Alisha Cooper , LCMHC

Alisha Cooper, who often goes by "AC," is a licensed professional counselor who chose this work from a deep personal place. Her early experiences with strict religious messages that framed emotional struggle as a lack of faith inspired her to pursue counseling for people of faith who felt judged or misunderstood. She explains her Christian values openly so clients understand her core perspective, while making clear that faith will not be used to blame or shame anyone for their struggles and will only be addressed if the client wishes to do so.

Alisha brings clinical training and a compassionate stance to sessions, helping clients make sense of nervousness about starting therapy and normalizing delayed or gradual change. She emphasizes that progress often unfolds over time - sometimes a new thought or reaction appears after a session rather than during it - and that this delayed insight is a common part of healing. Clients are encouraged to expect moments of frustration as they practice new skills while people around them may not change at the same pace.

Her work also focuses on helping clients reclaim a sense of agency - discovering who they are regardless of external circumstances and practicing flexibility with long-held beliefs that no longer serve them. Alisha uses counseling to address persistent, recurring thoughts she calls "pesky gnats," and she supports people in letting go of comparisons to others. She invites clients to celebrate gains and to step away from counseling when they are ready to "fly." Alisha schedules appointments in Eastern Time and welcomes open, kind conversation about what a client hopes to achieve.

Evidence-Based Techniques and Flexible Online Care

Alisha uses practical, evidence-based techniques that are focused on changing unhelpful patterns and building everyday coping skills. For example, thinking-and-behavior-focused strategies help people identify unhelpful thoughts and test new ways of responding to stress and anxiety, offering concrete tools for managing symptoms and improving mood.

She also incorporates attachment-informed work to address relationship patterns rooted in early experiences, which can be helpful for issues like abandonment, adoption and foster care concerns, and difficulty trusting others. This approach explores how past relationships shape current connections and supports clients in forming healthier bonds.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Alisha works with each client to match techniques to their needs, goals, and personal preferences, adjusting the plan as therapy progresses and as new priorities emerge.

Online therapy with Alisha is designed for flexibility and accessibility - sessions can take place by video call or phone, and shorter interactions are possible through live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, maintain continuity while traveling or living abroad, and access licensed professionals from wherever the client is located.