Cara Swisher

Great to meet you! I'm Cara, and I work with children, adolescents, and young adults navigating anxiety, life transitions, and depression. I especially love helping kids and teens who are dealing with anxiety, self-esteem struggles, and big emotions that are hard to manage. I also support clients with ADHD, adoption, behavioral issues, body image, coping skills, parenting, peer relationships, LGBTQ+ concerns, self-harm, spirituality, stress, and women's issues.

I've spent 8 years working with children and teens in school-based mental health, foster care treatment, and child advocacy. Maybe you're a parent whose child is feeling overwhelmed at school, a teen trying to figure out who you are, or a young adult feeling stuck in a big change. Wherever you are, I'll meet you there.

I'm warm, approachable, and down-to-earth. I believe every person who walks into my office is worthy of love, respect, and kindness. My office is a safe place to be your authentic self, talk openly about what's going on, and be met with compassion, curiosity, and no judgment.

I use CBT, DBT, mindfulness, person-centered, and solution-focused approaches to create a therapy experience that's unique to you. With kids, I use play, creativity, and age-appropriate activities so they feel comfortable expressing themselves and understanding their emotions. With teens and young adults, we'll use conversation, reflection, and practical strategies to explore patterns and build skills that feel manageable.

My hope is to help you gain greater awareness and acceptance of yourself, set healthy boundaries, practice self-care, and move through past and current struggles. We'll build on your strengths and keep adjusting our approach based on what works best for you.

Our first session is about getting to know each other. We'll talk about what you've been experiencing, what you'd like support with, and what you hope to gain. I may ask about relationships, family, school or work, and your support systems so I can understand the bigger picture. There's no pressure to have it all figured out or to share more than you're comfortable with.

For children and teens, the first session may include time with a parent or caregiver, while also giving the young person space to start building their own relationship with me. You've taken the first step by looking for a therapist, and you should be proud of that. It would be my privilege to walk beside you.