Hi! I am a married cisgender woman, and my husband and I have a 15 year old son. I'm originally from St. Louis, Missouri but I have lived in Florida for 34 years and it's my home. I think of myself as a girl-next-door therapist. New clients often tell me I'm easy to talk to. I like to use humor whenever possible. My approach is gentle and humble. I'll never go beyond your comfort level of discussion. My office is where you can spew your thoughts, cry and talk about yourself. I became a master's level social worker at 32, and my life experience prior to that enabled my ability to understand different types of people and what motivates them. I've been in this field for 15 years and I have worked in foster care, hospice, medical settings and outpatient settings.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
If you are seeing me in-person, I will greet you in the waiting room by asking if you are here for Lisa in order to protect your privacy and I'll bring you to my office. From this point, the virtual or in-person experience is the same. I will review the forms you completed. Usually during the first session my clients start talking about the issues that brought them to therapy. We will review paperwork and set some goals to help make you feel better more quickly. I am open-minded and non-judgmental. I treat people of all gender identities, races, religious affiliation or non-affiliation.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I make people feel comfortable quickly, I am patient with my clients and I want them to get better as soon as possible. I welcome feedback about the direction therapy is going, feelings of doubt about therapy, topics you do or don't want to discuss and even feeling like our personalities are not a good mix. I want clients to feel comfortable bringing up these topics, and I welcome them. I don't want to waste your money and time. From time to time in this field, clients and therapists aren't always right for each other. You can talk to me about that, and if I'm able, I will try to help you find someone else who might be a good fit. I want my clients to feel better, even if I'm not the person who can do that.
About Lisa Bentivenga
Specializes in
Licensed in
Accepts
Address
4913 Van Dyke Road, Lutz, FL, USA, Counseling Center of Tampa BayAppointments
Virtual & in-personMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I have used cognitive behavioral therapy for 12 years. I will use it to help point out themes in your thought processes and relationships that are what I like to call "the lies your brain tells you". This is helpful for improving your self esteem, the way you feel about how you are perceived by others, insertion of boundaries in your relationships as well as your functioning in relationships. By the 2nd or 3rd session you could expect at least one "AH-HA" moment, big or small, that explains emotions you may not understand, including how you feel about yourself.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a therapeutic technique I've used for about 2 years. It was developed to treat people with trauma, and it is very helpful for trauma but it is applicable to a lot of other issues including deep seated, harmful beliefs about yourself, (potentially related to trauma) grief and loss, depression and anxiety.
Grief Therapy
Grief is not always related to the actual death of a human. It can include the loss of someone you loved, a pet, an occupation you can no longer do because because of an accident or injury, people who become so disabled that they can no longer work, parents with an empty nest, caregivers for someone who has had a significant illness or injury to a point where that loved one is going to die or will never again be who they were before, and more. You will get the support you need as you go through the steps of grief and I will also provide helpful feedback about self care, things you can do to seek more closure and provide encouragement.
Trauma Informed Care
I understand the various ways trauma can affect relationships, mental health, medical health, parenting and other aspects of your life. Using Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I can help you feel less and less affected by what happened to you within 4 to 8 weeks. My approach is gentle and we go at the pace you would like. This depends on several factors but my goal is always to help you feel better as soon as possible.