Marissa Lecaros

Prior to working at Colors of Austin Counseling, I worked in higher education for 6 years assisting high school and college aged students in navigating all things college, especially those who were first generation. As I entered my studies and internship, I found a true passion for helping those who struggle with systemic/complex trauma, eating disorders/body image issues, and communication in relationships regarding culture/race as I personally felt there was not a huge amount of minority representation for these specialties. As I continue to learn my identity as a therapist, I have found that I lean towards specialties where I see a lack of minority representation. I can understand the value in seeking help from someone that may be able to relate to your experience or that feels familiar, so I am doing my best to further myself to be that person my clients can find safety in. Other areas I am starting to get Continuing Education for is perinatal mental health and grief work around loss and chronic medical conditions as I know these are big adjustments not only mentally but physically and systemically. I hope to continue exploring areas of therapy as a Latina therapist to provide a safe space for people of color. My therapeutic style is warm and empathetic, and I will positively challenge my clients when needed or give resources outside of therapy. I use a collaborative approach and believe the client is the expert and I am just a guide in helping them find healing. This can look like helping someone reclaim their story to feel empowered, healing their inner child or trauma, providing information on how life experiences affect attachment and connection, challenging internal narratives, and connecting the mind and body through somatic practices. I enjoy pulling skills from narrative therapy, internal family systems, dialectical behavioral therapy, attachment-based therapy, and symbolic-experiential therapy. The therapeutic relationship is very important to me so I will always ensure that the client feels I am a good fit for their therapy journey.