Hi, My name is Lisa Lainer and I am a licensed Clinical Psychologist. I believe that all of us can benefit from having someone to outside of our inner circle to talk to about the issues and stressors that we face. I am here to listen and provide structured feedback to help you find solutions and contentment.
My approach
My clients described my style as warm, active and engaged. I am here to listen, ask clarifying and challenging questions and guide you to finding the answers or solutions that will be right for you. I believe that we are the products of our early years and early experiences and those things help us to understand how and why we think and behave. In my work I also utilize aspects of cognitive behavior therapy and family systems therapy.
My focus
I work with adults and older teens who struggle with anxiety, depression, and issues related to self-worth or self-esteem. Many of my clients come to me with issues related to work or school stress, or major life changes. I have a special passion for working with individuals dealing with parenting concerns and chronic illness adjustment.
My communication style
My clients describe me as warm and friendly and easy to talk to. Feeling comfortable sharing the hard stuff is very important. I am active in our sessions, asking clarifying questions and sometimes challenging your thinking.
My journey to mental healthcare
I saw a therapist as a teenager during the time that my parents were divorcing. Having a place to talk about the struggles I was having, with the divorce in general and with each of my parents, really helped me deal with my feelings directly. Doing that kind of work remained in my head as I grew up and started to explore what I wanted to do professionally. I have always been really interested in other peoples stories and experiences and have a passion for helping people understand themselves better.
My goals for you
In our first couple of sessions we will talk about whether there are specific goals that you are coming to therapy hoping to accomplish. Some people know exactly what they are looking for while others are less sure. As therapy progresses we will ocme back to those goals to see if we are making progress or whether those goals have shifted during the course of our time together.
My first session with you
I don't have a specific agenda for our first session. This will be your chance to tell me what has brought you to therapy. I want to learn about what is going well and not so well for you at this time, and what you hope to get from therapy. Of course, there will be specific pieces of information that I will need to get from you (and I will ask those specific questions) but beginning to form a relationship with one another is the primary goal of our first session.