If you’re a teen (or a parent of one) feeling overwhelmed by today’s pressures — school stress, friendship drama, family tension, and the heavy weight of expectations — you’re not alone. At every age, life brings its own set of pressures, and I’m passionate about helping both teens and adults find ways to cope, heal, and thrive. Whether you’re facing the turbulence of adolescence or the complexities of adulthood, you don’t have to manage it all alone. Therapy can be a place to rediscover your resilience and move toward the life you want

When you work with me, you can expect more than just a place to talk…you’ll find a space where you can truly be yourself, build resilience, and learn real tools to manage the stress life throws your way. Therapy with me is about finding relief from the anxiety that keeps you up at night, the sadness that feels too heavy to carry alone, and the self-doubt that makes every decision feel overwhelming. It’s about helping you step into your own strength, and realizing you don’t have to be perfect to be worthy of peace, joy, and connection.

I’m Alyssa, a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC) in the state of Colorado, and I will soon be a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Illinois (once they finalize my paperwork…fingers crossed for any day now!) specializing in working with adolescents and young adults who are navigating the ups and downs of growing up in a high-pressure world. Having grown up in this community myself, I deeply understand the unique stressors that come with living here — the academic intensity, the social comparison, and the unspoken pressure to have it all figured out.

Therapy with me isn’t about being “perfect”… it’s about being real. I create a space that’s authentic. We’ll have real conversations, honest moments, and build trust. I want my clients to show up exactly as they are: unfiltered, imperfect, and human. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship challenges, or simply feeling stuck, together, we’ll work to identify what’s holding you back and build skills that help you feel more confident, capable, and grounded.

I have spent several years specializing in working with teenagers, and it’s a population I’m deeply passionate about. I believe teenagers deserve a space where they don’t have to perform, explain, or shrink themselves. Helping teens strengthen their autonomy, build resilience, and learn to trust themselves is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.

I blend a person-centered approach with evidence-based practices like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT). Depending on your needs, our work might include building coping strategies for managing anxiety and emotions, developing communication and boundary-setting skills for relationships, or navigating the overwhelming transitions that come with growing up. Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither are you. My goal is always to tailor our work to fit your specific challenges, goals, and dreams.

My clients often describe me as warm, relatable, and easy to talk to. I bring a light, sometimes humorous energy to sessions, because I believe that healing doesn’t have to feel heavy all the time. Sometimes, laughter can be just as powerful as tears when it comes to finding hope and moving forward. Growth is serious work, but it can also be empowering…or dare I say fun?!

Outside of therapy, you can find me spending time with friends and family, cooking, and enjoying time outdoors. We all need things that help to “fill our cup,” and I pride myself on practicing what I teach.

If you (or your teen) are looking for someone who gets it and who can offer real support, practical tools, and a little humor along the way, count me in! I’d love to work with you.