Alyssa Biestek, LMFT

CBT is one of my favorite models of therapy to use because it incorporates practice opportunities for clients both in session and outside of session. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works to help each of us shift our thoughts, which in turn helps us feel different and also change our behaviors. Although CBT may be considered a straightforward intervention, I love to get creative with it so clients feel their treatment and practice opportunities are unique to them.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy can be extremely beneficial in treatment for many people. I have 3 years of immersive experience in DBT, including participating in skills group for 6 months and helping facilitate skills group. My DBT approach is delivered by using validation and acceptance of current circumstances with gentle challenging for change. If you choose to do DBT therapy with me, we will have more structured sessions to learn appropriate skills and will also use various tools to help you track your moods and behaviors.

Initiating services can be difficult, and I am here for you. Therapy is not a one size fits all service, so I encourage you to get to know me to gauge if I'd be a good fit for you. My personal belief is that the therapeutic relationship is the catalyst for change and growth. This means I get to know you, and not just you and the issues you are struggling with, but you as a person. I look forward to building a working relationship based on genuine care and support.

As a therapist, it is important for all clients to feel comfortable and safe in their therapeutic journey. I bring a combination of support, validation, humor, and flexibility into each session I have with a client. You'll get to see authentically who I am (with appropriate boundaries, of course), and many former clients have felt that my ability to genuinely connect with them has been a huge driving force to the changes made in therapy. We'll talk about your interests, your pets, your hobbies, and more!

Typical sessions with me are a balance of client centered and structured, however each individual will require some different and unique to them. Sessions with me are flexible, so one week we may do a lot of talk therapy and processing feelings, while another week we may incorporate activities like building sand trays or using art. Sessions with kids and teenagers are often focused on their areas of interest and I use metaphors to help clients learn therapeutic skills to work through whatever they may be struggling with.

Child and adolescent therapy is my passion! Working with this population throughout the years has given me so much joy and I love being part of their journeys with issues such as anxiety, depression, behavioral concerns, self-esteem, and family struggles. Sessions with my younger clients can include play therapy (depending on age), and will always be focused on the child or teen, which means providing them a safe space to express their thoughts and emotions. Part of my work with this population also includes working with parents/guardians, schools, other providers, and anyone else who is important in a child's life.