About me

Hi, I’m Liesl. Regardless of what brings you to counseling, my hope is create a space where you can bring your full authentic self. I value a holistic approach and do my best to understand the unique perspectives and experiences you have, intersecting identities you bring into the room, the systems you live in and how all those things show up in a therapeutic space. I believe that by diving deep, connecting with your body, gaining insight and self-awareness, learning tools to navigate distress, and exploring how the past has impacted your present, you can begin to take steps towards growth and healing. I feel honored to sit with clients and be entrusted with their stories and I am often inspired by my clients and the things they share. I view you as the expert of your own life, and I want counseling to feel collaborative and for you to feel empowered in your experience, therefore, openness, communication and feedback are very important to me. I am committed to working with diverse groups of people and aim to celebrate the unique differences that make us human.

The majority of my work with clients’ centers around issues such as childhood trauma, relationship trauma, religious trauma, self-harm behaviors, grief and loss, disordered eating behaviors, life transitions, anxiety and depression. I am passionate about working with individuals who are exploring aspects of their identity, gender, and/or sexual orientation and working with LGBTQIA+ couples. I have significant experience working with people who use substances, so I enjoy working with people in any phase of recovery, whether sobriety or harm reduction is for you. Lastly, as a former collegiate athlete, I love supporting other athletes struggling to manage the pressure and expectations of performance while managing daily stressors.

I don’t believe one therapeutic approach fits all so I like to tailor my approach to meet your needs. I approach every client from a person-centered approach utilizing a strengths-based, trauma-informed, womanist and compassionate lens. I often pull techniques from Acceptance and Commitment theory (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Theory (DBT), Relational Cultural Theory (RCT), Somatic Theory (a body-centered approach) and systems theory which typically involve conversations around mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, self-compassion, connection, attachment, identity, values and more. Additionally, I have specialized training in trauma-informed cognitive behavioral theory (TF-CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), attachment-focused EMDR, and Gottman Couples Theory. If you have any questions about how these theories look in practice, please feel free to ask!

I work with adolescents, young adults, adults, couples and families both virtually and in-person at our Smyrna location. Finding a therapist can be extremely challenging, and the best way to see if I may be a good fit for you is by connecting and scheduling a phone consultation. Contact me so I can answer any questions you may have.

Liesl is supervised by Dr. Katie Lamberson, LPC, CRC, ACS, CMAC. (LPC009782)

Contact

I am currently not accepting new clients, but contact me if you have any questions!

liesl@atltraumatherapy.com