Desirée Israel

Desirée Israel accepts CareFirst, Prime Health, Cigna Healthcare/Evernorth, and Centivo. Octave clients pay an average of $28 per session through insurance, and more than 95% pay less than $45 per session. Your exact cost depends on your plan’s copay or deductible. You can use the cost estimator to see what you would pay before your first session. If you would rather pay out of pocket, self-pay sessions in Maryland are estimated at $185-195 per session.

Desirée Israel is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Desiree is licensed to practice in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, Florida, Washington, and Wisconsin, so clients located in any of those states can book sessions. Desiree’s Maryland license number is 17259, and you can look it up through the state licensing board. Octave verifies every therapist’s license before they begin seeing clients, and licenses are kept current as a condition of practicing with Octave.

Desirée Israel has been practicing therapy for 7 years. Desiree’s education and training include MSW - Social Work, Morgan State University. Over that time, Desiree has worked closely with BIPOC, Black community, Parents, LGBTQ+, Trans+, Blended families, Non-monogamous relationships, and Students.

Desirée Israel works with BIPOC, Black community, Parents, LGBTQ+, Trans+, Blended families, Non-monogamous relationships, and Students and specializes in Adoption/Foster Care, Anxiety, Cultural Issues/Racial Stress, Depression, Grief, LGBTQ+, Life Transitions, Pregnancy/Peripartum/Infertility, Religious Trauma, Stress, Trans+, Women's Issues, and Workplace Stress. These are the areas where Desiree spends most of their clinical time. If the concern you want help with isn’t listed here, a Care Navigator can tell you whether Desiree is a good fit or match you with another Octave therapist who specializes in it.

Desirée Israel draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Harm Reduction, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Motivational Interviewing, Relational, Solution-Focused, and Strengths-Based. In sessions, Desiree’s style is action-oriented, affirming, empowering, and holistic. In Desiree’s words: “I work with individuals seeking connection, healing, and balance, believing that growth happens in relationship—with ourselves, our communities, and the systems we navigate.”

Desirée Israel (she/her) offers therapy in English. Desiree identifies as Black/African American. Desiree provides LGBTQIA+ affirming care.

Desirée Israel offers online sessions over secure video, so you can meet from home or any private space. Desiree is licensed in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, Florida, Washington, and Wisconsin, and you need to be located in one of those states at the time of each session. All you need is a device with a camera and a stable internet connection.

Your first session with Desirée Israel is a chance to talk through what brought you to therapy and what you want to work on. Desiree will ask about your background, your current concerns, and your goals, and together you will start shaping a plan for your sessions. It is also a chance to see whether Desiree’s style feels like a good fit for you. After their first session, 9 in 10 Octave clients say their therapy experience has been good or better.

Octave regularly asks clients to select a rating based on their experience about their provider about their therapy sessions. Providers are prohibited from soliciting reviews from their clients.

Only clients who have completed a session with this provider can leave a rating for them.