Alisa Lindenbaum

LCAT

I had always been drawn to the healing potential of the creative arts. Even at a very young age, it allowed me to intuitively reflect on painful and challenging experiences and make sense of them in healing ways. My journey to becoming a therapist actually began while working in a non-clinical position at a high school for troubled LGBTQ+ youth- what I noticed was the profound effect that a highly empathic photography teacher had on his students, many of whom were likely to drop out if not for their creative experiences with him that allowed for some important self-discovery and healing. This, along with my passion for supporting others and the positive experience I had working with a therapist of my own, led me to graduate training for creative arts psychotherapy 17 years ago. I feel incredibly grateful to have found my calling, and honored each day to be with others in their pain and joy, a trusted witness to their stories and healing journeys.

The key components in the therapeutic relationship are trust, collaboration, and for the client to feel that they can be themselves and express themselves without judgement, even on their most challenging days. In other words, the therapeutic relationship should be one where the clients always feels that their therapist "has their back".

I've come across many people who have prolonged their suffering and distress due to their fear of being stigmatized about being in therapy, or because they have had a bad experience with therapy in the past. I wish that people knew that going to therapy is not a sign of weakness but rather an act of courage and self love, and that therapy can be just as helpful for high functioning people as it can be for those with a serious mental illness. I would also stress that therapy with the right therapist can feel like a great relief, which is why I encourage people to pay attention to how they feel during and after their first session/s with myself or another therapist, and also convey that they have the freedom to try more than one therapist in order to find the right fit.