Joseph Dougherty - Flourish Counseling and Wellness

Joseph Dougherty, MD

Dr. Joseph Dougherty

Board Certified Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist

Practice Philosophy
Dr. Dougherty is a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist who applies a thoughtful, methodical approach to the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of behavioral health conditions. Valuing parental input to understand the internal world of children and adolescents more fully, he welcomes the opportunity to work with children ages 6 and above and their families.

Areas of Expertise
Dr. Dougherty specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of child and adolescent mood and anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. He recognizes that medication management, if appropriate, is a small part of greater holistic approach to optime a child’s social and emotional development and well-being. Although appropriate use of medication management remains one of his greatest strengths, he frequently supplements this with supportive psychotherapy, incorporating Cognitive Behavior Therapy principles when indicated. Collaboration with parents, educators, therapists, and other providers is a key factor in treatment. Dr. Dougherty is a talented physician, academician, educator, and mentor, who has embraced the role of teacher throughout his medical career.

Experience and Training
Dr. Dougherty attended medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD, followed by psychiatry residency and fellowship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. As Program Director of the Department of Defense’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center he trained scores of fellows to become child psychiatrists and developed a unique curriculum focused on optimizing medication management options when treating a variety of pediatric disorders. As a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, he has provided care to service members and their families at duty stations around the world and has practiced in both outpatient and inpatient settings throughout his career. He is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. His leadership experiences as clinic director, medical director, training director, and chief of behavioral health services for seven overseas military communities serving 40,000 soldiers and family members have contributed to a well- informed practice. Dr. Dougherty is licensed to practice in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.