LCSW, 12 years of experience
Hi, I am Lissa and I specialize in Woman Centered practice. We all experience challenging times in life. No matter who you are, there are moments when stress, pain, or uncertainty can feel overwhelming. During these times, you don’t have to face things alone. Everyone deserves empathy, understanding, and support — and reaching out for help is a powerful first step toward healing. Whether you’re navigating long-term mental or behavioral health concerns, or coping with short-term life challenges, I’m here to offer a safe, compassionate, and objective space for you to find clarity and strength. Together, we’ll work to develop tools that empower you to manage life’s difficulties with confidence and resilience. Our work together will be centered around you — your goals, your pace, your journey. My approach is person-centered and collaborative: I’ll meet you exactly where you are and walk beside you as we move toward where you want and need to be. Depending on your personal goals, we may focus on strengthening your coping skills, learning to regulate emotions and navigate distress more effectively, addressing unhelpful patterns or behaviors, nurturing healthier relationships, and cultivating mindfulness and deeper self-awareness. Let’s take this step together. Reach out today, and begin your path toward healing, growth, and lasting wellness.
In our first session, we’ll take time to get to know one another and talk about what brought you to counseling. Together, we’ll gently explore your intake responses and begin to shape your goals in a relaxed, collaborative way. This initial conversation helps lay the foundation for a supportive and trusting therapeutic alliance as we start your journey toward healing and growth.
My ability to help you feel comfortable and understood from the very beginning is an important aspect of my approach and skill set. I place a strong emphasis on creating trust and genuine connection, because I believe real healing starts when you feel safe to be yourself. I take pride in offering a judgment-free, compassionate virtual space where you can speak openly, explore freely, and feel supported as your authentic self. My calm, genuine, empathetic approach helps foster a strong therapeutic alliance — the foundation for meaningful growth and lasting change.
I support women experiencing a wide range of mental and emotional challenges. This may include depression, anxiety, and stress-related issues, as well as concerns connected to hormonal changes, fertility, postpartum adjustments, or menopause. I also work with women navigating relationship difficulties, communication struggles, and the emotional effects of divorce or separation. Many of my clients seek support through life transitions such as motherhood, caregiving, career changes, retirement, or personal loss. Together, we also address challenges related to self-esteem, body image, trauma recovery, burnout, perfectionism, and finding balance between caring for others and caring for yourself. My goal is to help women strengthen their emotional resilience, rediscover their inner confidence, and cultivate a greater sense of peace and fulfillment in their daily lives. Emotional and Mood-Related Concerns • Depression (including Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymia) • Anxiety Disorders (Generalized Anxiety, Panic Disorder, etc.) • Postpartum Depression and Anxiety • Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) • Mood changes related to hormonal transitions (PMS, pregnancy, menopause) • Emotional overwhelm and burnout Life Transitions and Identity • Adjustment difficulties (new motherhood, retirement, relocation, career changes) • Loss of identity or purpose during life changes • Midlife and menopausal transitions • Empty nest or caregiving stress • Rebuilding after divorce, separation, or loss Relationships and Interpersonal Challenges • Communication issues in relationships • Intimacy or trust challenges • Codependency • Boundary-setting difficulties • Family and parenting conflicts • Domestic or emotional abuse recovery Trauma and Stress-Related Concerns • Childhood trauma and attachment wounds • Intimate partner violence or sexual trauma recovery • Complex PTSD • Chronic stress and emotional exhaustion Self-Concept and Empowerment • Low self-esteem and self-worth • Perfectionism or people-pleasing • Body image concerns and disordered eating • Imposter syndrome • Difficulty asserting needs or making decisions Other Common Areas • Work-life balance challenges • Caregiver fatigue or compassion fatigue • Health-related anxiety and chronic illness adjustment • Isolation and loneliness • Spiritual or existential distress
