Alia Lawlor
I'm Alia, a therapist with 20 years' experience. I've worked with adults navigating anxiety, depression, religious trauma and other trauma, relationship issues, abuse, emotional issues, religious trauma, and more. I have specialty training in religious trauma.
I've worked with adults navigating anxiety, depression, religious trauma and other trauma, relationship issues, abuse, emotional issues, religious trauma, and more.
My core focus is self-reclamation: facilitating self-love, -forgiveness, and -compassion in every client. Creating a loving relationship with self builds the most resilient foundation for healing and living life. Book a free, 15-minute consultation with me before scheduling an intake session so we are both sure the connection is a good fit!
First session
In our first session or two, we'll be getting to know each other. I will be asking you many questions about your background, your patterns and processes, and what you would like to create for yourself in therapy.
Strengths
My clients describe my strengths as being warm, authentic, humorous, intuitive, with a strong ability to see the unseen. Typically, I'm able pick out the right puzzle pieces to create a coherent picture, which helps clients develop a deeper and more intimate relationship with themselves. I have so much compassion for this "being human" that we're all experiencing, and this deeply informs my work. I've had training in different areas and tend to be eclectic in my approach, drawing from different areas depending on the person and their specific situation. Therapies used: Polyvagal, insight-oriented, cognitive-behavioral, trauma informed (certified), transpersonal, reparenting techniques, meditation and mindfulness therapies. I may also draw from ACT, DBT, and narrative therapies, and energy psychology.
Ideal clients
Adult clients that are 18+, who experience anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, trauma, relationship issues, family issues, religious trauma, mood disorders, emotional dysregulation, adjustment issues, and more. I am gender and LGBTQIA+ affirming. I especially love working with clients who want to cultivate self love, forgiveness and compassion.
Treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Using ACT, I help clients develop a new relationship with their thoughts and emotions. ACT helps us to stay present and recognize how our inner experiences and narratives influence our actions. I also help clients clarify their values and take committed actions toward what matters most, building psychological flexibility to live a meaningful life aligned with their values despite any barriers.
Trauma Informed Care
Trauma-informed therapy is a compassionate approach that acknowledges the impact of past traumatic experiences on your present life. It creates a safe environment where your feelings and experiences are understood and validated. By focusing on understanding how trauma affects thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, this therapy helps you more deeply understand yourself, how your experiences have impacted you, and helps you to rewrite a new story of resilience, empowerment and psychological flexibility.
Polyvagal Therapy
Polyvagal therapy is a holistic approach that focuses on regulating the nervous system to reduce anxiety, stress, and trauma-related symptoms. By understanding the body's responses to stress, this therapy aims to restore a sense of safety and connection. Through techniques such as breathing exercises, mindfulness, and body-awareness practices, polyvagal therapy helps individuals build resilience and establish a stronger mind-body connection, promoting healing and emotional well-being.
Narrative
In narrative therapy, I help clients deconstruct and rewrite the unhelpful schemas they tell about themselves and the world. How we view the world, is how we experience the world. Through exploring how clients view their challenges and identity, I encourage them to see themselves as separate from their struggles. Together, we create new narratives that align with their values, fostering empowerment and a sense of peace in their lives.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
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Serves
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Licensed in
- OhioLicense E.0500299-SUPV