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“There has to be a better way.” That magical phrase became the impetus for Stacy to open Help in the Home, LLC with Rayetta Michael, and remains her go-to phrase for everything she does to this day. Stacy mentors our staff and celebrates their growth. Passionate and pragmatic, she regularly implements new systems to support and unify the team. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park. Stacy is a Girl Scouts Troop Leader for her daughter’s troop and her favorite summers are spent at Camp Airy with her husband and son or visiting Camp Louise to see her daughter. Stacy is actively involved in her synagogue where she serves on their inclusion committee and mental health committee. Stacy enjoys finding different ways to be able to serve her community.
Making the world a better place may sound like a cliché until you have an opportunity to see how Rayetta Michael, co-founder of Help in the Home, serves her clients as well as their families, and their legal and medical professionals. Rayetta is a constant source of support for her staff, and acts as a sounding board for her clients to foster trust, honor their independence, and improve their well-being – despite their diagnosis. As a servant leader and advocate for the mentally ill, Rayetta testifies before the State of Maryland to help improve the laws that protect their dignity, quality of life, and medical needs. She earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling from The Catholic University of America. You can find Rayetta singing at show choir with her daughter and son, and at church with her family regularly.
Sarah is a clinical social worker with over 20 years of expertise and leadership skills honed in a variety of behavioral health settings. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Northern Arizona University and her Master of Social Work from New York University, with a specialty certification in Clinical Supervision. Sarah has extensive clinical experience working with people who struggle with significant mental health problems, substance use and co-occurring disorders, as well as the use of mindfulness meditation in therapeutic settings.
Sarah’s supervisory work focuses on building teams and workplace culture where mental health professionals can enjoy satisfying, sustainable and healthy careers.
Sarah joined Help in the Home Clinical Services in 2023.
Hawa Fofanah is a Board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC). Hawa’s health career started in cardiac stepdown care, where she worked inpatient settings as a registered nurse caring for people with varying medical challenges. She later became a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and practiced for many years in family medicine, before eventually transitioning to psychiatric mental health. Hawa’s passion for mental health grew out of the growing need for mental health providers. In primary care she witnessed how challenging it was for some of her patients to get even an initial psychiatric evaluation. Hawa offers a friendly environment that strives to meet the needs of all patients. Hawa provides initial evaluation and ongoing treatment for adults with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, insomnia, schizophrenia, OCD and other issues. Hawa offers telepsychiatry for the convenience of her patients to attend sessions from the convenience of their homes. In her spare time, Hawa loves spending time with her family and traveling. Hawa joined Help in the Home Clinical Services in 2025.
Ashia is a licensed social worker, who practices an eclectic mix of DBT, CBT, Motivational Interviewing and psychodynamic approaches in her work with adults. She focuses on change, self-compassion and acceptance, and healing relationships both with others and with oneself. She has worked in various mental health settings including Assertive Community Treatment as well as inpatient and outpatient settings. She provides in-home and community therapy as well as in-office sessions. She also employs skill-building to empower her clients to reduce difficulties on their own, between sessions and over their lifetime to live more satisfying lives.
Ashia has a Bachelor of the Arts in Sociology and Theater from SUNY Geneseo, a Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland and is certified in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), ASAM assessments, and trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Advanced Motivational Interviewing (MI), Polyvagal Therapy and maintains CPR/First Aid certification.
Ashia joined Help in the Home Clinical Services in 2023.
Over the past 15 years, Nicole has been working with Help in the Home, in a variety of roles including, house manager, companion, case manager and now as a Licensed Social Worker she has joined Help in the Home Clinical Services. She graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Social Work in 2020.
Nicole’s extensive experience has truly helped her understand and love the culture and care given to the clients of Help in the Home Clinical Services and she is excited to offer this continued culture and therapeutic care. Nicole has experience and interest in helping adolescents and adults through various types of therapeutic modalities. She believes all clients are unique so one specific approach won’t work for everyone and will work together with her clients to ensure they feel
happy, comfortable and validated.
Prior to her career in mental health, Nicole worked in sales, marketing and business development. Outside of work, Nicole enjoys spending time with her family, good food and travel where she has been to 15 different countries and experienced many different cultures.
Nicole joined Help in the Home Clinical Services in 2023.
Bayan is passionate about helping her clients achieve their goals and improve their quality of life. She has experience working with severe chronic mental health illness including but not limited to anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar. She incorporates an eclectic style when doing therapy to provide the best individualized treatment for clients.
She enjoys spending time with her family, arts & crafts, reading and learning about other cultures.
