I’m Carissa, an award-winning Licensed Mental Health Counselor, a Certified EMDR Therapist, and a bilingual English-Spanish therapist dedicated to helping people heal. I work with teens and adults who are tired of living with constant anxiety, overwhelming stress, or the lasting effects of trauma. Many of the people I support have experienced painful losses or difficult life events, and together we work to process those experiences, ease PTSD symptoms, and build healthier, more sustainable ways of coping.
If you're exhausted from overthinking, carrying everyone else's burdens, or feeling like you're always in survival mode, you don't have to keep doing it alone. My goal is to help you move beyond simply getting through each day and into a life that feels more peaceful, balanced, and authentic. Using evidence-based approaches like EMDR, ERP, and mindfulness, we'll work together to heal childhood wounds, challenge limiting beliefs, and create lasting emotional freedom—so you can feel more like yourself and truly enjoy your life.
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AM I THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU?
I provide specialized support for:
- Overcoming trauma-related fears or phobias
- Chronic physical symptoms due to stress
- High performers with internalized shame
- Healthcare professionals stuck in survival mode
- Type-A achievers with well-masked anxiety
- Career dissatisfaction and burnout
- People-pleasers who are tired of shrinking
PATIENT POPULATIONS
Children (ages 6-12)
Adolescents (ages 13-18)
Adults (ages 18+)
TREATMENT SPECIALIZATIONS
Trauma
Anxiety
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Depression
Grief & Loss
Anger
SERVICES OFFERED
- 60 minute psychotherapy counseling session
- 90 minute psychotherapy counseling session (out-of-pocket/self pay only)
- EMDR intensive treatment (out-of-pocket/self pay only)
FAITH & SPIRITUALITY INTEGRATION
I believe faith and spirituality are important parts of a person and play an important role in growth and healing. I work from a Judeo-Christian perspective; however, I work with people from a variety of faith backgrounds, as well as those who are agnostic or atheistic. It is always up to you if faith is addressed during counseling or not.
LICENSE & CERTIFICATION
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Indiana & Ohio)
Indiana License #: 39003366A
Ohio License #: E.2202785
Certified EMDR Therapist
EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) Certification #: 193040
GRADUATE-LEVEL EDUCATION
Masters in Science in Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
University of Dayton
Graduate Certificate in Play Therapy
Capella University
TRAUMA TRAININGS
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Basic Training (EMDR)
Personal Transformation Institute, EMDRIA-approved
Flash Technique Training
Dr. Philip Manfield
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Cognitive Processing Therapy
The Medical University of South Carolina
Imaginal Nurturing, Ego States, and Attachment Training
April Steele, MSc BCATR
ANXIETY-RELATED & OCD TRAININGS
Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy for OCD (First-Tier/Gold Standard for OCD Treatment) *
Cognitive Behavioral Institute
BOOKS I LOVE
- The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler
- Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode–and into a Life of Connection and Joy by Aundi Kolber
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
INTRODUCTION TO EMDR THERAPY
“EMDR therapy targets the unprocessed memories that contain the negative emotions, sensations, and beliefs. By activating the brain’s information processing system, the old memories can then be “digested.” Meaning what is useful is learned, what’s useless is discarded, and the memory is now stored in a way that is no longer damaging.”
– Dr. Francine Shapiro, Founder of EMDR
Learn about EMDR therapy in this introductory video by the EMDR International Association.