It’s difficult to watch television or listen to talk radio or contemporary podcasts without feeling a bit overwhelmed by the depth of mental health issues in society. While it may seem daunting at times, there are dedicated people in communities whose mission is to create positive change in communities.
Alyssa Williamson is a licensed professional counselor in Dallas who is helping her clients find success and build better lives through therapy.
Affable and usually the first to smile and laugh, Alyssa grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee in a tight-knit family where her parents emphasized the importance of communication skills in education. “To this day, I’m relatively comfortable with public speaking, and always enjoy being able to talk about mental health issues in the community,” she says.
After considering the ministry, Alyssa’s heart led her into child welfare for the first half of her career. “I’ve always wanted to be where the need was the greatest,” she says. She got a master’s degree in counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy and spent time studying the treatment of eating disorders and childhood trauma. “I had recovered from an eating disorder myself,” which made her uniquely qualified to treat others.
Later, after starting her own family, Alyssa’s oldest son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 4 years old. It changed so much for her family. Ironically, the health crisis opened new doors in her life, as well as her practice. “Helping people recover from eating disorders has been my life’s work,” she says.
She opened her practice in 2021 with an intimate team of qualified therapists. Since then, Alyssa has added a dietitian, marriage and family therapists, and a social worker, and partnered with eating disorder specialized medical practices to ensure they treat the whole person and give them the best chance at a long and lasting recovery. “In the beginning, we were small and not well known. But over time, the quality of clinicians who have chosen to work here has been my greatest source of pride.”
Alyssa’s professional colleagues routinely sing her praises.
“She is warm, down-to-earth, and extremely perceptive and insightful,” says Dr. Hannah, MD, a Dallas pediatrician about Alyssa.
“Alyssa immediately puts you at ease, and I found her approachability and straightforwardness to be completely refreshing. She possesses a true gift of working through complex problems and getting to the heart of an issue.”
“There is no topic or issue with which she isn't willing to dive into, and life's problems seem less intimidating when you have someone so dependable and non-judgmental willing to go there with you. I couldn't trust anyone more and highly recommend working with her.”
While her practice, Embodied Counseling, treats boys and men, she specializes in creating a safe place for women and girls, especially teens and young adults. As to her geographic concentration, Alyssa’s practice is convenient and accessible to the teens and young adults in the Park Cities. “A significant portion of our clients are from the Dallas private schools, as well as SMU. We recently opened our office in Uptown to better serve the community in that area.”
Recent data indicates that 90% of the effectiveness of any therapy is rooted in the strength of the connection between the therapist and the client. “Nothing can replace a real person with a genuine reaction to a patient’s story,” she says. “And as the world becomes increasingly automated, that human connection will be needed more than ever,” she says.
Alyssa and her staff are famously community-minded, and enthusiastic about a series of initiatives in progress, including the new office. “We are (also) working closely with Girls to Women Health and Wellness and Young Men’s Health and Wellness to provide the absolute highest quality of care possible.”
Dr. Susan Sugerman interacts with Alyssa at the Dallas clinic. “She very quickly gets to the heart of the matter while also building trust and avoiding shame. My patients love her and that always makes my job easier.”
Another of Alyssa’s recent initiatives is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy, a treatment she calls “a lifesaving intervention” that may help longtime sufferers find relief for the first time.
Alyssa says she is excited about the future. “We've gone from two to 9 clinicians in under three years. We started in Plano, we now have offices in Dallas, Uptown, and Fort Worth.”
She’s intent on building a system where anyone seeking help can rapidly access education and resources, and Embodied Counseling to bring care to where people are, rather than ripping them out of their surroundings.
“We will continue filling the gaps in outpatient eating disorder care with educational workshops for clients and loved ones, groups for our clients and their families, and offering in-home concierge services.
Ultimately, we’re just eager to continue walking alongside people’s recovery and being able to help them find joy.”
Alyssa says success means living within her values with integrity.
“For me, at the end of my life, I want to have acted with compassion, built community, and been a force for restoration in my own and other people’s lives.”
EmbodiedCounselingTexas.com | (972) 962-9038
"Alyssa is warm, down-to-earth, and extremely perceptive and insightful."
"The quality of clinicians who have chosen to work here has been my greatest source of pride."