Alisa was born and raised in the San Francisco/Oakland area of California. She graduated from high school in American Samoa and received her undergraduate degree in Social Work from California State University, Los Angeles. She was a stay-at-home mom for 18 years before returning to school at the University of North Dakota, graduating with a Master Degree in Social Work.  

Alisa is a Licensed Master Social Worker completing her supervision hours toward her Clinical Social Work license. Alisa is committed to children's mental health to assist them with developing resiliency, building skills, and realizing their full potential. Alisa values relationships and family and focuses on taking a collaborative approach with parents to help unify the "dream team' that each family has the potential to be.

 

Alisa is passionate about School Social Work and has been working for 6 years in the Grand Forks Public School System supporting children, families and educators. This experience allowed Alisa to develop and enhance her skills and knowledge in crisis management, social emotional learning, mental health interventions, student and family advocacy, multi tier interventions, interdisciplinary leadership and collaboration, and building and maintaining strong professional relationships. 

​

Alisa takes a strengths based approach to therapy and is committed to helping clients gain a greater understanding of their inner thoughts and motivations. She is dedicated to learning and practicing different therapeutic modalities including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Her clinical interests include trauma, family systems/relationships, abuse and neglect, parenting, attachment, anxiety and depression. 

Alisa and her husband have six children, 2 of whom still live at home. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing board games, and learning.