New to Grow
Hi, I’m Lisa, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Navy veteran, and busy mom who believes therapy can be meaningful without feeling overly clinical or uncomfortable. I especially enjoy working with veterans, helping professionals, caregivers, and people who are used to being “the strong one” for everyone else. Many of my clients are navigating anxiety, grief, relationship challenges, major life transitions, burnout, or difficulty setting boundaries without feeling guilty. They may look like they have everything handled on the outside while privately feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of what they need next. My personality is warm, genuine, and down-to-earth. I bring compassion, humor, honesty, and real conversation into the therapy
The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and determine whether we feel like a good fit. I will invite you to share what brought you to therapy, what has been weighing on you, and what you hope will be different as a result of our work together. You will never be expected to tell your entire life story or discuss anything before you feel ready. We will begin identifying what deserves our attention first and develop an initial direction for therapy that feels realistic and meaningful to you. I may ask questions that help organize what feels confusing or overwhelming, but there is no pressure to have the “right” answers. Most importantly, I hope you leave your first session feeling heard, comfortable, and relieved that you no longer have to sort through everything alone. You should leave with a clearer sense of where we can begin, what our work may look like, and confidence that there is a path forward.
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my ability to see both the person and the bigger picture. I understand that emotional well-being is affected by relationships, family expectations, work demands, finances, identity, health, and the many roles we carry each day. You are never just a diagnosis or a list of symptoms. I am especially skilled at helping clients make connections between what they are feeling, the patterns they have developed, and the experiences that shaped them. I pay attention to what is said, what is left unsaid, and the strengths a person may not recognize in themselves. My style is conversational, practical, and direct, with enough humor to make difficult conversations feel a little less intimidating. Life has taught me that strength and struggle can exist at the same time. A person can be capable, successful, and dependable while also feeling exhausted, uncertain, or ready for something to change. I understand what it means to wear many hats, navigate unexpected chapters, and find your footing when life looks different from what you imagined. I do not believe therapy should be one-size-fits-all. Some sessions may involve deeper reflection, while others may focus on problem-solving, boundaries, communication, or simply having a place to exhale. I meet clients where they are while helping them move toward where they want to be. My goal is for you to leave therapy feeling not only understood, but also more confident in your ability to trust yourself and handle what comes next.
My ideal client is someone who has reached a turning point. They may be adjusting to civilian life after military service, reconsidering a relationship, entering a new phase of parenthood, recovering from a loss, changing careers, or realizing that the life they have built no longer fits the person they are becoming. They may feel torn between what others expect of them and what they genuinely want. Perhaps they are questioning old beliefs, struggling to make an important decision, or feeling restless despite having many things they once worked hard to achieve. They are ready to explore questions such as: Who am I now? What do I actually want? Why do I keep second-guessing myself? What would it look like to choose differently? My clients do not need to arrive feeling fearless or completely ready for change. They only need a willingness to be honest about what is working, what is not, and what they would like their lives to become. They view therapy as an active partnership rather than a place where someone else gives them all the answers. They want room to talk openly, sort through competing emotions, and make choices that reflect their own values. Ultimately, they want to feel less like they are merely getting through life and more like they are actively participating in it with clarity, confidence, and a stronger sense of ownership over what comes next.
I use an attachment-based approach to help clients understand how their early relationships and past experiences may influence the way they connect with others today. Together, we explore recurring relationship dynamics, emotional needs, fears of rejection or abandonment, difficulty trusting, and tendencies such as withdrawing, people-pleasing, overfunctioning, or seeking repeated reassurance. The goal is to approach these responses with curiosity and recognize that many began as ways of creating safety or maintaining connection. Once we understand where these patterns come from, we can begin choosing responses that better reflect our present needs and values. In practice, I help clients identify emotional triggers, communicate their needs more clearly, establish healthier expectations, and develop a stronger sense of security within themselves. Ultimately, attachment-based therapy can help build healthier relationships without abandoning ourselves to maintain connection. The goal is greater self-awareness, emotional security, and the ability to participate in relationships that feel mutual, safe, and fulfilling.