Hello, I'm Liesa. If you're feeling stuck in your feelings, old habits, old ways of thinking, etc., your body may be telling you that you're ready for change. If you're new to therapy or had a bad therapy experience in the past, however, finding the right therapist to support you can be overwhelming. We’re meant to experience many emotions; the problem comes when we’re immobilized by them, we only feel the difficult ones, or when our thoughts and feelings keep us from living our values. If a therapist promises you that therapy will “fix” you, and they have the formula to achieve 100% happiness - I advise you to run or roll (for my wheelchair-using friends!) past their bios. I won’t promise to “fix” you because I don't believe you are broken. I’ve had the honor of working with people who have experienced unimaginable loss and pain, and not one of them needed to be fixed. Good therapy helps you to understand what is most important to you, and to live a life that reflects that. You are the expert on you, and I will use my training and experience to support your growth.

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

As important as the therapy hour is, what is most important is the life you live outside of session. Because of that, sessions with me balance processing thoughts and feelings with skill building. My job is to provide a safe, compassionate and respectful environment where you can freely express yourself and where together we can make connections between what may seem like disconnected thoughts, feelings and behaviors. We will build healthy habits and coping skills to alleviate your distress and help you achieve your goals.

What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?

I practice primarily from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) framework. ACT therapy utilizes tools and techniques to help clients live their values rather than feel as if they are controlled by their thoughts and emotions. ACT is an evidence-based treatment with deep philosophical roots. While I am more than happy to indulge my therapy nerdiness and go into the weeds if you are a fellow psychology enthusiast, in addition to the effectiveness of the skills, one of my favorite things about ACT is how practical, and user-friendly they are. We'll work together to find and develop the skills that work best for you.

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

I think my biggest strength as a therapist is balancing a compassionate ear with integrating evidence-based, effective tools. I want you to feel valued, respected and heard in our sessions and never as if you are "talking into a void" and not making progress or understanding the rationale for our work. I specialize in the areas of anxiety, identity, chronic health concerns, relationships, and life transitions. As someone born with a physical disability, I know and respect that some circumstances in life can't be changed. Acceptance is a personal, active and ongoing process, and doesn't mean having to like the cards we're dealt; it means being willing to work with them. I will work with you at your pace, appreciating where you are in your journey, and supporting you at every step.

About Liesa Etheridge