Meet Maureen Fleming, Ph.D.

About My Work

I am a social justice-oriented therapist whose work centers each client’s intersectional identities. I combine my training as a counseling psychologist with my lived experience as a person with a disability to provide services that are informed by both psychological research and experiential healing practices. I lean on somatics and embodiment strategies, cognitive, behavioral, and mindfulness techniques, and strongly believe feelings must always be felt (whether we want to feel them or not!).

I am a licensed psychologist and I work with adults in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania who find it hard to make time for their emotions. I also work virtually with clients from any states covered by PSYPACT. A lot of my clients share that previous experiences with therapy have felt inflexible, apolitical, or too focused on coping rather than healing.

That’s why I offer customizable individual therapy programs that allow you to meet your therapy and life goals while also prioritizing your needs. I truly believe that now, more than ever, we all deserve flexibility in how and when we receive support. We all need it and I hope the support I offer is what you’ve been looking for.

My clients often are hoping:

• To move emotions through their bodies that have been stuck for some time

• To regulate their emotions in ways that are kinder to their bodies and brains

• To process identity-based stress and trauma with a specialist that provides social justice counseling

• To change cognitive and behavioral processes to better align with their priorities

I offer therapy that is informed by evidence-based approaches and which prioritizes your identities and needs within the therapeutic relationship. Clients have described me as authentic, empowering, compassionate, relational, and grounding.

Outside of Therapy

Therapists are often trained to stay neutral or be a blank slate. I know, though, that healing requires safety, connection, and comfort. I bring my whole self to the therapeutic relationship – I wouldn’t ask anything of you that I wouldn’t be comfortable doing myself. So here’s a bit about me:

 I am a White, cisgender, heterosexual, and disabled woman. My family immigrated to Philadelphia a few generations back from Ireland, England, and Poland and have for the most part stayed in South Philly since. I completed my undergraduate and master’s degrees in Pennsylvania and am a lifelong Philly sports fan. I moved across the country to Oregon for my doctoral training and returned to PA as soon as I could! I loved so many things about Oregon, but PA is home.

My training has been informed by Black Feminism, intersectionality, liberation theories, embodied healing, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. While gaining experience with evidence-based therapies in grad school, I was also working for the Lion’s Story, learning so much about identity-based healing. I am still a part of Lion’ Story and bring that work into everything I do. I am passionate about disability justice, antiracism, gender equality, and immigrant rights and am a staunch ally to the LGBTQ+ community. As a therapist, along with incorporating social justice into the work, I prioritize authenticity and accompaniment, which means I’ll always show up as myself and I’ll walk beside you, not in front or behind.

Outside of sessions, you’ll find me walking on the Schuylkill River Trail, enjoying a sweet treat, watching women’s basketball, or hanging out with my two tiny dogs!

My own healing journey includes a history of perfectionism, a transition into disability, a community filled with healers and lots of love, and an ongoing practice of returning to my body.

 If it feels hard to stay true to yourself while also attending to all of your obligations – I understand. Together, we can figure out how hold it all.

Clinical Experience

You have a right to see what my actual training and experience has been, so I going to lay it out for you here. No additional google searches needed!