Risa Mendelson , LPC

Risa Mendelson is a licensed mental health professional based in Michigan who brings a holistic, rehabilitative perspective to counseling. She holds an MA in Rehabilitation Counseling and Community Inclusion, a master's degree focused on assessing individual needs and designing practical interventions for diverse populations. She also has a BS in Psychology with a concentration in Human Development and is a licensed Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, a credential reflecting hands-on experience supporting people with physical challenges and rehabilitation needs.

With six years of clinical experience, Risa combines training in Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and mindfulness-based work to tailor treatment to each person. Her approach emphasizes collaboration - evaluating mental, physical, and emotional factors to create personalized plans that address stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, mood disorders, addiction, and challenges such as traumatic brain injury or chronic illness.

Risa has worked with diverse populations and draws on her rehabilitation background to support clients living with physical limitations as well as those navigating life transitions, career stress, or caregiver burdens. She aims to empower people through practical coping strategies, skills-building, and thoughtful goal setting, adapting techniques to meet the unique needs and preferences of each individual.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support

Risa integrates Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on empathetic listening and building a collaborative relationship so individuals feel heard and guided toward their own solutions. This approach is helpful for relationship concerns, self-esteem work, and life transitions where a supportive therapeutic alliance is important.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and teach practical skills for managing anxiety, depression, panic, and everyday stress. CBT offers concrete tools for shifting thoughts and behaviors that contribute to emotional distress.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is another method in her practice, teaching emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness skills. DBT can be especially useful for managing intense emotions, anger, and mood instability.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Risa works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their goals, needs, and preferences. She adapts techniques over time to reflect what is most effective for the individual.

Online therapy with Risa is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These remote options make it easier to access consistent support while balancing work, caregiving, health limitations, or geographic constraints, and allow therapists and licensed professionals to tailor sessions to each person's circumstances.