Alison Crossley

Life Transitions Therapist | Alison Crossley, MPS

Intern in Counseling Psychology at the Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh

Hi. My name is Alison Crossley, and I am a doctoral intern in counseling psychology, currently in my third year of study and practicing under licensed supervision. If you have been looking for a life transitions therapist because something in your life has shifted and you are not sure who you are on the other side, that is the work I do. Within psychology, I have experience providing individual therapy, group therapy, and psychological assessment with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, and PTSD, among other diagnoses.

Everyone encounters challenges, and accessing therapy can be daunting. I strive to create a supportive and non-judgmental therapeutic space through a person-centered approach. I believe clients are the experts of their own lives, and the clinician’s role is one of support, guiding you toward a clearer understanding of yourself and your goals.

Therapy for Life Transitions and Identity

Life transitions are strange to bring to therapy because nothing is technically wrong. A degree ends. A relationship changes. A career shifts. A role you built an identity around stops fitting. There is no diagnosis for any of that, and it can still take the floor out from under you.

Much of this work is separating who you actually are from who a previous chapter needed you to be. That is identity exploration, and it surfaces during transitions more than almost anywhere else.

• Career changes, graduations, and the end of long training programs
• Relationship changes, including the ones you chose
• Becoming a parent, or deciding not to
• Relocation, and the loss of a community you did not realize you leaned on
• Identity exploration when an old role stops fitting
• Rebuilding a sense of direction when the previous one has expired

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

I take an integrated approach, primarily using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). ACT suits transitions particularly well, because it does not ask you to feel better about a situation before you can move within it. The work is clarifying what you actually value and taking action aligned with it, while the discomfort is still present rather than after it resolves.

These techniques help you explore your current experience, including your feelings, thoughts and behaviors, and work toward a life aligned with your values.

• Clarifying values when the old ones no longer apply
• Building willingness to sit with discomfort instead of fighting it
• CBT tools for the thought patterns that keep you stuck
• Mindfulness and stress-reduction practices
• Self-compassion as a practical skill rather than a slogan

Perfectionism and the Pressure to Get It Right

Perfectionism surfaces constantly during transitions, because a transition removes the scoreboard you had been using. I work with clients on perfectionism, imposter feelings, and the exhausting sense that you should be handling this better than you are.

• Perfectionism that intensified after a change
• Imposter feelings in a new role or program
• The gap between your standards and your current capacity
• Self-criticism that has been passing itself off as motivation

Who I Work With

As a intern, I work with individuals and couples looking for:

• Support through a major life transition or identity shift
• ACT and CBT-informed therapy
• Help with perfectionism, imposter feelings, and self-criticism
• Therapy for anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, or PTSD
• A person-centered, non-judgmental therapeutic space
• Mindfulness, stress-reduction, and self-compassion practices

Credentials and Background

• MPS
• Experience in individual therapy, group therapy, and psychological assessment
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN), with a decade of prior clinical counseling experience before entering psychology

Ready to Work With a Life Transitions Therapist?

I am passionate about helping individuals and couples work toward the change they are wanting in their lives. If you are in the middle of something that has not resolved into a clear shape yet, that is a reasonable place to start. Reach out today to schedule a first appointment.