LISA WESSAN, LICSW, CLYL, RM
• Psychotherapist, Licensed and Board Certified Clinical Social Worker (NY & MA)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Trainer and Consultant
• Certified Life Coach (DMA, Robert Fritz)
• Therapeutic Laughter Trainer
• Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher
• Provides Zoom, Facetime, Walk and Talk Therapy.
Prior to her career as a psychotherapist and life coach, Lisa Wessan was an internationally published science and health journalist for 20 years. She specialized as a biotechnology analyst. She had a successful career at Genetic Engineering News and as editor of the monthly Biotechnology Press Digest
While she was a science journalist, Wessan was also studying methods of transformation at the Carl Jung Institute of New York and other psycho-spiritual schools in New York City. She eventually became certified as a Master Business and Life Coach by Dr. Robert Fritz, DMA Inc., in Fritz’s Technologies for Creating coaching program. Dr. Fritz’s work combined project management, mindfulness, energy medicine, spirituality, and awareness of quantum field access for better living.
Wessan’s interest in immunology led her to the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), better known as integrative or functional medicine. PNI led her to work with holistic MDs, eventually producing talk shows in radio and television at WOR-AM Radio and NBC Television.
Wessan still has one foot in broadcasting as the co-host of the podcast and YouTube show, Process Recordings. Wessan is joined by her co-host, Heath Hightower, Ph.D., where they explore best practices in the process of personal transformation.
While doing research on stress management techniques in graduate school for clinical social work, Wessan explored the research on therapeutic uses of laughter. During post-graduate research on laughter therapy, Wessan became double certified to teach Laughter Yoga and Laughter Meditation in medical settings.
Her work has been featured on The Boston Chronicle (ABC), The Boston Globe, The Lowell Sun, CNN’s Paula Zahn Now, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, ABC News 20/20, and in many television, print and radio interviews.
Since she left New York City in 2006, Wessan has had a hybrid practice. She is fully licensed in NY and MA. She works with adult clients who are 21 years of age or older.
As a Solution Focused therapist, in 2012 Wessan became interested in the robust results from Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training (DBT), so she studied with Dr. Marsha Linehan, founder and thought leader of DBT. Wessan has been facilitating ongoing weekly DBT Skills Groups since 2015. She incorporates the DBT skills into individual, family and couples counseling.
Wessan also presents a variety of psychoeducation keynotes including Emotion Regulation and Mindfulness, Team Building with Laughter, Laughter Therapy for Caregivers, Preventing Burnout, Let Go & Lighten Up and Distress Tolerance: Many Paths Up the Mountain, to name a few.