Alisa Kamis-Brinda, LCSW, LCADC

(she/her)

You’ve been struggling for a long time and you are tired of feeling this way. You want to feel better but don’t feel hopeful that anything will help. I understand what that feels like and I can help. Stress leads to feelings of anxiety and overwhelm and sometimes, anger, too. I hear you-you’re ready for some peace and serenity. How do I know? Because I’ve been there. As a therapist in Philadelphia and South Jersey for 20 years, I’ve helped many people learn how to cope with the stress that comes from work, relationships, and parenting. As a professional, parent, wife, daughter, sister, and friend, I’ve had to find ways to manage this stress, as well.

Hi! My name is Alisa Kamis-Brinda. I provide therapy to adults struggling with anxiety and stress management, anger management, postpartum anxiety and depression, and addictions. I help you learn how to slow down anxious and angry thoughts so that you can be in the present moment, relax and enjoy life. In addition to compassionate listening and providing feedback, I teach proven techniques so that you can live a life that feels more meaningful. I am determined to help you learn new ways of relating to uncomfortable thoughts and feelings so that they don’t control your life.

What specific modalities do you practice?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and mindfulness inform my work with clients. I have received extensive training in these practices over the years and have had the opportunity to hone my skills with each client I work with. However, at the core of good therapy, is developing rapport with each client, listening for what they need, and individualizing treatment accordingly.

What do you like to do when you are not working? What do you do for fun?

Being a working mom requires finding balance and intentionally making time for the things I love. I love to cook, scanning the internet for new recipes to try. Reading memoirs and fiction with great character development is an extension of what I love about my job, getting to know people through their stories. In my free time, I take long walks and spend time with my husband, child, cat, and dog.

What are you excited about? What is your passion? What do you want to learn more about?

I am passionate about helping people struggling with anger and anxiety find ways to cope with these emotions so that they don’t have a negative impact on their relationships. With this in mind, I want to learn more about couples therapy and trauma. With a high percentage of people struggling with anger management having problems in their relationships, learning tools from couples therapy would be an added benefit to these folks. Additionally, many of our clients experiencing anger and anxiety have experienced some type of trauma, impacting their ability to cope with these difficult emotions.

What is your go-to creative or restorative outlet?

Scrapbooking and other crafts are my way to decompress and be fully in the moment. Yoga or a good nap help to restore me when I am feeling close to burnout.

What do you like about being a therapist?

There are so many things I love about being a therapist. I love getting to know new people and learning their stories. I love the challenge of figuring out the best next steps for each individual person, knowing that what works best for one person might not work for someone else. I love seeing the progress that people make when they make the commitment to understand what is getting in the way of living a meaningful life and then make the changes to help them achieve their goals.

Credentials:

BA in Psychology at Binghamton University in Binghamton, NY
Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) from Widener University in Chester, PA
LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) in Pennsylvania and New Jersey
LCADC (Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor) in New Jersey
NASW-approved Clinical Supervisor in Pennsylvania

Memberships:

Secretary/Treasurer for the Pennsylvania Association for Contextual Behavioral Science 2018-2019
Postpartum Support International (PSI) professional member since 2015
Association For Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) professional member since 2010
National Association of Social Workers (NASW) member since 2000
Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work (PSCSW) member since 2011

Selected Trainings:

NCADD National Intervention Network Interventionist by the Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania-2010
ACT Founders Bootcamp with Steven Hayes, Kelly Wilson, Kirk Stroshal, Patricia Robinson, Dennis Tirch, James Herbert and Evan Forman-2014
Post-graduate training program, Fundamentals of Postpartum Depression: Assessment, Treatment & Advanced Clinical Practice with Karen Kleiman-2015
Postpartum Support International’s Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training-2015

Contact Us:

If you are a person who has been struggling with anxiety, anger, or addictions and you’d like to start living a life that feels meaningful to you, call 267-317-8817 or click here to schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation to start on your path to getting your life back.