Therapy When the Problem Isn't Simple

Sometimes you know something needs to change, but figuring out how to change it is the difficult part.

You may be struggling with anxiety that won't quiet down, ADHD that affects more of your life than other people realize, depression that leaves you feeling disconnected or stuck, or past experiences that continue to show up in your present life and relationships.

Or maybe the problem doesn't fit neatly into one category.

I have been a psychotherapist since 1996, and one of the things 30+ years of counseling has taught me is that people rarely fit neatly into diagnostic boxes. Therapy should be individualized to the person sitting in front of me—not the other way around.

Maybe this isn't your first time in therapy.

You may already understand where some of your patterns come from. You've learned coping skills, gained insight, and worked hard to make changes—yet something still feels stuck.

Sometimes the issue isn't a lack of insight or effort. When concerns overlap—such as trauma, ADHD, anxiety, relationships, depression, OCD, or substance use—the bigger picture can be easy to miss. What looks like one problem may actually be connected to others.

With 30 years of experience, I am comfortable working with complexity and looking beyond the most obvious explanation for what's happening.

If previous counseling helped you understand yourself but hasn't created the change you were hoping for, we can look together at what may have been missed, what continues to keep the pattern going, and what might need to be approached differently.

My style is conversational, collaborative, strengths-based, and trauma-informed. I want you to feel comfortable being yourself while we work together toward a life and relationships that feel better to you.

An Experienced, Individualized Approach to Therapy

There is no single therapy approach that works for every person.

Over nearly three decades of practice, I have developed an integrative approach that allows me to draw from different evidence-based and trauma-informed methods depending upon what you need.

My work incorporates:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Brainspotting

• Attachment-based approaches

• Somatic and trauma-informed approaches

• Interpersonal neurobiology

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

• EMDR/Brainspotting

• Gottman Method

• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

• Relational Life Therapy (RLT)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

I am trained in EMDR and offer Brainspotting for clients interested in a trauma-processing approach, a similar equivalent to EMDR. I choose to offer Brainspotting over EMDR based on the feedback from clients that have done both and stated that Brainspotting was more effective and that you can use it as a tool on your own, even after therapy has ended.

The goal isn't to fit you into a particular therapy model. It's to use my experience and training to determine what is most helpful for you.

More Than a Diagnosis

Some of the people I especially enjoy working with have concerns that overlap.

You might have ADHD and anxiety.

Trauma may be affecting your relationships.

Depression may coexist with neurodivergence and anxiety.

Relationship difficulties may have roots in attachment, trauma, intimacy, or experiences from much earlier in life.

You may have even been in therapy before and understand yourself quite well—but still find yourself stuck in the same patterns.

Those complexities are welcome here.

In addition to my primary specialties, I have experience with sex and intimacy concerns, substance-use recovery, religious trauma, parenting concerns, major life transitions, and separation and divorce.

About Me

Lisa M. Lawson, MS, LPA
Licensed Psychological Associate

I began working as a psychotherapist in 1996 in Minnesota and then counseled in Fairbanks, Alaska for a couple. years. Then, after practicing in Washington and Minnesota for the following 4 years, I returned to Alaska in 2006.

For many years, my practice included both adults and children. Today, my counseling practice is exclusively for adults and couples.

I now provide therapy online, which allows me to work with clients throughout Alaska—from larger communities to smaller rural communities. I am available for those living in areas such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Wasilla, Palmer, Kenai, Soldotna, Homer, Kodiak, and Sitka as well as people living in rural communities where finding the right therapist can be more difficult.

All are welcome.

Finding the Right Therapist Matters

Credentials and experience matter, but so does feeling comfortable with your therapist.

Therapy works best when you feel safe enough to be honest—even about things that are difficult to talk about.

My counseling style is conversational and genuine. You don't need to have the right words, know exactly what's wrong, or arrive knowing what you want to work on.

We can figure that out together.

I offer a free 30 minute consultation if you'd like to talk with me first and see whether we might be a good fit.

Insurance & Payment

I accept several insurance plans for individual counseling and offer courtesy billing for many out-of-network plans.

Current in-network/preferred plans include:

Aetna

Blue Cross Blue Shield
Optum / Providence
TriWest
TRICARE / VAAetnaBlue Cross Blue Shield
Optum / Providence
TriWest
TRICARE / VA

Please contact your insurance to verify your specific insurance coverage and benefits.

Online Counseling Throughout Alaska

You don't have to live in Anchorage to have access to an experienced therapist.

I provide secure online counseling to adults and couples throughout Alaska, including:

Anchorage • Fairbanks • Juneau • Wasilla • Palmer • Kenai • Soldotna • Homer • Seward • Sitka • Rural Alaska

Sessions are provided through secure video telehealth, allowing you to attend therapy privately from home or another appropriate location.

Currently accepting new clients

Not sure whether I'm the right therapist for you?