About

Dr. L A McCrae, LCADC, FOT, CCTP, CCTSA – Licensed Professional Counselor

I am Dr. L A McCrae, affectionately known as ‘Doc.’ I am an activist, an ordained pastor, a scholar of the Black prophetic tradition, and a Professor at the Columbia University School of Social Work. Doc also serves as the Stokely Carmichael/Kwame Ture Professor of Street Theology at the New Theology School. My practice at Orange Oasis Healing is where the academy, the pulpit, and the clinic meet. I provide a sanctuary in Catonsville, MD, for those ready to dismantle systemic ‘head trash’ and move toward a life of radical autonomy and liberation.

As a faculty member at Columbia University, I help train the next generation of social workers to see therapy as a tool for social justice. I bring that same intellectual rigor to our sessions. Whether we are analyzing a text by James Baldwin or utilizing neuro-affirming Sandplay, our work is grounded in the latest research and the timeless wisdom of the Black prophetic tradition.

Beyond the Clinic: When I am not in the therapy room, I am a community organizer and an activist. I believe that healing is a political act. My experience on the streets and in the pulpit ensures that when you talk about the weight of the world, I’m not just listening—I’m standing there with you.

About Our Collaborative Process

You aren’t here for a lecture; you’re here for a transformation. Whether you are navigating the complexities of addiction, the weight of systemic oppression, or the nuances of neurodivergent life, I offer a space where your lived experience is the primary text. Grounded in the works of James Baldwin and liberation theology, my practice at Orange Oasis Healing is about more than ‘getting by’—it’s about getting free.

Some of my practice areas include:

Addiction: I reject the white, moralistic, and carceral approaches to substance use. My addiction counseling is rooted in Harm Reduction and peer support values. We focus on your goals and your safety, not on compliance or external metrics of ‘success.’ If you are looking for a space that understands the intersection of trauma, neurodivergence, and substance use without judgment, you’ve found it.

Experiential Healing (Sandplay & Bibliotherapy): Sometimes, the words aren’t enough. In our Catonsville office, I offer Sandplay Therapy—a tactile, experiential modality that allows you to process trauma and identity when verbal language feels limited. For those who find solace in literature, we utilize Bibliotherapy, engaging with texts that reflect our radical histories and personal truths to map out a new way of being in the world.

Couples & Relationships: Relationships are sites of potential liberation. I work with couples—particularly those in the LGBTQIA+, poly, and Kink communities—to dismantle inherited patterns of power and control. We focus on building communication that honors your neurotype and creates a container for authentic, liberated connection.

Treatment Approach

My Approach: Clinical Rigor Meets the Prophetic Imagination

I do not believe in a “one-size-fits-all” clinical checklist. Because systemic oppression, neurodivergence, and trauma affect the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—my approach is intentionally integrative and deeply personal. I draw from a diverse well of clinical wisdom, but my work is fundamentally anchored in Narrative, Somatic, and Experiential traditions.

A Foundation of Agency and Insight

Instead of focusing on “fixing” you, our work utilizes a foundation of Narrative Therapy and Existential/Humanistic approaches. We begin by deconstructing the stories society has told about you, moving toward a tailored plan that centers your autonomy. I integrate Focusing-Oriented Therapy (FOT) and Polyvagal-informed care to help you find safety in your own body, allowing us to move past “head trash” and into real-time healing.

Beyond Talk: Tactical and Creative Tools

For many of my clients, traditional “talk therapy” has its limits. This is why I specialize in:

• Sandplay Therapy: A tactile, Jungian-informed modality that allows your hands to speak when the words are too heavy or haven’t arrived yet.

• Bibliotherapy & Poetry: We engage with the “Word”—using the radical texts of our ancestors and contemporaries to map out your journey toward liberation.

• Harm Reduction & Motivational Interviewing: In the realm of addiction (LCADC), I prioritize your safety and goals over carceral compliance.

The Science of Self-Compassion

Grounded in current neuroscience, I incorporate Mindfulness and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help you heal painful memories and build internal resilience. My mission is to help you move past the blocks that prevent you from reaching your full potential—not just as an individual, but as a vital part of our collective community.

Because the human experience is multifaceted, I pull from a vast clinical toolbox to meet your specific needs. While our work is grounded in liberation and prophetic imagination, I am trained in a wide array of evidence-based modalities to ensure you have the precise support required for your journey. These include, but are not limited to: adlerian, cognitive behavioral therapy (cbt), dialectical behavior therapy (dbt), drama, eclectic, emotionally focused therapy (eft), feminist, gestalt, gottman method, imago, integrative, jungian, multicultural, narrative, person-centered (rogerian), psychodrama, psychodynamic, psychoeducational, reality / choice, transactional analysis.

Power of the Word

There is a profound and growing body of research—and a centuries-old lineage of survival—that points to the written word as a primary tool for liberation. In our work, Bibliotherapy and Therapeutic Journaling are more than just homework; they are acts of “writing ourselves into existence.” By engaging with the radical texts of the Black prophetic tradition and documenting our own “felt sense” through journaling, we are actively decolonizing our minds and reclaiming our narratives from the systems that sought to silence them.

Neuroscience and the Prophetic Imagination

Modern neuroscience confirms what the prophets and poets have always known: when we practice Self-Compassion and Somatic Mindfulness, we literally rewire the brain for resilience. This “prophetic imagination” allows us to move out of the constant “fight-or-flight” of systemic trauma and into a state of regulated autonomy. Research reveals that these practices empower us to heal painful memories not by forgetting them, but by integrating them into a larger story of survival and strength.

It is my honor and mission to walk with you through this process—utilizing the sand, the story, and the word to dismantle the blocks preventing you from reaching your full potential. Whether in your individual life or your most intimate relationships, we work together to turn the “filth” of the past into the fertile soil of a liberated future.

Education & Credentials:

• License #: LCA3399
• License State: Maryland
• Practicing Since: 2019
• Education: Morgan State University, Wesley Theological Seminary, The New Theology School, Howard University School of Divinity, Copping State University, The University of Tennessee, the Community College of Baltimore County

• Professor, Columbia University School of Social Work