Bayan attended the University of Maryland Baltimore County and completed a Bachelor of Art degree with a major in social work and a minor in psychology. She then went
to the University of Maryland Baltimore and completed their advanced social work degree program. During her time in her masters program she focused on working with individuals suffering from substance abuse and chronically mental health diagnosis and which therapy modalities would best help clients.
Bayan joined Help in the Home Clinical Services in 2023.
Steven’s therapeutic approach is centered on reducing stigma around neurodiversity, helping clients build their wellness toolbox, and promoting disability justice in the community. As an autistic person, Steven uses the power of lived experience to normalize what it’s like to be neurodivergent. To this end, Steven combines Narrative Therapy and Psychodynamic methods with CBT and DBT to help his clients think about their lives in the now, while also processing the past and considering the future.
Steven earned his Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore focusing on Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and Organizational Leadership. Steven graduated from Towson University with a Certificate in Autism Studies. In 2013, Steven also graduated with a BA in Political Science from Clark University, focusing on International Relations and Peace Studies.
Steven joined Help in the Home Clinical Services in 2025.
Imelda is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor based in Maryland with over 15 years of experience. She specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and have a passion for helping adults overcome anxiety and depression. Her approach is personalized and rooted in the latest research, designed to help people gain the tools and confidence to face life’s challenges.
Imelda earned her Master’s degree in Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.
Imelda joined Help in the Home Clinical Services in 2025.
Rebecca is a dedicated social worker. Bringing over 17 years of experience in social work she looks forward to the opportunity to serve individuals in need. Her past experience includes providing guidance to direct care teams, addressing the behavioral and communication challenges associated with cognitive and physical impairments. Her expertise extends to community outreach and education, reflecting a strong commitment to empowering individuals and fostering community engagement.
Since earning her Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, Rebecca has specialized in assisting families to navigate the complexities of caring for aging or disabled loved ones. She is committed to promoting independence and enhancing the quality of life for both clients and their caregivers.
Rebecca joined Help in the Home Clinical Services in 2025.
David Pickar, MD is an internationally renowned leader in the biology and treatment of psychiatric disorders. After graduating from Rutgers College with Phi Beta Kappa Distinction and a Letter in Varsity Lacrosse, he entered Yale University School of Medicine from which he graduated in 1973. Following a one-year internship in Internal Medicine at University of Kentucky, Dr. Pickar returned to Yale for his Psychiatric Residency followed by acceptance as a Research Fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Public Health Service.
After over 20 years at NIMH where he served in the Intramural Research Program and was a clinical Branch Chief, Dr. Pickar retired from NIMH and the US Public Health Service as a Captain (0-6). He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
As a Branch Chief at NIMH, Dr. Pickar studied mood disorders, the endogenous opioid system and the pathophysiology of psychosis and schizophrenia. His work revealing the therapeutic effects of alpha2 antagonist as an adjunctive treatment for schizophrenia is currently in clinical development.
Dr. Pickar has received numerous honors and awards in his career, and he has authored or co-authored over 350 publications with over 29,000 citations, an h-index of 88 and i10-Index of 264 (Google Scholar).
Dr. Pickar is founder and President of Gabriel Sciences, a company whose mission is advancing the development of a novel treatment for schizophrenia. He was also co-founder of Comprehensive Neuroscience Inc., a clinical trials and medical communication company where he served as a Director, Executive Vice-President and Chief Science Officer. He is currently a Principal of Vigilant
Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Pickar served on the Psychiatry Drug Advisory Committee for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 2014-2018. He is Fellow Emeritus of the American
College of Neuropsychopharmacology and is Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
Dr. Pickar has pursued his career with the belief that as citizens of the world we owe it to the individuals and families who suffer from serious mental illness to
better understand them. Only then can we offer, if not a cure, at least the humanistic support that every individual deserves. In response to the numerous
queries Dr. Pickar has received about serious mental illness, he produced a short documentary, The Realities of Serious Mental Illness, which can be viewed at
Davidpickar.com.
Dr. Pickar practices psychiatry in Chevy Chase, Maryland with emphasis on the care of seriously mentally ill.
Our team of therapists meet clients where they are – whether that’s in their homes, through telehealth or in the community to build skills, increase tolerance, and improve overall wellbeing. We prioritize a holistic approach to care, working closely with you and your supporters, as well as other providers, to create a comprehensive treatment plan.
• Part-time therapists (social workers or professional counselors) who are experienced in working with adults with serious mental illness
• Must be licensed in DC, MD and/or VA
• Please email your resume to info@hithcs.com
