Kumi Pledger, MD, LCPC

Maryland · 10 years in practice

Kumi Pledger is a Maryland-based therapist with an MD and an LCPC and ten years of clinical work.

License and registration

LCPC, Maryland: LC10963 · expires January 2028
NPI: 1720506900 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 10
Languages: English, Japanese

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.

About Kumi

Kumi Pledger is a Maryland-based therapist with an MD and an LCPC and ten years of clinical work. She focuses on helping people reduce worry, sleep better, and regain interest in life. Kumi offers care in English and Japanese and is available to people inside and outside the U.S.

Her style is warm and respectful. She listens first, then helps people identify patterns that keep them stuck. Sessions are practical and goal-oriented, mixing talk with skills practice and guided imagery when helpful.

Background and approach

Kumi draws on Emotionally-Focused Therapy, attachment ideas, and client-centered care to support emotional connection and self-understanding. She works with a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, bipolar mood issues, sleep problems, substance concerns, and low self-esteem. Relationship and intimacy issues, parenting worries, family conflict, grief, and career stress are also common topics in her work.

Additional focuses include abandonment, attachment issues, caregiver stress, communication problems, and gender dysphoria. Kumi uses cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior tools to teach coping skills for intense feelings and unhelpful thoughts. She helps people practice new responses to old patterns and restore steadier routines for sleep and daily life.

Her approach blends emotional processing with concrete strategies so people can feel better and handle challenges more effectively. People can connect with Kumi through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. The subscription model lets clients schedule and continue care flexibly, and services can be adjusted to match language preferences and practical needs.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Kumi lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Trauma and abuse
Self esteem
Depression
Coping with life changes
Addictions
LGBT
Relationship issues
Family conflicts
Grief
Intimacy-related issues
Sleeping disorders
Parenting issues
Career difficulties
Bipolar disorder
Abandonment
Attachment issues
Caregiver issues and stress
Communication problems
Control issues
Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
Divorce and separation
Domestic violence
Emptiness
Family of origin issues
Family problems
Fatherhood issues
First responder issues
Gender dysphoria
Guilt and shame
Hospice and end-of-life counseling
Impulsivity
Isolation / loneliness
Jealousy
Life purpose
Men's issues
Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Mood disorders
Multicultural concerns
Panic disorder and panic attacks
Paranoia
Phobias
Post-traumatic stress
Pregnancy and childbirth
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Self-love
Social anxiety and phobia
Women's issues
Workplace issues
Young adult issues

Approaches Kumi names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How emotion-focused and attachment work online

Emotionally-Focused Therapy focuses on feelings and the patterns they create in relationships. It helps people name, feel, and shift key emotions so they can respond differently to stress and conflict. This approach often helps with intimacy issues, grief, and relationship distress.

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early bonds shape current reactions and expectations. It helps people understand attachment wounds and practice new ways of relating that feel safer and more connected. This work is useful for abandonment concerns, attachment issues, and family of origin problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with each client to choose methods that fit their goals, needs, and preferences. Sessions can blend emotion-focused, attachment, and skills-based tools so treatment stays practical and responsive.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls approximate face-to-face sessions for deep emotional work, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth or camera use is limited. Live chat and text messaging allow brief check-ins, journaling support, or timely skill practice between sessions. These options help people fit therapy into busy lives and continue care when travel or distance would otherwise be a barrier.

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Questions people ask

What kinds of problems does this therapist help with?

Kumi helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, sleep problems, addictions, bipolar mood issues, and low self-esteem. She also works with relationship difficulties, parenting and family concerns, grief, and career stress.

What is the therapist's general approach in sessions?

She starts by listening and then helps clients identify patterns in feelings and behaviors. Sessions combine emotional work with practical skills from CBT and DBT and sometimes guided imagery to reduce anxiety and improve sleep.

How much clinical experience does the therapist have?

The therapist has ten years of professional experience working with a variety of concerns and populations. That background informs an approach that blends emotion-focused work with skills training.

What credentials and location are listed for this therapist?

She holds an MD and is an LCPC, and she practices from Maryland. Those credentials are used alongside her clinical experience in providing care.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English and Japanese. International clients may also work with her.

In what formats are sessions offered?

Clients can meet by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options allow flexibility for different schedules and needs.

How does billing and cost work for sessions?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability and are provided through a subscription model. The subscription can be canceled at any time.

What are the steps to start therapy?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. Then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

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