About Risa
Risa Mendelson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Michigan who uses a practical, person-focused approach. She emphasizes working with each person as an individual and looks at mental, physical, and emotional needs together. Risa draws on multiple methods to help people manage stress, anxiety, ADHD, depression, and life transitions.
Risa holds a Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling and Community Inclusion and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a focus on human development.
Background and approach
Her background also includes work as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, which shaped her interest in supporting people with physical challenges alongside emotional concerns. In sessions she blends Client-Centered Therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior therapy skills, and mindfulness practices. She focuses on clear goals like improving time management, boosting self-esteem, and reducing panic or social anxiety.
Risa also supports people coping with grief, trauma, bipolar mood concerns, and addiction-related problems. People who come for help often want tools they can use right away. Risa favors practical steps and skill-building exercises alongside reflective conversation.
Her work with traumatic brain injury and chronic illness informs how she adapts strategies to physical limits and daily routines. She has six years of counseling experience and provides services in English. Risa helps with caregiver stress, feelings of isolation, and challenges that come with major life changes.
For families and relationship concerns she helps individuals talk through dynamics and set clearer personal boundaries.
Therapeutic approaches for online care
Risa uses cognitive-behavioral therapy to help people notice and change thought patterns that fuel anxiety, low mood, or unhelpful habits. CBT often includes homework and clear, practical steps to try between sessions and is useful for stress, panic, and ADHD-related organizational challenges.She also draws on dialectical behavior therapy skills to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT skills can be helpful when strong emotions, relationship conflict, or impulsive behavior make daily life harder. Client-centered methods form the foundation of her work by keeping the person's own goals and experiences at the center of each session.
Finding the right fit is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss preferences, goals, and how symptoms show up day to day, then suggest approaches to try together. Adjustments are made over time based on what helps most.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when helpful. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or a hands-free check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging can suit shorter check-ins, journaling-style work, or people who prefer typed communication. These options make it easier to fit care into work, school, or caregiving schedules.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Isolation / loneliness
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Relationship issues
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Traumatic brain injury
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 6 years
- Licensed
- Michigan
- Languages
- English
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