top of page

​

Serenity First Counseling, LLC​

Specialized Couples Therapy

& Education

Helping Couples Build Stronger Relationships Across Maryland & Virginia

Shayla Gray, relationship and family systems therapist and educator

Now Accepting New Clients

Virtual appointments are available for individuals, couples, and families.

Shayla Gray

Credentials & Specialties

✔

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

✔

Licensed in Maryland & Virginia

✔

15+ Years in Mental Health

✔

Harvard-trained in Couples Therapy

✔

EMDR-Certified Therapist

✔

Relationship & Family Systems Therapist

✔

Life Transitions Therapist & Educator

✔

​PhD Candidate in Marriage & Family Therapy

Shayla helps couples and individuals strengthen their relationships, navigate major life transitions, and develop practical tools for healthier family and personal well-being. She also provides evidence-informed education and training for organizations on trauma, family systems, and parenthood.

Five-star rating

“Shayla Gray is an amazing therapist. She listens deeply, gives incredible support, and creates a really safe space. Highly recommend her practice!"

— H.

Therapy for Relationships, Trauma & Major Life Transitions

You may be navigating relationship stress that keeps repeating itself, carrying the impact of trauma in your everyday life, or feeling emotionally overwhelmed by a major season of change.

At Serenity First Counseling, we help individuals and couples work through relationship challenges, trauma, pregnancy, postpartum experiences, parenthood, and major life transitions with greater clarity, connection, and emotional well-being.

Therapy and Support for Relationships, Trauma & Life Transitions

Clients often come to Serenity First Counseling when they’re navigating:

Couples Therapy

Strengthen connection, improve communication, and navigate challenges together.

Individual Therapy

Build self-awareness, navigate life’s challenges, process difficult experiences, and support personal growth.

EMDR Intensives

Process trauma, reduce distress, and work toward healing through EMDR-focused therapy.

Professional Trainings & Workshops

Build professional skills and strengthen knowledge through evidence-informed training on trauma, family systems, and parenthood.

Pregnancy Postpartum and Parenthood

Support for the emotional changes, challenges, and transitions that can come with pregnancy, postpartum experiences, and parenthood.

Couples Therapy

For couples navigating conflict, communication breakdowns, emotional distance, or the strain of major life transitions. We’ll work toward greater understanding, healthier communication, and stronger connection.

Couple experiencing relationship conflict during a couples therapy session
Couple talking with a therapist during a couples counseling session

My Areas of Expertise

Individual Therapy

For adults navigating anxiety, emotional overwhelm, trauma, grief, identity shifts, or life transitions that feel difficult to carry alone.

Man speaking with a therapist during an individual therapy session

EMDR Therapy & Intensives

For clients who want focused support in processing trauma, distressing memories, or patterns that continue to show up in everyday life.

Therapist providing EMDR therapy to a client during a trauma-focused session

Pregnancy, Postpartum & Parenthood Support

For individuals and couples navigating the emotional, relational, and identity shifts that can come with pregnancy, postpartum, and the transition into parenthood.

Couple with a baby navigating emotional challenges during the transition to parenthood
Pregnant woman at home during the transition to parenthood

Professional Trainings & Workshops

For organizations, schools, agencies, and community groups seeking trauma-informed education, relationship-focused trainings, and mental health workshops.

Group participating in a professional training workshop led by a facilitator

More About Shayla

  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist serving clients in Maryland and Virginia.

​

  • Supports couples and individuals navigating:

    • Trauma and emotional overwhelm

    • Relationship stress and conflict

    • Major life transitions

    • Pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood

    • Fertility journeys, pregnancy loss, and birth-related experiences

    • Postpartum anxiety, depression, panic, and intrusive thoughts

    • Identity changes and relationship shifts after becoming a parent

​

  • Approach: Collaborative, trauma-informed, and grounded in creating emotional safety and sustainable tools for healing.

  • Creates a safe space to process difficult experiences, strengthen relationships, reduce triggers, and reconnect with yourself.

​

  • Education & Training:

    • B.S. in Psychology — Virginia State University

    • M.A. in Human Services — Liberty University

    • Harvard-trained in Couples Therapy

    • EMDR-certified

    • Advanced couples-focused training

    • PhD candidate in Marriage and Family Therapy at Northcentral University

​

  • Research focus: Relationship satisfaction during parenthood.

Grounded and Accredited Practice

EMDRIA Certified Therapist badge
Postpartum Support International (PSI) Certificate of Completion badge
EMDRIA Certified Therapist certificate for Shayla Gray
Happy couples participating in group therapy

Looking for support as a couple or a community to grow with?

If you and your partner are looking for support beyond therapy, Serenity Connection Collective offers a space for couples who want guidance, education, and community while navigating pregnancy, parenthood, and the changes that come with building a life together.

Frequently Asked Questions

bottom of page