Lise Klerekoper is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her BS & BA from Shepherd University, & her MSW from The University of Maryland. She has been licensed in the state of Virginia for over 25 years, practicing in a variety of settings; particularly health care. Lise has extensive experience working w/ grief/loss/life transitions; mood disorders; substance abuse, codependency, ADHD; LGBTQ+ issues, particularly gender, dysphoria, and teens and adults; & chronic pain & other medical conditions.
Lise believes in a positive approach; helping clients to see their strengths, instill hope, & provide a safe place where healing & learning can take place. By nature, all individuals possess strength and resiliency. We all have the desire to live healthy and productive lives, but at times, we face the challenges of unexpected life events, loss, and added stressors. A positive, validating and accepting relationship with a counselor can be an invaluable opportunity to focus on developing insight and awareness into past and present issues, & learning new skills. Oftentimes, understanding past experiences will guide clients to revelations within their current situation. In addition, identifying negative self-perceptions can help improve personal growth.

Lise sees teens & adults in individual therapy, though includes partners & families in the counseling process as part of treating the whole person. A variety of treatment modalities can be utilized depending on the unique needs of the client, & include relational, family systems, CBT, DBT, & solution focused therapies.

At the initial visit, my goal is to establish a rapport with the client & discover how problems are identified, & what brought the client to seek therapy at this time. Lise strives to meet the client where they are; to determine goals & expectations; & then set a preliminary framework for future sessions. Therapeutic techniques can be adapted to short or long-term goals, depending on the needs & interests of the client.

Lise has particular interest & expertise in working with the LGBTQ+ community & their families, & has worked with this population, her entire career. Lise has worked with teens & adults with gender dysphoria for the last 10 years, & regularly collaborates with physicians & other health professionals who provide gender, affirming care. Lise also assesses surgical readiness for her ongoing clients & provides evaluations related to surgical readiness.

Lise also has extensive experience & expertise working with substance use & co-occurring disorders, & assisting clients & families in moving forward on a path of recovery. She can provide comprehensive substance abuse assessments for individuals facing consequences for substance related offenses. Lise is a certified addictions counselor.
Lise also has a unique understanding & expertise as to how ADHD affects clients, & how to develop paths to overall improved functioning.
Lise believes that all people are not only capable of making positive life changes but can sustain that change with positive support, internal motivation and utilization of tools learned in therapy.