Lena Pierson
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist dedicated to helping people understand themselves, their relationships, and the patterns that shape their lives. Grounded in evidence-based practices, I tailor every therapeutic
Through the lens of Family Systems, I apply Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) to support clients in developing the internal resources they need to heal, grow, and create lasting change.
approach to the unique needs, strengths, and stories of each client. Guided by a deep curiosity about human lives, I approach therapy with the belief that everyone has something to teach. Through the lens of Family Systems, I apply Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) to support clients in developing the internal resources they need to heal, grow, and create lasting change.
First session
In our first session we will spend some time getting to know each other, build rapport, review confidentiality and practical details, explore the issue that led to therapy, and clarify goals and expectations.
Strengths
As a therapist I strive for a collaborative partnership while providing authenticity, honesty, emotional clarity, grounded presence and unconditional positive regard.
Ideal clients
I am uniquely positioned to work with individuals age 18+ who struggle with unhelpful thoughts, trauma and relationships. Emotional distress shaped by unhelpful thoughts includes anxiety, depression, self-criticism, catastrophic thinking, avoidance and low self-worth. A history of painful experiences is liked to childhood wounds, attachment injuries, relational trauma and persistent negative beliefs. Interpersonal stress is linked to conflict, relationship difficulties, grief/loss, communication breakdown and social isolation.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is grounded in the idea that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and that changing one can influence the others. Some of the things we will focus on are identifying unhelpful thought patterns and shifting to more helpful alternatives, identifying and overcoming patterns of withdrawal and avoidance, and focus on developing problem-solving, effective communication and soothing/relaxation strategies.
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, trauma‑focused therapy that reduces the emotional intensity around any disturbing event from the past or the present. In sessions we identify specific memories/events to target and apply bilateral stimulation while holding the event in mind. This process allows the brain to reprocess / "digest" information in a more helpful way and lower the level of emotional disturbance.
Interpersonal
Interpersonal therapy focuses on emotional distress linked to grief, role transitions, disputes and social isolation. In sessions we will focus on identifying key interpersonal areas and build relationship and communication skills.
Humanistic
The Humanistic approach is based on the assumption that individuals are inherently capable of healing through self‑awareness, present‑moment exploration, and a deeply supportive therapeutic relationship. In sessions we will explore and build awareness of current challenges, meaning, freedom and responsibility, and reshape stories about self in a more helpful way.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Woman
Top specialties
Anxiety
Coping Skills
Depression
Other specialties
Trauma and PTSD
Serves
Individual Therapy
Doesn't specialize in
ADHD
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
Addiction
Adlerian
Autism
Biofeedback
Bipolar Disorder
Brainspotting
Career Counseling
Child Parent Psychotherapy
Christian Counseling
Chronic Illness
Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i)
Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS)
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Dissociative Disorders
Domestic Violence
Eating Disorders
Eclectic
Experiential Therapy
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
Faith based therapy
Feminist
Fertility & Reproduction Issues
Forensic Psychology
Foster Care/Adoption
Gambling Addiction
Gender-affirming therapy
Health/Medical Issues
High Clinical Acuity
Hypnotherapy
Insomnia/Sleep Issues
Integrative
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Jungian
LGBTQ
Learning Disabilities
Medication Management
Men's Issues
Mind-body approach
Multicultural
Narrative
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
Neurofeedback
Parent-Child Interaction (PCIT)
Perinatal Mental Health
Personality Disorders
Phobias
Physical Health Condition
Polyvagal Therapy
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Psychoanalytic
Psychobiological Approach Couple Therapy
Racial trauma treatment
Racism
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
Reality Therapy
Recent Hospitalization
Sandplay
Schema Therapy
School Issues
Self-Harming
Serious Mental Illness
Sex Addiction
Sex Therapy
Sex Therapy
Somatic
Spirituality
Structural Family Therapy
Substance Misuse
Suicidal Ideation
Transpersonal
Women's Issues
Licensed in
ArkansasLicense M2502002
CaliforniaLicense 130236