Description
Clerissa Cooper is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapist, Nationally Certified Counselor, and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist who provides individual, group, and family-centered counseling for adults. Clerissa received a B.A. in English Literature, Psychology, and Creative Writing and a M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Mercer University and has provided therapy in private practice, residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient settings.
Clerissa specializes in helping individuals and their families overcome the difficulties associated with mood disorders (e.g., Major Depression and Bipolar), anxiety disorders including Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders, personality disorders (i.e., Borderline, Histrionic, Dependent, Avoidant, and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorders), and issues associated with trauma, anger, and relationships primarily utilizing mindfulness, cognitive, behavioral, interpersonal, exposure, and somatic approaches. Clerissa has received specialized and extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), hypnotherapy, and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). She is currently working toward a certification in Somatic Experiencing (SE), a holistic therapeutic approach for trauma resolution.
Clerissa has past professional experience in the women's health field, which very much informs how she approaches her work with clients. Clerissa values honest and thoughtful communication, which means she communicates in an attentive, supportive, compassionate, empowering, and non-judgmental manner while being authentic, direct, and transparent. She utilizes both validation and humor in therapy to foster connection and to create space for healthy, long-lasting change. She seeks to help her clients deeply accept and understand their own thoughts, emotions, actions, and experiences so they can more effectively navigate their relationships with self and the world.