Serenity Solutions offers in-person and virtual therapy options in PA and NJ.

Marlaina Stuve, M.Ed.

(she/her)

Life can be really stressful. Between relationships, work, parenting, and the added stressors related to the pandemic, it can be hard to cope. Maybe you’ve tried different things to manage how you are feeling, but they’re not working. Or maybe you have ideas of what will help, but you can’t find the time to commit to these things. You just don’t feel better. I understand and I’m here to help. As a  partner, employee, and someone who has struggled with self-esteem issues, I have learned how to sit with the discomfort of working through many emotions and challenging myself in difficult situations in order to live a life that I enjoy.

Hi, I am Marlaina Stuve, Outpatient Therapist at Serenity Solutions in Philadelphia. I will help you identify behavior patterns that are getting in the way of you living the life you want. We will identify your unmet needs and explore ways to help get those needs met. With this self-awareness, we can work together on actionable steps to make positive change, helping you live a meaningful life, where anxiety, anger, or addictive behaviors don’t get in the way anymore.

 

What specific modalities do you practice? 

My work with clients is informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). These behavioral therapies help people make positive changes in the moment, when thoughts and feelings can overwhelm them. 

 

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

I LOVE to read. I also really enjoy watching reality television, hiking, playing with my cats, and scrapbooking.

 

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

I am passionate about learning more about anything and everything! Related to my job as a therapist, I want to learn more about trauma, generational trauma, and healing from dysfunctional families. I also want to learn more about Internal Family Systems (IFS) and other emotion-focused therapies that can help promote change alongside solution-focused modalities.

I am extremely passionate about accessibility to mental health care, and intersections between class, race, gender, and sexuality. I am very active in social justice causes, such as women & fem-identified issues, intersectional feminism, and the practice of anti-racism. Recently I have taken an interest in learning more about Spirituality and high-demand faith deconstruction.

What is your go-to creative or restorative outlet? 

A good nap or journaling helps me rejuvenate when life starts to feel overwhelming.  

 

What do you like about being a therapist? 

I love connecting with people, helping folks to learn more about themselves, and how to lead a more fulfilling and intentional life.

Credentials:

  • BA in Psychology from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts

  • Masters in Counseling Psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA

Memberships:

  • American Counseling Association (ACA) member since 2021
  • Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ) branch
  • International Association for Resilience and Trauma Counseling (IARTC) member since 2021

Trainings:

  • 988: Suicide and Crisis Line: An Introduction training by John P. Duggan, EdD and James Wright LPC
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Cultural Considerations by John P. Duggan, EdD and Preston Mitchum, ESQ, LLM

Contact Us:

If you’ve been struggling with anxiety, anger, postpartum anxiety, or addictions and you want to love the life you live, give us a call at 267-317-8817 or schedule your free phone consultation here to start on your journey to living the life you want. We look forward to hearing from you.