My Approach to Helping

Welcome! I'm Clarissa (shehers). I’m so glad you are exploring options for support. It can feel intimidating to reach out for the first time, or to find a new therapist and I’d like to make it as comfortable as possible. Therapy can be hard work but it can also be fun, life-changing and validating. Therapy is for anybody and everybody! Since it’s a collaborative process, let me share a bit about myself and why I love this work. I provide individual therapy for children, teens and adults and I consider it an honor to be part of each client’s journey. Getting to know the experiences and beliefs that shape your life is a privilege. Helping clients discover more self-acceptance, increased self-worth, and improved relationships is awesome! Therapy is a place where it is safe to show up just as you are – all parts are welcome.

My undergraduate work focused on Psychology and Social Change and in 2015 I received my Masters of Social Work from Rutgers University. For over 15 years, I have enjoyed working with a wonderfully diverse range of clients, including families experiencing homelessness, children who have experienced abuse and neglect, adults impacted by severe mental illness, new parents, and children and teens who are engaging in high-risk behaviors. Having worked in multiple settings with people of all ages and experiences, I came to see that our deepest wounds are similar. We fear we are unlovable, unworthy or broken; that if people saw us for who we really are, they would not want to be with us. Getting to know these fears in a safe therapeutic environment can help heal them. My commitment to ongoing education includes interest and specialized training in trauma, LGBQIA+ and Trans-affirming practices, neurodiversity, and Internal Family Systems. Providing safe, inclusive, culturally-sensitive services is always my goal. If I am not the right fit for you or your child, I will provide the names of other therapists.