About Elyse

Elyse (she/her) is a resident in counseling specializing in person-centered, psychodynamic, trauma-informed, and attachment-based therapy. She meets clients at their own pace, creating space for organic exploration and supportive healing in session. As a second-generation Latina, Elyse understands the complexities of identity, family expectations, and navigating multiple cultural worlds.

Approach to Therapy

Elyse tailors her approach to each client’s needs and goals in therapy, whether that’s behavioral change, interpersonal exploration, or gaining insight into themselves and their history. She believes clients already possess many of the strengths and capacities needed for change, and that therapy is a tool to help access those strengths. Elyse supports clients in staying accountable to themselves and their goals, offering honest, objective insight so they leave sessions with greater clarity on their patterns and next steps.

She integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT), attachment-focused interventions, and narrative therapy into her work.

Education and Training

Elyse earned her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The George Washington University in Washington, DC, and completed her internship at The Dorm, an intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization program in Washington, DC. She has additional training in career counseling, couples counseling, and childhood development. Elyse is currently working and training under the clinical supervision of Atar Stav, LPC.

Professional Experience

Elyse found her passion for this work through early childhood education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before entering the counseling field, she worked as a federal contractor supporting USAID-funded initiatives focused on global health and health systems strengthening, an experience that deepened her commitment to equity, advocacy, and supporting marginalized communities. In addition to individual therapy, Elyse has facilitated process groups, OCD support groups, and groups focused on identity exploration, including queer and sexual identity development.

Specialties