Do you find yourself doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result? Are you struggling to find balance in your life? Do you feel like there's a part of you that has died and hasn't come back to life? Hi, my name is Merisa. I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Registered Art Therapist and artist. I help highly functioning adults manage their stressors and find more balance in life. I am an art therapist, meaning we will use art as a communication tool to express emotions, process trauma and relieve stress. I have many clients who are not willing to do art therapy, and that's okay as well! Talking is just as effective. If you're from a family who didn't talk about feelings, and/or avoided conflict, it is possible that talking about your feelings isn't easy. I am here to help ease you into it. Therapy is like exercising. You will be working new muscles and I'm here to help you get stronger. Professional Background: I graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts, minoring in Psychology in 2014 and graduated with my Masters in Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy and Art Therapy in 2016. I was always creative and wanted to help others which lead me in the direction of art therapy and LMFT. I have worked at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, providing therapy to patients and families; multiple addiction treatment centers and I was also a school counselor. I have been in recovery for years, and have personal and professional experience working with teens, adults and families in substance use and mental health treatment. I am willing to help you with addiction, anxiety, PTSD, low self-esteem, and relationship issues.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session, we will go over expectations from therapy sessions, general questions about your history, mental health symptoms, you can ask me any questions, and tell me goals that you have for therapy.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Art therapy is definitely my strength as a therapist. Through telehealth, we can get creative with how we would do this. Do you have any art materials around your house? Do you want to use technology and share your screen in our chat? You are free to use magazines, markers, technology, pastels, paints, clay, etc. I'll ask that you turn your camera so I can watch your process. Art will take approximately 5-15 minutes of session and I will ask questions about the art and we will engage in a discussion. I will always give a directive that is around a topic you are working on (body image, relationships, trauma, anxiety, depression, addiction, etc).