Alyssa is an Intern in Counseling pursing her M.A. in Clinical Mental Health at Wake Forest University. She also received her B.S. in Environmental Resource Management from Virginia Tech. Her passion is to help her clients to feel seen and understood and to collaborate with them to experience greater healing and wellbeing.
Clinical Focus Areas and Counseling Approach
Alyssa provides in-person counseling at Free Spirit for individuals aged 18 and up. She works with clients seeking support for life transitions, military life, healthy relationship building, self-esteem, as well as depression, anxiety, trauma, grief/loss, and/or PTSD recovery. She tailors her counseling approach from a base of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), combined with elements of person-centered therapy and a strengths-based focus.
Professional Philosophy
According to Alyssa: “I believe therapy is a journey of exploration, with you at the helm and the counselor at your side, supporting you through each twist and turn. Along the way, you can discover new levels of self-awareness, inner strength, and understanding. I am passionate about helping you develop new resilience and confidence to take action and make meaningful change that creates your highest quality life.”
Professional Experience
In addition to Free Spirit, Alyssa currently works as a business manager in a local corporate setting. She serves in mentorship and leadership roles there, and especially enjoys running a women’s personal and professional development group. Prior to her studies, she worked in the sustainability field, with a focus on reducing companies’ environmental impact. From this realm, she brings creative problem solving and inspired big picture perspective into her work with clients.
Fun Facts About Alyssa
- Alyssa loves to read (mostly thrillers and fantasy – but always up for new recommendations!), crochet, try out new recipes, go to the beach, and try to keep houseplants alive.
- She also loves picking blue crabs in the summer and is on a mission to find the world’s best burger!
- She has two cats (Sabrina & Felix) and a dog (Whitman).
- Her favorite colors are just about any shade of green.
- Her favorite musical artists are Brothers Osborne, Chris Stapleton, and Luke Combs.
- The background you see in Alyssa’s photo is from our office “The Shore” here at Free Spirit.
To schedule an appointment with Alyssa, contact her at: alyssa@freespiritonline.org or 757-551-0322.
Alyssa works directly under the supervision of Clinical Director Dr. Jill Nardin; 757-204-1866 and jill@freespiritonline.org.