Lisa M. Drew profile image

Lisa M. Drew

Lisa M. Drew

(she/her)

LPC
15 years of experience
Virtual

Hi there! I'm Lisa! A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) from NJ with over 19 years of experience providing individual and group therapy to teens and adults. I help adults who struggle to achieve their potential, form or sustain positive relationships, and regularly experience intense emotional reactivity that interferes with their daily lives. I specialize in working with adults who experience complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), addiction, anxiety, and depression. I have advanced training in somatic and experiential therapies. These body-centered treatment modalities help clients process and re-integrate painful experiences. I encourage clients to use "felt sense" techniques, visualization, and artistic expression to find their voice and reconceptualize their fears with a more direct approach. Learning to listen and trust our body's innate wisdom is an effective strategy for building self-trust and self-worth, two critical components of a healthy relationship with our authentic Self. Through a trauma-informed, cross-cultural perspective, I creatively integrate somatic and experiential therapies, mindfulness principles, and holistic practices to create a balanced, whole-person approach to healing and personal growth. 

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

Working with me feels conversational. My therapeutic style is collaborative and dynamic; for the most part, the client directs the focus of each session. Because the mind-body connection is essential for optimal health, I frequently ask clients to "check-in" with themselves and learn to identify and connect physical cues with emotions and experiences. This mind-body awareness reduces anxiety around difficult emotions and empowers clients to respond rather than react to triggers. Exploring the past is an important part of understanding the neurobiology of trauma and how it shapes a person's beliefs and patterns of thinking and behaving. Clients often feel much better after learning the science behind the 'why,' saying they no longer feel alone or hopeless. I introduce various evidence-based tools to help clients regulate their nervous systems, an essential component of reducing the symptoms of mental health issues and feeling better equipped to handle life's daily challenges.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I am compassionately candid, empathetic, and dedicated to helping clients optimize their mental health and reach their highest potential. I am honored and humbled to be invited into my clients’ lives and witness their experiences.

About Lisa M. Drew

Identifies as

Specializes in

Serves ages

Licensed in

Accepts

Appointments

Virtual

My treatment methods

Somatic

By integrating mindfulness and nervous system regulation practices, I help clients strengthen the mind-body connection to better attune to their needs during stressful situations that otherwise compromise their ability to cope. When clients are more attuned to their triggers and equipped with tools to manage the symptoms of anxiety and depression, they begin to live life fully.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

When people accept themselves fully, they heal from trauma and change their behaviors and thinking patterns. By creating a nonjudgmental, compassionate space to engage in self-inquiry, I help clients develop self-awareness and explore their inner worlds. Together, we cultivate an internal landscape where all parts of themselves are welcomed and accepted, reducing shame and the internal conflict perpetuating the maladaptive patterns they wish to change.

Polyvagal Therapy

​​Understanding how traumatic events shape a person's behavior, belief systems, and how they relate to themselves and others can help shift a client's perspective. Clients often perceive themselves negatively and doubt their ability to heal and grow from their painful past. Learning the science of safety helps clients recognize their emotional state by attuning to the body's cues and applying strategies specific to their experience to reduce suffering and restore calm and ease. This process empowers clients by increasing their mind-body awareness and instilling confidence and hope.