Bridging the gap between education and life
Life Prep was born from a simple observation: smart, capable young people were struggling—not because they lacked potential, but because they lacked foundational psychological skills.
15yearsofclinicalinsights
Dr. Kaplan spent over 15 years at the Washington Anxiety Center, working with young adults who seemed to have everything going for them—intelligence, opportunity, support—yet were struggling to launch into independent adult life.
The pattern was clear: these weren't cases of laziness or lack of motivation. These were bright individuals who simply hadn't been taught the fundamental psychological skills needed to navigate adulthood.
“I kept hearing the same thing,” Dr. Kaplan recalls. “I thought school would teach me these skills… or that I'd get them at home… neither happened.”
Life Prep was created to fill that gap—a structured, systematic approach to building the skills that matter most.
“In 2021, 52% of young adults ages 18–24 were living with their caretakers—higher than during the Great Depression. This isn't about work ethic. It's about preparation.”
Dr. Kaplan
Founder, Life Prep Foundations
Dr.JohannaKaplan
Director
Child, Adolescent and Adult Clinical Psychologist
Founder and Director of the Washington Anxiety Center of Capitol Hill
Founder of Washington Anxiety Center of Old Town, Alexandria
Dr. Johanna Kaplan is the Founder and Director of the Washington Anxiety Center of Capitol Hill. She is a licensed child and adult clinical psychologist in Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Catholic University of America and her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Communications from American University in Washington, D.C. She has over 22 years of experience and is also licensed under PsyPact.
Prior to opening the Washington Anxiety Center of Capitol Hill, she worked for four years at the Center for Anxiety and Behavior Change in Rockville, MD. She also completed 18 months of post-doctoral training at the Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital at the Anxiety Disorders Center/Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy under the direct supervision of David Tolin, Ph.D.
Additionally, she completed a 2-year post-baccalaureate fellowship and a 6-year pre-doctoral fellowship in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Kaplan has received extensive clinical and clinical-research training in anxiety, mood, and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders and has completed clinical and research work in private practice, community, counseling center, and hospital-based settings.
She has over 100 presentations and publications in the domain of clinical anxiety in adult, adolescent, and child populations. She has been interviewed for several articles in Parent magazine, parent.com, Romper.com, klicknews.com, the Hillrag.com, livestrong.com, and by several local television media outlets. She continues to actively pursue her education in evidence-based treatments for anxiety in these populations.
She recently published an article with Dr. Dumessa on the role of peri and postpartum mental health on mortality rates in women of color. Click here.
To reach Dr. Kaplan, please call 202-768-6494 or email admin@washingtonanxietycenter.com.
Whatguideseverythingwedo
Compassion
Every young person deserves the tools to succeed. We meet learners where they are.
Practicality
Theory without application is useless. Every skill we teach has real-world utility.
Evidence-Based
Our curriculum is grounded in 15+ years of clinical research and practice.
Accessibility
Life skills shouldn't be a privilege. We make our program available to everyone.
Fromclinictoplatform
Clinical Origins
Dr. Kaplan begins observing patterns in 'failure to launch' cases at Washington Anxiety Center.
Framework Development
The 8-session framework is formalized based on clinical insights and patient outcomes.
Teachable Launch
Life Prep Foundations Program launches online, reaching learners across the country.
Platform Evolution
Building a dedicated platform to better serve individuals, schools, and institutions.
Our Mission
To ensure that every young person has access to the fundamental psychological skills they need to thrive as adults—regardless of what school they attended or what family they were born into.