Alyssa Thompson-Tolosa

Hi! My name is Alyssa Thompson Tolosa. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who is passionate about tapping into the wisdom of the body and the power of the mind to help you heal your inner child and manifest your deepest desires.

My approach

My approach integrates Somatic techniques that help to process, release, and regulate emotional energy that is stored in the body, and Cognitive techniques that provide you with tools and strategies to change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns.

My focus

I typically work with people struggling with people pleasing, setting boundaries, anxiety about the uncertain future, low self-worth, and poor communication. They are often emotionally reactive or might indulge in one of their vices to avoid uncomfortable emotions. It's common that my clients have a history of relational trauma, where one or both parents were physically and/or emotionally unavailable leaving them with an underlying fear of abandonment and an unshakable feeling of not being good enough.

My communication style

My communication style is inquisitive, empathetic, and approachable. I listen attentively and summarize what I've heard so that both my client and I can gain more clarity. I ask probing questions that go beyond the surface and welcome client feedback. Clients have told me that my questions help them to think about things from a different perspective, giving them deeper insights and helping them to shift their mindset, the emotional impact, and their behaviors.

My journey to mental healthcare

When I was in undergraduate school, I spent quite a bit of hopping from one major to the next. First, it was nutrition, then nursing, dance, then business. I took a Sociology class that required me to volunteer 10 hours with a local non-profit. I felt so deeply connected to the mission of this organization, that I continued to volunteer beyond the 10 hours. Before I knew it, I was hired to provide individual and group counseling to the young ladies in the local juvenile detention center. This was my first experience guiding and nurturing people in this way and I absolutely loved it. I walked out of that job and into my Master of Social Welfare program knowing that I had found my purpose and ready to serve others along their journey. The ups and downs of my own journey had unknowingly primed me for this profession. I am a natural listener and observer. I see people through the eyes of empathy and acceptance and have a deep desire to help people heal.

My goals for you

Goal setting is done, collaboratively, within the first few sessions and can change as our work and relationship change.

My first session with you

I consider the first session, the intake session, where I ask you a million and one questions about your journey. Although it is conversational and fluid, I understand if the questions feel overwhelming or if you're not ready to share a certain part of yourself. We can always pause or revisit a question at a later time. The purpose of the "intake session" is for me to gather background information to help provide context to the challenges that have brought you to therapy.