MARLA ALLISAN, LCSW, LICSW

About me

In nearly 30 years of clinical work, one of the key lessons I’ve learned is how important it is for my clients to feel heard. Whether navigating challenging personal, academic or professional dilemmas, feeling understood is the first step in helping you begin to contemplate your available choices. I draw from a wide clinical knowledge base and broad training (family systems, CBT and other modalities) to help you achieve their goals. Along the way, my hope is that you will feel increased personal power, greater confidence and ease as well as expanded capacity to connect with others with greater comfort and joy.

I work with clients through video-conferencing, using a HIPAA compliant platform. As I also work for Harvard, in my private practice I only work with non-Harvard clients to avoid conflicts of interest. Please feel free to email me to request a brief initial conversation so that we might see if it feels like a good fit to work together.

Professional experience

Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Trauma and abuse, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, Coaching, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Adoption and Foster Care, Aging and Geriatric Issues, Attachment issues, Blended Family Issues, Caregiver issues and stress, Commitment Issues, Communication problems, Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Fatherhood Issues, Fertility Issues, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Immigration Issues, Infidelity, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Men's issues, Midlife crisis, Money and financial issues, Mood disorders , Multicultural Concerns, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Polyamory / Nonmonogamous Relationships, Postpartum Depression, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and Discrimination, Sexual Dysfunction, Sexuality, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues, Workplace issues, Young Adult Issues

Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy

License information

ME LCSW 15590

CT LCSW 3772

MA LICSW 1020669