A humanistic approach to therapy is grounded in the belief that every person has the inner capacity for growth, healing, and self-understanding. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms or problems, this approach views you as a whole person — mind, body, and spirit — with unique experiences, strengths, and potential. In humanistic therapy, the relationship between you and your therapist is central. The therapist provides empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuine support, creating a safe and nonjudgmental space where you can explore your thoughts and emotions freely. The goal isn’t to “fix” you, but to help you rediscover your authentic self, make meaningful choices, and live in alignment with your values and goals. This approach often integrates ideas from Person-Centered Therapy (Carl Rogers), Gestalt Therapy, and Existential Therapy, emphasizing personal responsibility, self-awareness, and the importance of the present moment. In short, a humanistic approach helps clients feel understood, empowered, and capable of creating the changes they want in their lives.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based approach designed to help you manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and create a more balanced and fulfilling life. “Dialectical” means finding balance between two ideas that seem opposite — for example, accepting yourself as you are while also working toward change. DBT combines practical skills training with mindfulness and self-compassion to help you better understand and regulate your emotions, reduce distress, and communicate more effectively. It focuses on building skills in four key areas: • Mindfulness – being present and aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment • Distress Tolerance – managing crises and difficult emotions in healthy ways • Emotion Regulation – recognizing, understanding, and changing unhelpful emotional patterns • Interpersonal Effectiveness – improving communication and strengthening relationships DBT is especially effective when you experience emotional intensity, mood swings, impulsivity, or difficulty managing stress. Through DBT, you learn to respond rather than react, make choices that align with your values, and cultivate greater peace and stability in your daily lives.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a practical, goal-oriented approach that focuses on the powerful connection between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It’s based on the idea that the way we think about situations affects how we feel and how we act — and by identifying and challenging unhelpful thought patterns, we can create lasting, positive change. In CBT, we work together to recognize negative or self-defeating thoughts and replace them with more balanced, realistic perspectives. This process helps reduce emotional distress and encourages healthier choices and coping strategies. CBT is especially effective for concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, relationship challenges, and life transitions. It empowers clients to become more aware of their inner dialogue, gain perspective, and build confidence in managing everyday challenges. Through gentle guidance and practical tools, CBT helps you retrain your mind, strengthen emotional resilience, and move toward a more peaceful, fulfilling life.
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is an approach that recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and emphasizes safety, trust, and empowerment in the healing process. It’s based on the understanding that trauma — whether from past experiences, relationships, or life events — can deeply affect how a person thinks, feels, and relates to others. In trauma-informed therapy, every interaction is guided by compassion and sensitivity to your lived experiences. Rather than asking, “What’s wrong with you?” this approach asks, “What happened to you?” — honoring your story and focusing on your strengths, resilience, and capacity for healing. This approach creates a therapeutic environment that feels safe, collaborative, and nonjudgmental, allowing you to regain a sense of control, stability, and trust. It can be integrated with other modalities, such as CBT, DBT, or Humanistic Therapy, to support deep emotional healing and personal growth. At its core, Trauma-Informed Care is about helping you feel seen, respected, and empowered — so you can move forward at your own pace toward recovery and wholeness.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a specialized form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) designed to help individuals heal from trauma and post-traumatic stress. It focuses on understanding how traumatic experiences can change the way you see yourself, others, and the world — often leading to painful beliefs such as “I’m not safe,” or “It was my fault.” Through CPT, we work together to gently identify and challenge these unhelpful thoughts and replace them with more balanced, realistic perspectives. This process helps reduce feelings of guilt, shame, fear, and self-blame, allowing space for healing, empowerment, and renewed self-trust. CPT provides practical tools to help you make sense of what happened, process painful memories, and move forward with greater emotional clarity and peace. It can be especially beneficial for individuals who have experienced abuse, violence, loss, combat-related trauma, or other distressing life events. At its heart, CPT is about helping you reclaim your sense of safety, rebuild self-worth, and reconnect with life beyond trauma — one step at a time, in a safe and supportive space.