Lisa is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Art Therapist. She received her training at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven Connecticut, graduating with a dual Masters degree in Clinical Art Therapy and Counseling.
Lisa specializes in the treatment of teens, adults and families from diverse backgrounds, lifestyles, and problems. Her practice utilizes a unique, creative and eclectic approach to dealing with challenges and exposures surrounding people and today's society. Having worked for a reputable mental health organization for 15 years, Lisa has vast knowledge of helpful clinical resources and programs offered throughout the state, including information related to therapeutic foster care and adoption. Working with foster families and people who struggle with separation, disruption and abandonment issues is a passion of Lisa’s. She is trained in evidence-based models designed to effectively treat mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety, as well as, complex psychiatric issues. By examining one's attachment style and using a combination of psychoanalysis and unique psychotherapy approaches, Lisa helps clients gain insight into unconscious behaviors, destructive patterns, motives, defenses, memories and underlying issues that could be hindering personal growth and development. Her methods and style of treatment is known to provide client’s with clarity and understanding in a shorter period of time then traditional therapy. Unfortunately, some people get misdiagnosed and can wind up feeling lost as a result. Lisa’s mapping techniques allow clients to see the full picture and this alone can often provide relief.
TRAUMA and ATTACHMENT:
As a specialist in complex and childhood trauma, Lisa uses methods based in the latest neuroscience research including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Clinical Art Therapy and EFT to name a few. Her passion in this area drives her to spend hundreds of hours studying, and training throughout the year, allowing her to fine tune and identify clear patterns and diagnostics. Relational, Complex and Abandonment trauma symptoms can be elusive and often gets missed. This chronic and highly toxic type of stress occurs as a result of ongoing adversity starting at an early age, which dysregulates a person’s nervous system, causing them to live in an activated threat response (fight, flight, freeze and fawn) through their adult life. Feelings of emptiness, procrastination, chronic digestive issues, self-sabotage, unsatisfied relationships are almost always related to this highly toxic kind of stress. Due to differences in experience, treatment requires a variety of modalities and is tailored to the symptoms and needs of the individual. Using alternative means like art therapy is especially important when treating trauma and shame-based conditions because these methods give access to regions of the brain where memories are stored. Traditional talk therapy is always incorporated in treatment and provides clients with needed relief. However, when working with trauma, where symptoms are buried in the body, talk therapy alone will likely limit progress. Methods like, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is incredibly effective in reducing stress, anxiety, panic and intense emotions that often comes with hidden trauma. Lisa has had excellent results in helping clients quickly stabilize and process their emotions using this technique. Psycho-education and understanding your "attachment style" is an essential component to trauma treatment. Attachment refers to how a person connects and relates to others, as well as, trusts and feels secure. The interesting thing is, many people can grow up in very happy, healthy homes and can still develop a sense of feeling "disconnected" or alone. No matter how independent or stable a person is, humans are born to connect, relate and yearn to find where they belong. A person can understand themselves and their relationships a lot better just by exploring their adult “Attachment Style". The good news is, we actually have the capacity to shift our personal blueprint and can learn to experience healthier, more secure relationships! There are 4 types of attachment (secure, anxious-preoccupied, fearful avoidant and dismissive avoidant). It is possible to present as one attachment style then another depending on who the interactions are with.
THE CHALLENGING PERSONALITY:
Another area of interest and expertise of Lisa is helping people better relate to a loved one or someone in their life who is diagnosed with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality (covert or overt type). Before the term and concept became popular, Lisa has extensively studied the link between Narcissism, sociopathy, attachment trauma and relationships, and has become proficient in this area especially the last 10 years. She is constantly learning and understanding so she can best support and help her clients make sense of their invisible chaos.
Some notable characteristics may include: controlling, difficult to get along with, inflexible, unreasonable, they may talk in circles, tells half-truths, be unrealistic, dramatic, manipulative, sneaky, charming and witty, unstable, needy and self-centered. In extreme cases, the person may dissociate and vacillate between kind and caring to suddenly “switching” towards sociopathic and dangerous. There are still professionals in the community that dispute the concept of “multiple personality“. In Lisa’s personal work, observations and studies, there appears to be a strong link between severe childhood trauma combined with an abandonment past to support this very misunderstood phenomenon. In many cases, levels of dissociation vary from subtle to severe and could easily be missed. This is especially true when the social system is not fully evaluated, interviewed or explored. In these extreme and complex cases, methods like Internal Family Systems (IFS) can be highly effective. Understanding the relationship within these complex profiles and personally witnessing these dynamics for many years, is what led Lisa to getting certified as a Level 1-IFS practitioner.
****Just because a person exhibits the above characteristics and personality traits does not mean they have a personality disorder or other diagnoses mentioned. It is very important to seek support from specialists in this area to avoid misdiagnosis and being placed in further danger. The therapist or professional must be knowledgeable about complex, abandonment trauma and attachment to fully understand these profiles. People involved with someone with these traits, often find themselves in unhealthy, draining and toxic relationships, which most times lead to hidden mental, emotional and psychological trauma. If you are wondering if someone you know may have a personality or dissociative disorder, try understanding the person’s history and “attachment style” first. A person can appear narcissistic when really they may be “dismissive avoidant” in their attachment style. Dismissive avoidant traits should be viewed as a spectrum. Just because someone is dismissive avoidant does not mean they are narcissistic, however, understanding this style may help clarify related questions.
PERSONAL NOTE:
Her personal struggles, cultural influences, raising her own children (now in their 20's), combined with her professional background, has provided Lisa with a realistic perspective into the pressures and complications of life. It is her goal and mission to support her clients so that they can express themselves freely, gain an integrated sense of self, develop healthy relationships and overcome obstacles to make room for happiness and success.
Lisa is first generation in her family. Her parents were born and raised in Marsala, Sicily. She grew up with Italian-speaking parents, younger brother Giuseppe, Nonna and Nonno, Zie and had large family gatherings in her finished basement. She speaks two dialects (Sicilian and Italian) and tries to visit her relatives in Italy every few years. Before starting her career as a therapist, Lisa was a hip-hop dance choreographer, stage/theater prop artist and nail technician. (So if you happen to break a nail during session, don’t worry Lisa has you covered……..kidding!)
Thank you for your interest. Though I am at full capacity, feel free to email me if you have further questions. I may be available for consultation or specific requests. Thank you and enjoy the website.
~ Lisa