About Dr. Bello

Background:

I’m a licensed psychologist with over 10 years of experience working with both children and adults. I earned my Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and hold both my undergraduate and master’s degrees from Loyola University Maryland.

My pre-doctoral internship was at Intercommunity Action in Philadelphia, where I provided therapy and psychological assessments for children and adults experiencing challenges such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), PTSD, and trauma-related concerns.

I completed my post-doctoral fellowship at the Capital Institute for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in Washington, DC, where I received advanced training in CBT and specialized in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD. I also have training in gender-affirming care from The Fenway Institute, a national leader in LGBTQIA+ healthcare.

My approach is centered on helping my clients make real progress in their mental health journey. Outside of my work, I enjoy spending time with my family, catching up on my favorite HGTV shows, and playing with my dog, Jax.

Specialities:

I specialize in helping teens and young adults work through anxiety, OCD, depression, and other challenges life can bring. Many of my clients describe feeling stuck in loops of anxious, repetitive, or intrusive thoughts that can feel overwhelming or “debilitating.” It often feels like the mind is caught in a cycle of worry and behaviors that seem to provide relief in the moment but actually strengthen anxiety over time.

I use proven CBT strategies to gently challenge these patterns, help you step outside your comfort zone, and start moving toward the life you want—one where you feel less stuck and more in control.

My goal is to help you build practical tools to manage your symptoms so they no longer take over your day-to-day life. I am credentialed through PSYPACT and licensed to provide teletherapy across 42 participating states, making therapy accessible no matter where you are. I recently became licensed in Iowa to expand mental health services to individuals who may otherwise not be able to receive it.

Therapist or Psychologist in Bel Air, Bethesda, and Maryland

“If you’re looking for: someone direct, laidback, who acknowledges that she is also human; a genuine relationship with your psychologist; someone who challenges you to think about things in a different way; and who uses evidence-based strategies to guide you to changed behaviors, then we will work well together. My therapy techniques are based in research, and I often share a lot of that research with you to help with motivation (knowledge is power and the more proof we have that things work, the more likely we are to try them).”

Let’s get to work.