01 · Who Lisa works with

Lisa works with stress, Anxiety, relationship issues and family conflicts

Lisa lists 17 specialisms and 54 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Lisa chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Lisa's own words

What Lisa says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

As a licensed therapist in Illinois, I bring 15 years of compassionate clinical experience supporting individuals through complex life transitions and emotional challenges. My approach centers on creating a supportive, non-judgmental space where clients can explore their deepest concerns and develop meaningful strategies for personal growth.

I specialize in addressing a wide range of emotional experiences, including PTSD, stress, anxiety, relationship dynamics, grief, and personal identity challenges. My therapeutic work focuses on helping individuals navigate complex feelings, improve communication, and cultivate self-understanding across various life stages.

My practice is deeply committed to supporting clients through diverse experiences-from workplace stress and family conflicts to personal growth and healing from past traumas. I offer a warm, empathetic approach that honors each person's unique journey, helping them build resilience, self-compassion, and practical coping skills.

I am dedicated to creating an inclusive, affirming therapeutic environment that respects individual experiences and supports holistic emotional wellness. My goal is to walk alongside you as you discover your inner strength and create meaningful, positive change in your life.

Lisa Whittingham, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Lisa works

The 5 approaches Lisa lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Lisa lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Lisa's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Lisa runs a session.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Dialectical Behaviour TherapyDBT

A structured skills-led adaptation of CBT built around holding two things at once: accepting yourself as you are and working to change. Teaches concrete skills for distress tolerance, emotion regulation and relationships. Developed for people whose feelings arrive at overwhelming intensity, and strongest-evidenced there.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and ReprocessingEMDR

A structured trauma protocol in which you hold a distressing memory in mind while following a repeated side-to-side cue. The mechanism is still debated; the outcome data in post-traumatic stress is strong enough that it appears in national treatment guidelines.

Mindfulness-Based TherapyMBCT

Trains attention on what is happening right now - body, breath, the thought as it arrives - so distress can be observed rather than automatically acted on. Strongest evidence is in preventing depression from recurring, and it is usually taught as a practice you keep doing outside the session.

Trauma-Focused TherapyTF-CBT · trauma-informed

CBT adapted for people whose difficulty is rooted in a frightening or overwhelming event. Pacing is the point: safety and stabilisation come first, the memory itself is approached gradually and only when you are ready, and the aim is that recalling it stops hijacking the present.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Lisa practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Lisa's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Lisa at this point.

2. Naming Lisa specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Lisa is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Lisa.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

4 questions worth asking Lisa

Built from what Lisa actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Lisa's - Lisa has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 15 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

• “You offer sessions in English and Italian. Does the work change depending on which we use?”

  People often reach different material in a first language than in a second. Worth naming before you choose.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCPC

Licensed in

Illinois

Licence

IL LCPC 180.002937

Licence number

180.002937

Licence expires

31 Mar 2027

NPI

1053566422

Years in practice

15

Gender

Female

Languages

English, Italian

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Lisa's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Lisa. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.