Ms Lisa Headings

Pre-Licensed Therapist

“I use expressive arts therapy, so we’re not limited to just talking. We might use visual art, writing, movement, or metaphor, always at your pace.”

About Me

Most of the people I work with are exhausted. Not just busy-tired, more like overwhelmed, burned out, and barely holding things together. Many are autistic, ADHD, or both. Some are formally diagnosed. Others are just beginning to understand themselves in a new way. If you’ve spent years masking, over-functioning, or forcing yourself into systems that don’t work for your brain, that exhaustion makes sense. Therapy with me isn’t about fixing you or pushing you to function harder in ways that already aren’t sustainable. It’s about understanding what your nervous system actually needs, and working with it instead of against it.

Approach

Expressive arts therapy uses creative processes, such as visual art, writing, movement, imagination, and symbolic exploration, as the primary language of therapy. You don’t need to be artistic, and nothing is judged or analyzed for a “right” meaning. Talking can be part of the work, but it isn’t the only tool. Creative processes help bypass constant analysis and access parts of your experience that don’t fully exist in words. This can be especially supportive if you’ve learned to intellectualize, mask, or stay “functional” even when something isn’t working. The goal isn’t quick insight. It’s creating space for your system to shift in ways that feel more natural, sustainable, and true to you.

Contact Lisa

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

Portland, United States

In-person & Online

Services

My practice focuses on expressive arts–based therapy for adult women navigating burnout, chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and identity-related transitions. It is especially supportive for those who feel constrained by traditional therapy or who sense that there is more going on beneath the surface than talking alone can reach.

Services Offered:

Online Therapy
Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.
Learn more about Online Therapy
Online Counselling
Counselling conducted via video, phone, or secure messaging, providing professional support remotely.
Learn more about Online Counselling
Individual Therapy
One-on-one therapy sessions between a client and a therapist, focused on that person's specific concerns and goals.
Learn more about Individual Therapy

Works With:

Adults
Individuals

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

Autism (ASD)
A neurodevelopmental condition affecting social communication, sensory processing, and behaviour patterns, with a wide range of presentations and strengths.
Identity & Self-Image
A person's sense of who they are, including their values, beliefs, roles, and self-perception, and the distress that arises when this sense is unclear, fragmented, or negative.
Women's Issues
Psychological challenges more commonly experienced by women, including gender-based stress, reproductive health concerns, body image, caregiving burden, and societal expectations.
ADHD / Attention Difficulties
A neurodevelopmental condition involving persistent difficulty with attention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity that interferes with daily functioning.
Learn more about ADHD / Attention Difficulties
Stress / Burnout
The body and mind's response to prolonged or excessive demands. When sustained, it can lead to emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced functioning (burnout).
Learn more about Stress / Burnout
Self-Esteem
A person's overall sense of their own worth and value. When chronically low, it can drive self-doubt, avoidance, and difficulty in relationships.
Learn more about Self-Esteem
Anxiety
Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.
Learn more about Anxiety