Curiosity about the whole person.
I am Joseph Dorer, PsyD, a Psychological Associate offering individual and couples therapy for adults at Dorer Psychology in Washington, DC, under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist. My clinical work brings together a psychodynamic and relational approach with an interest in identity, emotional life, and the meanings we make of our experiences.
Engaged.
Thoughtful.
Human.
I see therapy as a conversation in which we can become curious together. I am interested in what feels difficult now, the experiences that have shaped you, and what happens in the relationships that matter to you.
My work is psychodynamic and relational, with an engaged and collaborative style. There is room for uncertainty, for feelings that seem contradictory, and for experiences you may not yet have words for.
Experience within
its context.
I pay attention to the ways identity, culture, sexuality, relationships, and social conditions shape emotional experience. I have a particular interest in working with young adults and adults across the lifespan.
My thinking draws on psychodynamic, relational, object relations, and Bionian traditions. Alongside clinical practice, my professional work includes teaching and scholarship in psychology.
I provide individual and couples psychotherapy at Prentice, PLLC, in Washington, DC, as a Psychological Associate under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist.
Explore my approachClinical practice,
teaching, and
continued learning.
I earned my Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology at George Washington University. My graduate education also includes a Master of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, a Master of Arts in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling from NYU Steinhardt, and a Master of Arts in General Psychology.
I completed my doctoral internship at the Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, with work in community health, integrated behavioral health, and neuropsychological assessment.
At George Washington University, I serve as a Visiting Professor and Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow in Clinical Psychology in the Professional Psychology Program and as a Lecturer in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. My work includes psychotherapy, teaching psychological assessment, and undergraduate courses in general psychology and human sexuality and gender.
My earlier clinical training includes individual and group counseling at Whitman-Walker, a health center specializing in LGBTQ+ and HIV care, and several years of psychotherapy and assessment training at GW’s Center Clinic.
A continuing
conversation.
- PsyD, Clinical PsychologyGeorge Washington University, 2026
- MPsy, Clinical PsychologyGeorge Washington University, 2024
- MA, Mental Health and Wellness CounselingNYU Steinhardt, 2022
- MA, General PsychologyAmerican Public University, 2019
Teaching and clinical inquiry
My scholarly interests include shame, authenticity, intimacy, and the therapeutic relationship. In 2025, I presented “Therapist Shame, Authenticity, and the Truth Between Us” at the International Forum for Psychoanalytic Education Fall Conference. I have also developed clinical training on psychodynamic dream analysis.
My doctoral major area paper, “Shame in the Therapy Relationship and Its Outcome on Treatment,” is listed in GW’s 2026 doctoral hooding program.
This work informs my curiosity in the therapy room: how people experience themselves, what feels difficult to share, and how understanding can develop within a relationship.
Read about my therapeutic approachInterested in beginning psychotherapy?
A free 15-minute consultation is an opportunity to talk about what brings you to therapy and whether working together may be a good fit.
Joseph Dorer, PsyD
Psychological Associate practicing under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist.
1350 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 605
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 714-4163
jdorer@dorerpsychology.com
Directions on Google Maps
Please use the consultation form above for consultation requests. Do not include sensitive clinical information in ordinary email.