About Carissa
"I wish I could show you
when you are lonely
or in darkness
the astonishing light
of your own being.
-Hafiz
Growing up, Carissa knew she had gifts and magic to share with the world, but felt that the only way to do that was to present herself in a nice, pretty, little package and not take up too much space.
She was bitten by the acting bug at a young age and ran off to pursue a life in the theatre. Along the way she noticed that her perfectionism continued to hold her back, and kept getting in the way of realizing her dreams. She tried her hand at many different acting rolls (including stunt fighting, puppeteering and even clowning!) and eventually worked her way into a strenuous physical performance gig where she ended up
with an injury that caused her severe, chronic pain.
This injury disrupted her professional acting journey, and she had to reevaluate her life. She had always been drawn to the healing professions, and decided to go back to school to become a psychotherapist. During the process of graduate school and her own therapy, she was supported and encouraged to unpack the critical and negative views she held about herself.She began to gain courage and confidence in her voice, her knowledge, and to identify her unique brand of magic.
After working for several years in treatment centers and community mental health, Carissa opened her private therapy practice in Huntington Beach, working with women who struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, trauma, negative body image, disordered eating, and eating disorders.
Carissa likes to imagine herself like a fairy godmother who can see the magic that her clients possess inside, and uses her own magic wand to help them unpack their unique and exquisite gifts. As a coach and therapist, she helps women give themselves permission to be powerful, to tap into their true purpose on the planet, and to allow their unique presence to shine in the world.
Carissa often uses the analogy of the golden Buddha with her clients. In the story there was a huge statue of a wooden Buddha that needed a good cleaning. Everyone believe it was a
simple wooden statue. But as the state was cleaned, the wood began to crack, and the cleaners were shocked when they
realized that hidden underneath the wood was an inner Buddha statue made of solid gold.
You are like that Buddha. There is a beautiful, solid gold, inner being within you, but it might be covered gunk and grime from the pain and trauma that you have experienced. It only takes a a little effort to begin to peel away the layers and reveal the shining beauty and power that lies within, waiting to radiate into the world.
Carissa empowers women to remember how powerful they are, and to build the confidence to allow that power to shine into the world. Contact Carissa today if you are ready to re-connect to your inner wisdom, heal your pain, and give yourself permission to shine.
