Trauma and PTSD therapists & psychiatrists in West Chester, PA

I am curious and validating, providing a nurturing environment to talk openly and honestly about your struggles, strengths, weaknesses, needs, likes, and dislikes. I love helping people explore their unique and particular powers as well as how these powers impact their world and their relationships. As a passionate supporter of those who have been through unjust or otherwise traumatic experiences--including those experiencing discrimination based upon race or gender identity or sexual orientation--I am particularly interested in helping people gain skills for dealing with, and making sense of, the remnants of their pasts.

Having completed Bessel Van der Kolk's Trauma Research Foundation's Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies in early 2025, I have a strong foundational understanding of the most cutting edge approaches to treating trauma. I am also comfortable using a combination of approaches, including Psychodynamic, Gestalt, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I received an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, a psychodynamically focused program, after which I completed Bryn Mawr's certificate program in psychodynamic psychotherapy. I have also completed 1 year of Gestalt Therapy training and the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Immersion Program.

As an LCSW, my training emphasized the role of social environment--from the family to society at large--in how we construct our narratives, enabling me to help you make sense of what in your life is yours to own and what is a product of your environment.

I embrace the philosophy of "meeting people where they are at" when it comes to treatment. Whether it is serious mental illness or "first world problems," the first step is understanding the symptom experiences and environmental/relational factors, building a safe therapeutic environment, and determining what progress in treatment looks like for you. My aim is to empower you, be curious and open-minded about your lived experiences, explore meaningful ways to make changes, utilize non-judgmental approaches to challenge thoughts/narratives that have contributed to the reason(s) for treatment, and/or facilitate better communication with supports. I specialize in working with people who who struggle with communicating their unique symptoms/experiences, making therapy difficult to try or intimidating or as a result have been through the "ringer" of mental health treatment with a variety of potential diagnoses.

Uncomfortable as they may be, emotional struggles often develop for understandable reasons. They reflect what we’ve experienced, how we’ve learned to cope, protect ourselves, and navigate important relationships over time. And while these patterns may have once served an important purpose and still carry valuable information, they can also keep us tied to past experiences in ways that make it difficult to feel fully present, connected, and grounded in ourselves. Therapy can help us better understand these experiences so that we can move forward with greater flexibility, self-understanding, and connection in our lives and relationships.

I work with clients navigating anxiety, interpersonal or family conflict, life transitions, trauma, depression, OCD, and questions related to identity, relationships, and emotional meaning. I also work with individuals who are simply looking for a thoughtful space to reflect, grow, and better understand themselves.

My clinical work has been shaped by training at the University of Pennsylvania, the Institute for Relational Psychoanalysis of Philadelphia, and experience working across multiple levels of care, including residential and intensive treatment settings.

I am a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and licensed Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP). Born in Vietnam and raised in Philadelphia, I bring a culturally informed, compassionate approach to care. I provide evidence-based psychiatric treatment for adults and, for those who desire it, can thoughtfully integrate Christian faith into treatment in a patient-led and respectful manner. You can read more info on impakpsychiatry.com

Welcome! My name is Alyssa and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania. I have 6+ years of experience in the field and specialize in working with adolescents/teens, adults, and elder adults experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, emotion dysregulation, interpersonal issues, substance use and more. I am trained in EMDR, DBT, and CBT but use a variety of different approaches in treatment.