Liz Serens
Hi! I’m Liz Serens. I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia and a contracted provider with Grow Therapy. I’m glad you’re here. I bring 16 years of professional experience in mental health, including work as a community‑based provider and paraprofessional, before becoming licensed 1.5 years ago. For the past year, I’ve partnered with Grow Therapy to support adults navigating anxiety, ADHD, mood shifts, PTSD‑related symptoms, relationship dynamics, and life transitions. My style is collaborative and emotionally attuned, and I work to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where growth can flourish. I also bring lived experience with ADHD and a learning disability, which helps me understand the realities of executive functioning challenges and the importance of accessible, shame‑free support. While I’m not a parenting specialist, I recognize the challenges parenthood can bring. As someone who married into and lives in a blended family, I relate to lifestyle transitions and relationship complexities with empathy and respect. To reduce distractions and stay fully present, I use Grow Therapy’s HIPAA‑ and PHI‑compliant transcribe system. This secure tool is optional, but many clients find the written record grounding and empowering. Therapy should feel empowering, not overwhelming. Whether you’re navigating neurodivergence, stress, or simply seeking a space to be heard, I’m here with steadiness, respect, and care.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
Our first session is a calm, welcoming space to get settled and see what support feels most helpful for you. • A gentle start I’ll confirm your name, review informed consent, go over your rights with the telehealth transcription system, and share my credentials so you know who you’re working with. • Understanding your needs We’ll explore what brings you in and look at your intake form, assessment scores, medication list, and any cultural or personal context you want me to understand. • What sessions look like We’ll talk through next steps and make sure the pace feels right. Sessions are typically 53–60 minutes. • Scheduling Starting February 3, 2026, I’ll use a rolling 60‑day scheduling system. You can still schedule beyond January — openings just won’t appear more than 60 days ahead. My goal is to offer a supportive, flexible space where you can show up as you are.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
My strengths as a therapist are rooted in compassion, authenticity, and a deep respect for resilience. I bring both personal and professional insight into how disability, identity, and family experiences shape mental health. I specialize in identity exploration and relational dynamics, creating a space that blends empathy with practical guidance. My approach is collaborative and emotionally attuned, supporting clients as they clarify their values, strengthen boundaries, and build sustainable tools for growth.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I work best with adults navigating anxiety, ADHD, identity exploration, intrapersonal stress, and life transitions. Many of my clients are seeking clarity around boundaries, emotional regulation, personal values, and strengths. Some arrive feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to begin, and appreciate a space that feels emotionally safe and thoughtfully paced. Clients who benefit most from my approach tend to value collaboration, transparency, and practical support. I offer structure and adaptive tools for those managing executive functioning demands, and I especially welcome clients who feel safe using Grow Therapy’s HIPAA‑ and PHI‑compliant transcribe system. Many find that written records or visual cues help them stay focused, reduce distractions, and support clarity. My approach is strengths‑based and grounded in lived experience. I support clients in identifying what is working, what needs care, and how to move forward with confidence and self‑respect.
Location
VirtualMy treatment methods
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I use Person-Centered Therapy to create a space where clients feel safe leading the conversation. My role is to reflect, support, and stay attuned to what feels meaningful to you. Sometimes that includes constructive self-disclosure, such as sharing a brief example from my own experience to normalize a feeling or reduce shame. For instance, if a neurodivergent client says “I always mess up deadlines,” I might gently share that I also use color-coded systems and visual cues to support executive functioning. It’s not about shifting focus. It’s about modeling self-compassion and showing that adaptation is valid. You set the pace and I follow with warmth, respect, and transparency.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use ACT to help clients make space for hard thoughts without getting stuck in them. For LGBTQ2+ and neurodivergent clients, this often means working with beliefs like “I’m not doing it right” or “I feel broken.” We notice those stories, clarify your values, and take steps that feel meaningful even when things are uncomfortable.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
I use Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) to help clients challenge rigid, self-defeating beliefs—especially those shaped by perfectionism, shame, or high-pressure expectations. REBT goes deeper than CBT by targeting the beliefs underneath your thoughts and helping you build more flexible, self-accepting ways of thinking. I’ve applied it across settings, including with clients in active recovery after relapse, where reframing beliefs like “I’ve ruined everything” can support emotional clarity and resilience.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to help clients notice stuck thought patterns and shift them with practical strategies. As someone who lives with a disability and grew up with a disabled father, I understand how constant criticism can shape beliefs like “I always ruin things.” Together, we slow down, explore where those thoughts come from, and build kinder, more accurate ways of thinking that support growth.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I use DBT techniques to help clients feel more steady in the chaos. We build skills to manage intense emotions, set boundaries, and stay in the here and now when things feel overwhelming. Whether you're navigating relationship stress, big transitions, or just trying to cope day to day, we practice tools like mindfulness, meditation, and emotional regulation to support clarity, self-respect, and healthier ways to respond. I often use the feeling wheel to help clients name what they’re experiencing, even when it feels like “nothing.” Numbness is a feeling too, and recognizing it can be the first step toward reconnecting with emotion, language, and self-awareness. You don’t have to do it perfectly. You just have to start.
14 ratings with written reviews
October 7, 2025
I think for the first time, I feel like someone is listening with interest and focus
Verified client, age 35-44
August 15, 2025
I've had 5 sessions with Liz, and at each one, she's been insightful and pointed out things that I had been unaware of or unwilling to see in myself. She's kind and thoughtful, and often uses anecdotes from her own life to explain things, which, at least to me, makes her feel relatable and personable. She also gives me goals to work towards, recognizes when I've done something difficult, and celebrates my wins with me. It's been a pleasure having sessions with Liz & I look forward to continuing!
Verified client, age 35-44
July 9, 2025
She was willing to let me change the topic of conversation and talk about issues that were personally bothering me the most, even if we weren't necessarily talking about that. I like how she was very open minding about my experiences, and was willing to talk through them.