ABOUT ALLISON:
Ever since I took a class in Advanced Placement Psychology back in high school, I fell in love with the practice of studying and better understanding people. I thought personality was utterly fascinating and I was intrigued by the different types of people that existed in many different situations. That is where my journey started.

My goal with every client is to connect and build rapport so that they feel heard, valued, respected, and accepted. I believe that people are able to best navigate hard life situations and struggles when they are given the freedom to allow themselves to think, feel, and experience their true selves. I see my role as a gentle guide and safe place to explore from.

My Background
I am a Person-Centered, humanistic, intersectional, and trauma-informed therapist. I also incorporate other types of therapy into my work based on the needs of each client, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Gestalt therapy, and Emotion-Focused Therapy. I have worked in several residential treatment facilities with low- to high-income teenagers, younger and older adults struggling with a spectrum of mental health and substance use disorders. Also, I worked as an intern at an outpatient community mental health setting, seeing children, teens, adults, couples, and families with many different areas of focus including, but not limited to, parent-teen conflict, blended families, childhood trauma, parenting styles, mood disorders, self-esteem, academic pressure, bullying, grief/loss, faith and spirituality, and identity formation. In addition to my role at the community agency clinic, I performed school-based counseling with elementary, middle, and high-schoolers and engaged in play therapy, art therapy, and other activities to help them feel safe and empowered to ask for what they need. I have also been trained in trauma-informed care, including basic training in EMDR. More recently, I worked in an outpatient agency setting as an associate with people who experienced housing instability, previous interpersonal partner violence, incarceration, and behavioral addiction. I have always felt privileged to come alongside those who are hurting, confused, lost, or uncertain about the future and help guide them toward healing and connection.

Areas of Focus
I enjoy working with a diverse set of clinical issues as a practitioner. In my journey as a therapist thus far, my primary areas of focus include mood disorders, anxiety, depression, healing from abuse, adjustment, emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, intergenerational issues, perfectionism, self-worth and identity, and communication. Most people tend to have different issues connected, since we are integrated human beings, and I welcome the complexity of that, if it fits for you.

Fun Facts About Allison
I originally started on the research/doctoral track as a student in Clinical Psychology. I later switched over to Counseling. My Dad’s grandparents immigrated to America from Ireland during the Great Potato Famine. I love being in boats on the water, specifically lakes, and I enjoy water sports. I adore puns and witty jokes.