Strength-Based Therapists in Pittsburgh, PA

It can be overwhelming to grapple with anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, and the countless stressors that come with everyday life. If you're yearning for relief, clarity, and empowerment, I'm here to walk alongside you on your journey. My practice is founded on the principles of compassion, understanding, and respect for your unique experiences and perspectives. Together, we can explore the underlying factors contributing to your distress, develop coping strategies tailored to your needs, and work towards creating positive changes in your life.

I have over two decades of experience working within various community mental health settings helping children, adolescents, adults, and families navigate emotional, behavioral, social, and mental health needs. I create a goal-oriented treatment for those experiencing, but not limited to, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, intrapersonal conflict, relationship and communication issues, childhood trauma, stressful events, life transitions, and parenting needs.

My goal is to collaborate with you in a safe, caring environment to help you grow and develop in ways that are meaningful to you. I will partner with you in a holistic manner and tailor approaches designed to your unique set of circumstances. I particularly welcome past or present members of the military, military families, and anyone associated with military members and their families.

Hello! I am happy to help guide your through the fog we call life. At some point in our lives, we need an extra hand to get through the struggles and to find our purpose again. Let me assist with this journey. During our time together, I want to help you seek your highest potential with styles of person centered approaches with a touch of Cognitive behavior therapy and trauma focused interventions. These approaches will help guide you to meet your full potential and help you feel more at ease when stressors return. You are in the driver's seat. I am here to guide you towards your destination.

Hi! My name is Shelby and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor. I have worked with clients ranging in age from 4-50 in the individual, family, and group settings. I have helped countless clients manage anxiety, depression, anger, suicidal thoughts, and process through various trauma. I have also worked with clients who have bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. I have also helped numerous clients navigate every day stressors related to family, school, work, and life changes. I love animals and am a believer that animals are also great healers and am interested in implementing other alternative forms of healing.

Hi! My name is Julisa. As a Philadelphia native and person of color, I am driven by my desire to provide healthy representation of breaking generational trauma I longed to see available for myself and loved ones during various trials in our lives. I’ve used my wealth of professional and personal experience in community behavioral health and private practice settings to work as a team with people that are trying to create senses of stability, fulfillment and self-understanding in their lives. I aim to get rid of stigmas related to seeking professional help. Everyone deserves access to meaningful ways of healing without being labeled.

Mental health, addiction, and chronic illness all have something in common. They can be debilitating and create cyclical habits that are difficult to break. I work with motivated individuals who are willing to make a change in their lives for the better, examine their past and present experiences and feelings, and work to find healthier ways to cope.

People often seek out therapy because they feel stuck, in their careers, in their relationships, in their lives. I know what that’s like and how overwhelming it can feel. I became a therapist to help people overcome this struggle and get unstuck. I see therapy as a collaborative partnership; one that’s nurtured in a non-judgmental and safe environment. I see my role as a therapist as a relational partner in your process toward positive change.

I believe in using a holistic, strength based approach that builds on your current assets to help you achieve your goals. I work collaboratively with you to focus on individual whole health, which includes identifying your aspirations and emphasizing empowerment and self care. I have experience creating a safe and warm environment in which to incorporate evidenced based interventions and coping strategies to help improve focus and manage anxiety, grief, and depression. I also utilize expressive arts to help identify unique, creative approaches to help you improve the quality of your life.

As someone who is also neurodivergent, I help my clients learn how neurodiversity shows up for them in their spaces. I also support clients with their adoptee journey in whatever that means for them. I often work with clients who are trying to make sense and navigate their complex experiences as an adoptee. Sometimes, this looks like helping clients learn to be authentically themselves even when their childhood/environment require(d) them to assimilate. My work also extends to members of the LGBTQIA+ community in providing validating/ affirming care. I am interested in helping you find your voice even in the discomfort of others.

Take your healing to new heights. Are you seeking a space to explore the “hard stuff”? Have you been struggling to get past survival-mode living? Do you long for a genuine, authentic connection to yourself and others? I work with clients who desire to get to the root of their struggles. Whether you want to overcome your symptoms, process something difficult that has happened to you, or explore cycles and patterns that aren’t serving you, I am here to help.

I have an extensive professional history of working with families and couples in crisis. Many of us struggle in our relationships & find that clear communication is challenging for many reasons. The barriers may include issues with past trauma or failed attempts to find the right words during a conflict. I bring the structural therapy tools to help a family, couple, or individual recognize the triggers of their conflicts, explore past trauma & the impact it may have on the current relationship/situation, help the individual challenge automatic negative assumptions, & find a response which leads to clear communication.

I am a strength based therapist who strives to empower children, adolescents, and adults to live fulfilling and meaningful lives. Over the last 15 years, I have worked with clients on managing depression, anxiety, traumas, life transitions, etc. I have worked with clients in the LGBTQ+ community and assisted navigating though questions about gender identity, expression, and sexual identity. I strive to meet clients where they are by creating a safe space to talk, helping clients to freely express themselves, and process through emotions in an environment that is safe and nonjudgmental.

Give me a break, are you serious? How did I get here? No one understands me, I'm anxious..I'm depressed. How many times have you said these exact words this week? I sure can relate-and if you can, you’re in the right place. Welcome. Self-empowerment, radical acceptance & authentic human connection will be the cornerstone of our work. I utilize a strength-based humanistic approach to guide us...but healing doesn't happen via theory. It lies within you - your hopes, hardships, successes & infinite wisdom. Sometimes we'll laugh. Often, we'll cry. But either way...

I specialize in working with children, teenagers, and families to understand, accept, and overcome challenges related to their mental health. I support my clients and their families by collaborating every step of the way to process emotions, create attainable goals, learn new skills, and improve everyday behaviors and routines across home, school, and community environments.

To my future clients, Hello and Blessings. Thank you for your consideration to begin the process for H.E. R. (Healing Empowering Resilience). Your power to take the initial step and seek therapy, demonstrates that you’re worthy to be connected to a safe, unbiased, and therapeutic environment which will provide you the chance to process your experiences, emotions, and energy to initiate healing. Therapy matters! It’s time to end the stigma and negative perceptions and incorporate healing in all aspects of your life with a therapist that can relate and identify with your core self.

Things may get overwhelming and a person may need to explore ways to manage a particular stressor. Another may desire to work on long-term challenges, emotions, or relationship concerns. Ascend therapists have worked with children, adolescents, adults and the elderly in both medical and therapeutic settings in the Pittsburgh area, over the past 27 years. We utilize a strength-based perspective that recognizes and seeks to ignite the inner strength that each individual possesses. We customize and personalize your services to facilitate an increase in mood, functioning, and well-being; to take you to a higher level.

Everyone has a unique story. Feeling safe and comfortable in therapy to share your thoughts, feelings, and questions is essential to the therapeutic process. I understand that the decision to choose a therapist can be a daunting task and the first step into treatment requires a lot of courage. For the past 20 years I have specialized in working with people who have been impacted by complex trauma and loss. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, distorted self-image, and a sense of disconnect with self, their environment, and others are often the byproducts of trauma that I see my clients experiencing.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor who has expertise in working with children, adolescents, and young adults. I provide individual therapy to those who want to enjoy life and get to know themselves better in the process. Through my experience, I have learned the value of an interactive and collaborative environment to best support my client’s growth and development.