Services

Counseling

Using an integrative approach to therapy, the counselors at Lifestart Counseling can provide a unique, person-centered perspective that utilizes psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral concepts to help patients explore and understand the underlying causes of worry, stress, anxiety and depression, and change their behavior to live a more fulfilling life.

Individual therapy

This modality involves only you and your counselor. Individual sessions are particularly important at the beginning since they provide the best environment to establish a working relationship with your counselor. Individual counseling offers more opportunities to approach in depth the issues that concern you.

Couples Therapy

You and your partner meet with your counselor to address issues that affect your relationship.

Group therapy

Its focus is similar to individual therapy. However, in a group context, each participant has the opportunity to experience the social response to the issues being addressed in addition to the counselor’s therapeutic interventions. Groups are not organized around a common issue or topic.

Support Groups

Support groups are usually organized around an issue of concern for all participants. Within the group, participants are encouraged to share their stories and support each other under the guidance of our counselors. Information and education about the specific topic are important parts of the meetings.

 

Meet Your Counselor

Marina Pesserl, PhD, LPC, NCC, ACS

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Letter to my Clients

 

Marina received a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from Siena Hights University and a doctoral degree in Health Psychology at Walden University.

Marina has devoted much of her training to specializing in the fields of perinatal mood disorders, couples therapy, domestic violence, adjustments to divorce, post-traumatic stress. Other interests include adult ADHD, caregiver burnout, chronic illness, stress, anxiety and depression.

 Marina worked for 12 years as an Individual Family Support coordinator at the Beaumont Hospitals’ Parenting Program providing support to first-time parents through new baby adjustment issues. She has extensive experience supporting families through the transition to parenthood and specializes in the assessment and treatment of mood disorders during pregnancy and after having a child. Marina can conduct therapy in English and Spanish, and can help French and German speaking clients as well. 

Since 2007, Marina has helped many clients with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.

Marina specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT),  emotion focused couples therapy (EFCT), Bach flowers therapy, mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), and clinical hypnotherapy.

Encompassing her clinical work, Marina is currently a National Trainer in Mental Health First Aid, contracted by the National Council of Behavioral Health to conduct training and certify new instructors nationwide.