Lisa is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College and over 15 years’ experience providing counseling to children, adolescents, and adults. She has previously worked in private practice, a partial hospitalization setting, and supervised an adult mental health crisis response team. She joined the Olive Tree team as a counselor in 2016, and in 2020, transitioned to the role of Executive Director. Though she does still provide some counseling (which she loves), her primary role is to oversee the staff and operations of the counseling center, which included moving the organization from its birthplace in Antalya, Türkiye to Budapest, Hungary in 2024.

Areas of professional interest and experience include working with adolescents and families dealing with transition/TCK issues, behavior problems, anxiety, depression, self-harm, abuse, and family issues, and adults with problems with mood, self-esteem, burnout, and relational issues, faith crises, coping with stress, transition, and a history of trauma and abuse. She utilizes both EMDR and Brainspotting with adolescents and adults as a means of reprocessing trauma.

Lisa grew up moving around the world in a Navy family, and traveled widely leading large groups of teens and young adults on overseas ministry trips. Before completing her MA, she worked in a youth ministry for 6 years as a mentor for college-aged women, focusing on their spiritual and emotional development. She has a great love for exploring new places and trying new things, but also perfecting the best everyday things like a great cup of coffee or loaf of bread. She loves city life, but is also trying to turn her apartment into a garden.