Release your inner critic and say hello to a more confident and self-compassionate you
Alyssa McLean, LPCC - Los Angeles Therapist
Virtual Sessions for all of California
Hi there! I’m Alyssa (she/her), and I’m so glad you’re here.
Is your inner voice more critic than cheerleader?
Maybe perfectionism has you feeling frozen, like the only way to get things done is to be super hard on yourself, even though the weight of it all keeps you at an anxious standstill.
Or maybe it's starting to feel like everyone else's opinions hold more weight than your own, leaving you feeling like you're not even living your own life anymore, constantly comparing yourself to others, downplaying your feelings, and saying yes when you really mean no.
Your mind is stuck in a rut and it's getting harder and harder to wade through the muck of self-doubt.
You’re incredibly insightful and smart, and yet you feel like you’re running on empty trying to figure this out on your own…plus, the negative voice in your head is making it harder and harder to believe in all the amazing things about you.
You're wanting to truly connect with yourself, to get to know who you are when you actually believe in yourself and trust your thoughts and feelings, but self-compassion and self-confidence feel just out of reach.
And you’ve gotten so used to dismissing or shaming your feelings that it’s almost like it’s second nature.
If any of this feels relatable…
…you are in the right place.
Therapy isn’t the only way to shift these areas of your life toward something better, but I do know (both as a therapist and a client) how powerful therapy can be when we’re struggling and feeling alone.
Click below to send me a message and request a free 15-minute consultation. I’d love to chat with you and see how I can support this deeply important journey you’re about to embark on!
Do any of these resonate?
“I wish I had higher self-esteem and confidence in myself, but my self-doubt gets in the way.”
“I feel like it’s hard to say ‘no’ to people, because I’m worried they’ll be upset, or I tend to question if my reason for saying ‘no’ is good enough.”
“I compare myself to others a lot and find that I feel like I always come up short.”
“I feel like I second-guess myself a lot, and then other people’s perceptions end up outranking my own.”
“I feel disconnected from who I am and what brings me joy.”
“I’m unsure of my direction and what I want out of life.”
“I’m so hard on myself, even though it’s way easier for me to be compassionate to other people.”
“I rely too much on other people’s approval to feel like my experiences are valid.”
“I have a hard time recognizing my strengths and accomplishments…in fact, it feels super uncomfortable to even try!”
“I feel stuck in a routine and I want to be able to feel like I’m growing and on a path that actually feels fulfilling.”
“Even though I feel like I’ve followed the ‘right steps in life,’ I still don’t feel happy or connected.”
“It’s hard for me to offer myself kindness and I’m not sure why.”
“I tend to be pretty anxious about what other people think about me.”
These are tough things to be feeling! As your therapist, I can offer you a safe and supportive place to land to work through these experiences, get an even better understanding of them, and move toward a way of experiencing yourself and the world around you that better aligns with who you really, truly are.
You deserve to experience confidence, joy, connection, and healing - the world needs your truest, fullest self to take up space, and I’d be honored to be a part of that journey.
FAQs
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I offer individual therapy for adult clients. The therapy I offer is centered on a deep compassion for my clients. I honor your agency and your strengths, and I always see you as your own best authority. I am not a "blank slate" therapist, as I find it useful to be a person in the room rather than upholding an unnecessary feeling of formality and professionalism (with me, you'll be met with connection, humor, and a fair amount of cursing). Through a mix of narrative, client-centered, humanistic, feminist, holistic, strengths-based, somatic, and cognitive tools, I see myself as your guide on your journey to gain greater insights so that you can shift your stories to reflect how you want your life to feel and how you want to shape your identity. The work is unique to each client, but always contains unconditional care, curiosity, and respect. I believe that the therapeutic relationship is the foundation where all of this can take place, and it is my honor to cultivate a space of warmth, safety, compassion, and humanity.
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The short answer is: it depends! Each client is different. What you will bring to the work, as well as if a short-term or longer-term approach feels most supportive to you, is all up to you to determine. I will say that typically, I see clients on a more long-term basis, and I find that as we work on the initial things that bring clients to sessions, more things can pop up that clients want to work on!
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I do not take insurance, and so all of my fees are self-pay. I offer every client a self-selected sliding scale so that the fee structure can best work with your budget and needs. Head to my "Services & Fees" page to learn more!
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I use Simple Practice for everything in my practice! It is a web-based, HIPAA-compliant electronic health record that houses all of your paperwork, appointments, payments, and video sessions. We can also use the messaging in the Simple Practice portal instead of email if you prefer that!
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Great question! First, we can schedule a free 15-minute consultation so that you can make sure that working together feels like a good fit and would meet your needs. This can happen by phone or video call. If after that, you decide you want to move forward with therapy, I would send you your New Client Paperwork to your email - this would allow you to complete everything online via your client portal on Simple Practice. Once you complete all the paperwork and let me know what fee would work for you within the sliding scale I offer, we would schedule our first session!