Description
Hi, I’m Marisa, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and the owner of Restorative Oasis Counseling & Wellness.
If you’re here, you’re probably tired of being the strong one. The dependable one. The one who keeps everything moving at work, in your family, and in your relationships, even when you’re running on empty. You’ve likely gotten used to pushing your own feelings aside just to get through the day. Compartmentalizing, staying busy, or powering through may have become second nature, especially when slowing down never really felt like an option.
As Black women, strength is something many of us learn early. It shows up in how we carry responsibility, how we show up for others, and how we keep going, even when we’re overwhelmed. In a lot of families, emotions are not always talked through openly. Vulnerability is not always modeled in a way that feels accessible, and at times, things are pushed aside just to keep moving forward.
Over time, that shapes how you relate to yourself. You may find it difficult to slow down, to name what you’re feeling, or to recognize when you need support. That same strength that has carried you can also make it harder to see when you’re exhausted, disconnected, or carrying more than you were ever meant to hold on your own.
At some point, those patterns start to show up differently. What has been pushed down doesn’t just disappear. It shows up in your body, your relationships, your sense of self, or in a level of burnout that rest alone does not fix. You may find yourself wondering why things still feel off when, on paper, everything looks fine.
I work with high-functioning women who are ready to move beyond emotional autopilot. Many of my clients are already aware. They understand their patterns, they’ve done the reading, they’ve tried to work through things on their own or in therapy before. The challenge is that insight alone has not shifted the deeper cycle.
My work is grounded in Schema Therapy. Together, we look at the patterns that developed over time and how they continue to shape how you show up today. This includes the generational patterns that were normalized, like suppressing emotions, over-functioning, or feeling responsible for holding everything together. The goal is not just to understand these patterns, but to begin shifting them in a way that feels realistic and sustainable.
I integrate this with ACT, CBT, somatic work, and mindfulness to help you better understand your nervous system, recognize when you are operating from habit versus intention, and begin creating new ways of responding to yourself and your environment.
My approach is warm, direct, and collaborative. I show up as a real person, and I value therapy that feels grounded, thoughtful, and honest. Our work will focus on helping you understand what you’ve been carrying, how it developed, and how to begin responding differently without losing the parts of you that have helped you survive.
Schedule your free consultation at my website link. I look forward to learning more about your unique journey and how I can support you.
