Tishanna Lewison

Jun 4

MS, LPC | Therapist
she / her

My path to becoming a therapist wasn't linear. But when I sat in on a counseling class in college, something clicked. Since then, I've worked with clients across ages, settings, and diagnoses, and that breadth has shaped everything about how I show up in this work. It's deepened my empathy. It's deepened my respect for the trust people place in me when they walk through the door.

What draws me most to this work is the privilege of walking alongside people as they make sense of their lives. Holding space for insight, growth, and honesty feels sacred to me. I don't take that lightly.

Therapy, for me, is a collaborative space where you can show up fully. Where you can make sense of what you're carrying without having to perform, without having to shrink, and without having to present a polished version of yourself to be worthy of support.

My work is guided by equity, authenticity, and a deep respect for your lived experience. I center cultural humility, empowerment, and clarity, helping you understand yourself with compassion rather than judgment. I value creating a grounded, steady environment where insight can emerge at a sustainable pace, and I bring intention and integrity to every session.

I’m drawn to Open Space because of its unapologetic commitment to cultural awareness, LGBTQ+ affirmation, and racial justice. In a moment when many organizations are retreating from DEI, this practice stands firm. That aligns deeply with how I move through the world. I show up fully in every room I enter, and I believe clients who value authenticity, liberation-focused care, and a therapist who honors their full identity will find a strong fit with me.

In our work together, you can expect steadiness, curiosity, and respect. I'm not here to judge you or rush you. I'm here to help you make sense of what you're carrying at a pace that feels sustainable for you. I value honesty and collaboration, and I'll bring my full presence to every session.

My role isn't to hand you answers or tell you who to be. It's to walk alongside you as you find your own clarity, at your own pace, with your full identity honored. Because you deserve a space where you don't have to shrink. A space where you can just… be.

LANGUAGES SPOKEN

English

THERAPY APPROACHES

Eclectic
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing
Person-Centered
Solution-Focused Brief (SFBT)

IN THE THERAPY ROOM

Collaborative
Process-Oriented
Narrative-Driven
Culturally Responsive
Radically Accepting

YOU CAN FIND ME

Listening to audiobooks, exploring art spaces, or walking my mini schnauzers around the city.

I’M ALL ABOUT

Joy, good company, big breakfasts, and taking up space with intention.

Clinician Details

- Anthem
- BCBS PPO Plans
- Capital Blue Cross
- Highmark
- Independence Blue Cross (IBX)
In progress:
- Aetna
- Geisinger
- Optum / United Healthcare
- UPMC
- $135 (53-minute session)
- Telehealth
- Individual Therapy
- Adults (18+)

Specialties

Life transitions have a way of catching us off guard, even when we saw them coming. A new chapter begins and suddenly the identity, roles, and routines that once anchored you feel uncertain. That disorientation is normal. It doesn't mean something is wrong with you. It means something significant is changing.
I view life transitions as opportunities for growth that can also carry real grief, uncertainty, and loss of identity. Both things can be true at once, and both deserve space. My work focuses on helping you make sense of what is ending, what is emerging, and what support you need to move forward with intention.
My approach draws from Person-Centered, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Narrative therapies, incorporating psychoeducation, values clarification, and practical coping skills to help you regain stability and agency. Whether you're adjusting to retirement, navigating shifting family roles, processing grief, or stepping into adulthood for the first time, I'll help you slow down, name what feels overwhelming, and reconnect with the strengths that are already there. You can expect me to show up with steadiness, clarity, and deep respect for your lived experience every step of the way.
Stress is not a personal failure. It's a signal that something in your environment, your expectations, or your support system needs attention. And yet so many of us carry it like it's just the way things are, quietly wondering why we can't handle it better.
Clients working with me on stress management can expect a calm, structured, and collaborative space where we slow things down and make sense of what's actually contributing to the overwhelm. I approach stress as a whole-person experience shaped by routines, responsibilities, nervous system patterns, and the stories we tell ourselves about what we should be able to handle.
My approach draws from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, practical problem-solving, and mind-body regulation skills to help you identify what's within your control and develop sustainable ways to manage what isn't. Sessions often include psychoeducation, boundary-setting work, lifestyle adjustments, and tools for reducing cognitive overload. My goal is to help you understand your patterns, build coping strategies that fit your real life, and create more space for steadiness and clarity, so you feel more equipped, less overwhelmed, and more connected to your own capacity.
Depression is not a personal flaw. It's a response to accumulated stress, loss, disconnection, or life transitions. And yet it has a way of shaping everything—your energy, your motivation, your sense of identity, and your ability to imagine that things could feel different than they do right now.
When supporting clients experiencing depression, I show up with steadiness, patience, and a non-judgmental presence. My work focuses on helping you reconnect with your strengths, understand the patterns that keep you stuck, and build small, sustainable steps toward change at a pace that honors your capacity.
My approach draws from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, behavioral activation, and values-based work through a trauma-informed lens, helping you identify what matters to you and begin moving toward it at a manageable pace. I incorporate psychoeducation, mood tracking, and practical coping tools to help you understand your symptoms and regain a sense of control. My role is to help you name what feels heavy, challenge unhelpful thought patterns, and rebuild the routines and supports that make daily life feel more possible. My experience includes working with adults navigating identity shifts, loss, re-entry challenges, academic pressures, and later-life changes. And across all of it, my approach remains the same: collaborative, grounded, and focused on helping you feel less alone and more empowered in your day-to-day life.