What the guidelines actually say
Seeking mental-health treatment does not, by itself, jeopardize a US security clearance. The federal adjudicative guidelines are explicit that seeking help is viewed favourably, not as a mark against you, and that the concern is a condition that affects judgment or reliability, not the act of going to therapy. On the SF-86, Section 21 asks about mental-health consultations but carves out routine counselling that is not court-ordered and not related to violence. The thing people worry about, going to therapy, is generally not the thing that creates a problem.
This page is general information, not legal or security advice. Your facts matter, and your security officer is the authority on what your situation requires. I do not advise on what to disclose.
Where privacy actually helps
If getting help is viewed favourably, what is left to manage is documentation. Private, off the record work changes that part. There is no insurance claim, no diagnosis filed, and fewer third parties holding records about your care. That reduces the paperwork that exists about you. It does not, and must not, change what you report truthfully on a form. Privacy here means less documentation, never concealment.
Who this is for
Cleared professionals, contractors, service members, and others in reputation-sensitive roles who want real support without building a documentation trail they would rather not have. Many of them have put off therapy for years on a misunderstanding. The work itself is ordinary depth therapy, online and private, in fluent English. The audience-specific page for cleared professionals goes into how the sessions run.
What this is not
I am not a clearance lawyer or a security officer, and nothing here is advice on disclosure. Do not use privacy to avoid reporting anything you are required to report. If your situation involves a court order, violence, or substance issues, speak with your security officer and a registered clinician, because those carve-outs exist for a reason. Used honestly, private therapy is simply care with a smaller paper trail.
Questions about therapy and clearances
What people bring to online therapy
The people I work with in English come for a wide range of reasons: anxiety, depression, stress and burnout, anger management, grief and loss, relationship difficulties, loneliness, self-esteem issues, procrastination, sleep problems, attachment patterns, self-sabotage, perfectionism, identity questions, and existential concerns. Online counseling makes this work possible from wherever you are, whether you need an English-speaking therapist, a virtual counselor, or simply someone who can work in your language at a depth that matters.
How it works
Sessions are online via secure video call. I work with individuals and couples (60 minutes). Before your first session, we have a free 15-minute call to see if this feels like the right fit for you.
Selected research on this approach
My work is psychodynamic and depth-oriented. These are some of the studies on the effectiveness of that kind of therapy. They describe research on the method in general, and are not claims about any individual outcome.
- Shedler, J. (2010). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 65(2), 98-109. doi:10.1037/a0018378
- Steinert, C., Munder, T., Rabung, S., Hoyer, J., & Leichsenring, F. (2017). Psychodynamic therapy: as efficacious as other empirically supported treatments? A meta-analysis testing equivalence of outcomes. American Journal of Psychiatry, 174(10), 943-953. PMID 28541091
- Leichsenring, F., Abbass, A., Heim, N., Keefe, J. R., Kisely, S., Luyten, P., Rabung, S., & Steinert, C. (2023). The status of psychodynamic psychotherapy as an empirically supported treatment for common mental disorders: an umbrella review based on updated criteria. World Psychiatry, 22(2), 286-304. PMC10168167