- Hands-on coping skills
- Trauma-informed care
- Focus on LGBTQ issues
About Marissa
Marissa Alvarez is a licensed social worker (LMSW) based in Michigan who helps people manage stress and anxiety, including panic disorder and panic attacks. They speak plainly and aim to make sessions feel steady and practical. People often come for help with trauma, intimacy concerns, ADHD, and issues related to gender and sexual identity.
Marissa favors short-term, skills-focused conversations alongside deeper process work. They describe using Internal Family Systems and Trauma-Focused CBT as helpful ways to understand difficult memories and current reactions. Sessions typically include learning coping skills, practicing grounding strategies, and talking through how past experiences show up today.
With five years of clinical experience, Marissa brings a perspective shaped by intersectional feminist and anti-racist ideas. They also pay attention to how chronic illness, disability, or neurodivergence affects daily life. The goal is to make change feel realistic and manageable rather than overwhelming.
In the early sessions Marissa will focus on immediate concerns and safety, then move toward skills and patterns that matter long term. Conversations often cover attachment, communication, body image, and co-occurring issues like eating or chronic pain. Progress is collaborative and paced to each person's needs.
To begin, readers are asked to use the site Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire. Scheduling follows the therapist's availability, and the subscription used for sessions can be canceled at any time.
How therapeutic approaches guide online care
Internal Family Systems (IFS) views difficult feelings as parts of a person that need understanding and calm attention. Work with IFS often helps people notice inner voices, reduce self-criticism, and build more compassionate self-relating. Trauma-Focused CBT combines learning new skills with careful work on memories and reactions to reduce distress and improve day-to-day functioning. It is often used for anxiety, panic, and trauma-related symptoms.Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals, pace, and comfort level. Sessions are adapted over time, with regular check-ins about what is helping and what to change.
The biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm available session types before booking. Many people find online therapy helpful for fitting care into work or family schedules, reducing travel time, and allowing shorter check-ins when needed. Online sessions can also make it easier to maintain consistency during life changes, while the therapist focuses the work on skills, understanding patterns, and reducing panic and anxiety symptoms.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
Michigan
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does this therapist help with?
Issues include stress, anxiety, panic disorder and panic attacks, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related worries, and ADHD. Additional focus areas include attachment, body image, chronic illness, and gender-related concerns.
What is their therapeutic style like?
The approach is a mix of skills-based work and deeper processing. Sessions aim to teach coping tools while also looking at how past experiences affect current reactions.
How much clinical experience does the therapist have?
The therapist has five years of experience working in clinical settings and with individuals facing anxiety, trauma, and related concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
The clinician holds an LMSW, which is a Licensed Master Social Worker, and practices from Michigan.
In what languages are sessions offered and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with this therapist?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.