Meet Lisa Olinger, LMSW-C, CST, M.Ed
Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Michigan License #6801103890
AASECT Certified Sex Therapist
You matter and your thoughts and feelings are valid.
Online Therapy for Relational Trauma + Estrangement
in Ann Arbor and all throughout Michigan
You do not have to keep abandoning yourself to be loved.
You can trust your intuition, communicate your needs with confidence, set boundaries without guilt, and create relationships that feel healthy, fulfilling, emotionally safe, and aligned with who you truly are.
You are in the right place.
I’m here to help you heal from relational trauma, navigate difficult relationship decisions, set boundaries with confidence and create a life that feels authentic, fulfilling and truly your own.
You may look like you have it all together on the outside, yet internally feel exhausted from overthinking relationships, carrying emotional weight for others, and questioning whether your needs are “too much.” Perhaps you’ve spent years trying to earn love, approval, understanding, or emotional safety from people who consistently leave you feeling unseen, dismissed, emotionally neglected, or alone.
You are thoughtful, insightful, emotionally aware and likely have already done some inner work. More than likely, you are a deep feeler, deep thinker, a cycle breaker, and may feel like the black sheep of your family. P.S. All the cool people are ;)
As the one who has spent years trying to keep the peace, over-explaining yourself, shrinking your needs, and questioning your intuition you have been invalidated, criticized, and misunderstood too many times to count. You long for relationships where you feel valued, respected, desired, emotionally safe, and fully accepted for who you are.
You are not looking for surface level therapy. You likely want a therapist who genuinely understands the complexity of relational trauma, family estrangement, self abandonment, and the challenge of trying to build healthy relationships after growing up in unhealthy environments.
I believe that your most authentic self is the best version of you!
My Style
You may have spent years feeling like you grew up in the wrong family. Perhaps you were the emotionally aware one, the sensitive one, the helper, the peacemaker, or the black sheep carrying the weight of unhealthy family dynamics while trying desperately to feel understood, valued, and emotionally safe.
You know what it feels like to constantly question yourself in relationships. You wonder whether you are asking for too much simply because you want consistency, honesty, emotional connection, intimacy, respect, and mutual effort.
Over time, the impacts of trauma and neglect can make you doubt your instincts, silence your needs, and settle for relationships that leave you feeling emotionally alone.
You deserve relationships where you feel chosen, respected, emotionally safe, desired, and deeply understood. You deserve the freedom to communicate honestly, trust yourself fully, set boundaries confidently, and create a life aligned with your authentic self rather than the expectations of others.
This work is deeply meaningful to me because I understand how life changing it can feel to stop ignoring your own comfort and start creating relationships and a life that are actually supportive and enjoyable.
What You Can Expect With Me
Authenticity
You deserve to feel truly seen, heard, understood. You are encouraged to bring your full authentic self into therapy. Your voice matters here. Your feedback is welcomed. Your intuition and lived experiences are respected as we work together to help you build a life and relationships that genuinely feel good for you.
Accessibility + Reliability
I intentionally maintain a smaller caseload so I can offer more personalized attention and additional sessions for support during difficult seasons and when life feels especially overwhelming. Many of my clients benefit from trauma therapy modalities that work best when we meet 2 times per week. Also, holidays can be hard for my clients. So, I purposely make myself available during those weeks.
Personalized Approach
Therapy with me is not a one size fits all. I often refer to myself as a GPS. You tell me your goals and I will offer a personalized approach. We can “recalculate” at any time to ensure you are getting your needs met and supported every step of the way.
Humor + Real Talk
There is zero judgment here. It is often helpful to say things out loud exactly as you feel them, uncensored. I often use gentle humor to increase comfort and provide an environment where it’s like talking to your girlfriend who just happens to be a skilled and experienced therapist wanting the best for you.
Licensure, Education & Training
Licensure and Certification
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
AASECT Certified Sex Therapist
Specialized Therapy Modalities
IFS - Internal Family Systems
EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
DBT - Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
ACT - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Schema Therapy
Somatic Therapy
Sex Therapy
The Gottman Method of Couples Therapy
Existential Therapy
The Enneagram
Education and Training
Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan
Masters in Education from Michigan State University
Graduate of the University of Michigan Sexual Health Certificate Program, with a focus on Sex Therapy
Interned at the University of Michigan Psychological Clinic providing trauma therapy, couples therapy and sex therapy for adults in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County and Southeastern Michigan