Alisha Padilla

Therapy doesn’t have to feel stiff, clinical, or like you need to have the “right” words.

Maybe you’re overwhelmed, stuck in the same patterns, carrying things from your past that keep showing up in the present, or simply thinking, I cannot keep doing life like this. You don’t have to have it all figured out before you come to therapy. That’s kind of the point.

For more than 10 years, I’ve worked with people navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, addiction, low self-worth, major life transitions, and experiences with incarceration. I’ve learned that meaningful change often starts with having a space where you can be fully human—messy parts included.

My style is warm, collaborative, and direct. I’ll support you, but I’m also not the therapist who is going to nod for 50 minutes and send you on your way with a “see you next week.” We’ll get curious about the patterns keeping you stuck, make sense of where they came from, and figure out what you actually want your life to look and feel like moving forward.

There’s room here for hard conversations, humor, frustration, awkwardness, growth, and the occasional “wait...why do I do that?” moment.

You don’t need to become a completely different person. The goal is to understand yourself better, treat yourself with a little more compassion, and build a life that feels more like yours.

My approach to therapy is client-centered, trauma-informed, and tailored to you—because therapy is definitely not a one-size-fits-all situation.

I’m certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence-based approach that can help you process experiences that still seem to have a way of showing up in the present (even when you really wish they wouldn’t). We may use EMDR to address trauma, anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship patterns, or those deeply rooted beliefs about yourself that you know aren’t helpful but can’t seem to shake.

And while feeling better matters, I want our work to go beyond simply putting out fires. We’ll get curious about the why behind your patterns, build on the strengths you already have, and work toward changes that actually stick. You can expect support and compassion from me, but also honesty, gentle challenges, and the occasional “Okay...let’s talk about that” moment.

I also have specialized training in perinatal mental health and support clients through the many complicated, emotional, and sometimes downright unfair parts of the reproductive journey—including preconception, infertility, pregnancy, pregnancy and infant loss, postpartum adjustment, and other reproductive mental health concerns.

There is no gold star for healing the fastest. We’ll move at a pace that feels manageable for you while building the insight, tools, and confidence to help you feel more grounded, connected, and like yourself again.

First sessions can feel a little awkward. You’re meeting a new person and somehow expected to explain your entire life story in 50-ish minutes? No pressure. 😅

The good news: you don’t need to show up knowing exactly what to say, where to start, or even what your therapy goals are. That’s something we can figure out together.

Our first session is really about getting to know each other. I’ll ask questions about what’s bringing you to therapy, what life has been like lately, and what you’d like to be different. You can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable sharing. There’s no expectation to unpack everything on day one.

Most importantly, we’ll start figuring out what you need from therapy and whether I feel like the right fit to help you get there. We’ll talk about what our work together could look like and create a plan that feels realistic, supportive, and manageable.

You bring yourself. I’ll bring the questions. We’ll figure out the rest together.