Lisa Strawn AMFT

Lisa is a therapist who believes that the journey from the head to heart can be a profound one. She understands that learning to feel and connect with emotions can be overwhelming at times, but she sees life as a constant exploration where the destination is unknown, traversing through realms of love, pain, redemption, and healing. Lisa’s greatest joy is often found in relation to others, and she walks alongside her clients as they identify and embody the values they wish to live by.

Approaching therapy from a collaborative perspective, Lisa’s heart and mind are open, living by the core tenets of mindfulness. She aims to help her clients strengthen their sense of self, foster productive relationships with others, and heal from past traumas that may be holding them back from their fullest expression of themselves. Lisa gravitates towards working with adolescents, couples in distress, and families through a family systems lens, understanding that the relationship with self and others are intricately linked.

With adolescents, Lisa focuses on family transitions such as divorce, peer issues, and school challenges. She also has a particular interest in helping children with gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as learning challenges such as ADHD and Dyslexia. Counseling couples in distress is another area of Lisa’s expertise, as she enjoys helping couples navigate conflict and develop a deeper understanding of each other. Family therapy is particularly rewarding for Lisa, as it provides the opportunity for a new level of connection and functioning within the family unit.

Lisa understands that each person and situation is unique, requiring a therapist who can utilize different approaches. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in narrative therapy, mindfulness-based practices, trauma-informed care, and humanistic models. She holds an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist credential, with an MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and a B.S. in Health Science from California State Northridge. Lisa has also received Level 2 Gottman Method Couples Therapy training and is a certified drug and alcohol counselor. She has experience working in an addiction treatment center, conducting group and individual therapy from a trauma-informed lens.

In addition to her current qualifications, Lisa is also in the process of completing an accredited mindfulness/meditation teacher certification program and Dr. Gabor Mate’s program for Compassionate Inquiry, furthering her expertise in providing compassionate and holistic care to her clients. She wholeheartedly welcomes the opportunity to meet and work with individuals, couples, and families on their therapeutic journey.