Hello! I'm Marissa. It's nice to meet you.

I'm a clinical mental health therapist in Ankeny, Iowa, and I truly love what I do. I earned both my bachelor's degree in psychology and my Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Drake University—and yes, I loved it so much I stayed for both.

I've been working in the mental health field since 2015, starting within the juvenile delinquent system, where I worked with both offenders and victims of violence. I trained as a Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Trainer through GEMS in New York and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. That work shaped me deeply, and while my focus has since evolved, it instilled in me a profound respect for every person's capacity to heal—no matter what they've been through.

Today, I specialize in walking alongside people through some of life's heaviest moments:

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – using Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) to help quiet the noise and break the cycle of unwanted thoughts and compulsions.

• Traumatic Events – supporting survivors of sexual trauma and abuse in reclaiming their sense of safety and self.

• Grief and Loss – holding space for the pain of losing a loved one, infertility struggles, and all the quiet losses that often go unrecognized.

• Perinatal Mental Health – walking with you through pregnancy, postpartum depression and anxiety, and perinatal loss.

• Religious Trauma – helping you untangle complex feelings around faith, belief, and spiritual harm.

• Depression and Anxiety – offering real, practical support for the weight that keeps you stuck.

My approach is grounded in evidence-based therapies like EMDR, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Narrative Theory. But more than any technique, I bring me—warm, honest, and a little bit funny when you need it most.

I believe healing happens best in a space where you feel truly seen, never judged, and free to show up exactly as you are. Together, we'll explore, grow, and gently untangle what's holding you back—so you can move forward with more clarity, compassion, and purpose.

You don't have to do this alone. I'd be honored to walk with you.

Reach out anytime—I look forward to meeting you.

NPI: 1104424779