About Carissa
Carissa Alt-Frankard is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in Wisconsin with 11 years of clinical experience. She guides people through stressful life changes, anxiety, relationship strain, and career concerns. She is straightforward and calm in sessions, helping clients name problems and try practical steps forward.
Carissa focuses on building self-compassion and clearer communication. She often helps people work through grief, guilt, shame, and feelings of isolation. She also supports those sorting out parenting challenges, pregnancy and childbirth concerns, body image, and issues at work.
Background and approach
Her style centers on listening first and adjusting methods to each person. Visits are conversational and goal-oriented, with tools offered when they make sense. Carissa uses approaches that include client-centered work, cognitive behavioral techniques, and mindfulness to help change unhelpful patterns.
Clients who prefer a collaborative, down-to-earth therapist tend to fit well with her approach. She pays attention to small, practical shifts people can make between sessions. The aim is steady progress rather than quick fixes.
Carissa works with adults on a range of issues common to young adults and women, such as social anxiety, workplace stress, and finding life purpose. She brings patience and respect while helping people discover strengths and clearer next steps.
Online approaches that meet you where you are
Client-centered therapy focuses on understanding each person's experience and building a trusting relationship. It helps people feel heard and supports exploration of values, self-compassion, and personal goals.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It teaches simple exercises to test unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, and workplace stress.
Mindfulness therapy encourages present-moment noticing without judgment. Practicing brief mindfulness skills can reduce reactivity and help with stress, social anxiety, and managing difficult emotions.
Finding the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods, and adjust as needed so the work fits the client's needs and preferences. This collaborative process helps people feel more confident about next steps.
Online care offers practical flexibility. Video calls let conversations feel closer to in-person sessions. Phone sessions or live chat work well when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Text-based messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and varied routines.
Questions people ask
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What is her background and experience?
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What this counselor works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
Also listed
- ADHD
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Communication problems
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Parenting issues
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 11 years
- Licensed
- Wisconsin
- Languages
- English