About lissa
As a therapist, I believe that all people deserve a safe space to be themselves, share their true feelings and get assistance making changes in their lives. I truly believe you deserve therapy. You are the best expert on yourself and your life, and my role is to be a new and impartial source of support for you. I’ve spent over fifteen years working with children, teens, young adults, adults and their families in various settings, and more than anything I’ve learned that as a therapist I am flexible to deliver to what you need. There is no “one size fits all” in my book, and we’ll collaborate to design how to best use our time working together.
My approach to providing therapy is best described as collaborative and dynamic, in that I am well-versed in several theoretical backgrounds, and will select those that best fit the needs and desires of my client at the time. I recently completed a 6-month Online Learning Circle with the IFS Institute, and am now proud to be an IFS-informed clinician. I earned the Level I Trauma Certification from The Ferentz Institute 2017, and provide trauma-informed care. I tend to incorporate IFS (Internal Family Systems), psychodynamic and developmental perspectives, as well as cognitive-behavioral techniques and mindfulness exercises as appropriate.
I have significant interest and experience in the following areas:
- Gender Identity (including gender non-conformity, non-binary identities, transgender issues, genderqueer identity and gender fluidity in general)
- Sexual Identity (inner acknowledgment, coming out, life circumstances and environmental impact)
- Generalized Anxiety
- Depression
- Grief and Loss (either recent or long ago; this includes people no longer in your life as well as animals. It also includes the loss of significant relationships, career, identity and more)
- Relationship Difficulties
I have had a range of clinical experiences; while I have been in full-time private practice for many years now, I previously worked with residents in a retirement setting, a college counseling center and several educational environments serving children and young adults ages 3-23.
I received my Masters of Social Work from The Catholic University of America, and prior to that I received a Bachelors of Art degree from Smith College.
I hold a LCSW-C (Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical) in the State of Maryland (#17898) and LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker) in the District of Columbia (#LC50078920).
My pronouns are she/her/hers.