LaVigna has a special interest in working with teens and is currently raising three of her own. In addition to extensive training in adoption issues, she brings to her work the personal perspective of being an adult adopted person.

Vanessa Marshall, LGSW
Reverend Vanessa Marshall is co-founder of Circle of Light Holistic Health Practices and Interfaith Ministry Services and founder of What If. in Maryland . She has over 20 years of experience providing holistic healing approaches to adults, children and families and specializes in working with children and families who are joining together in adoption. She is an Ordained Interfaith Minister, Reiki Master and a Licensed Clinical Graduate Social Worker.

Debbie Riley Debbie B. Riley, M.S. CEO of C.A.S.E., a marriage and family therapist, has 25 years of experience with a specialty in adolescence. She has extensive collaborations with community organizations that support at-risk teens, and co-founded Operation Runaway with the Montgomery County Police Department. She specializes in treating the complexities of adoption and adolescence, children adopted internationally who are experiencing post-trauma stress and adjustment challenges, as well as children who struggle with complex learning and emotional needs. She is the adoptive parent of one child.

Ann Roth, LGSW, has had over ten years clinical experience working with children, teens and families. Ms. Roth has worked in a psychiatric hospital, the juvenile court system and residential care before joining C.A.S.E. She also has extensive training in the field of adoption including completion of the Adoption Clinical Training program.

Karen Schulz, LCSW-C has been a practicing child and adolescent psychotherapist since 1982. Her areas of expertise include working with very young children in the preschool years focusing on early developmental issues. She also provides treatment of mood anxiety disorder.

Allyson Shaffer, LCSW-C has over 10 years experience working with children and adolescents with behavioral and psychiatric problems. Before joining the C.A.S.E. team, Ms. Shaffer provided family and group therapy with children and their families at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington , D.C., many of whom were in the foster care system. She has also previously provided counseling services to birthparents and adoptive parents in the Neonatal Critical Care Unit at the Children's Hospital in San Diego, CA .

Ellen Singer Ellen Singer, LCSW-C has over 25 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families. She specializes in working with prospective parents, adoptive parents, adult adoptees, and birth parents. Her areas of expertise include: coping with infertility, making the decision to adopt, open adoption, search and reunion, third party reproduction, marital therapy and relationship issues. Ms. Singer provides parent education on topics including Talking with Children about Adoption and W.I.S.E. Up! She is a key author of CASE's publications and contributor to adoption magazines. Ms. Singer serves as the Adoption Resource of the Professional Advisory Council for the Mid-Atlantic Region of RESOLVE. She is a parent by adoption and by birth.

Hannah Worthington, LGMFT, a marriage and family therapist, has clinical experience focusing on strengths and solutions with individuals, families, and couples. She is the mother by adoption of four grown children. Her areas of interest are “traumatized parents”, family dynamics, transracial adoption, adoption of older children, developmental aspects of family, adolescence, and birth family connections. She has previous professional experience in urban planning research and policy.