Individual Counseling

Learn more about what client's can expect from therapy, how I typically work, and some of the communities and therapies I specialize in.

How Do I Know if I Need a Therapist?

Many people believe the common myth that in order to need therapy, their mental health has to be "bad enough." Unfortunately, this often results in people waiting to seek help until their symptoms are unmanageable, getting in the way of their lives, and becoming harder and harder to treat.

In reality, there are many reasons to go to therapy, including:

  • Dealing with symptoms of depression or anxiety

  • Navigating a recent breakup or current relationship challenges

  • Processing chronic childhood trauma or PTSD

  • Understanding gender, sexuality, or new relationship dynamics

  • Learning to navigate neurodivergence (ADHD and Autism)

  • Gaining emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and coping skills

  • Processing a recent loss of a pet or loved one

  • Managing self-worth issues due to chronic pain, chronic illness, or disability

  • Experiencing feelings of burnout and overwhelm

What to Expect from Individual Counseling

In my practice, individual counseling sessions are typically 60 minutes long and take place one-on-one via a secure online therapy platform. For clients who had never tried online therapy before, I am always happy to walk you through the process on how to make it comfortable, private, and stress free.

I additionally offer a variety of different scheduling options. This includes shorted or extended sessions, evening appointments, and options to meet more than once per week, biweekly, or another schedule that best supports you achieving your goals.

Over time, we’ll evaluate your progress and, if needed, I can help connect you to other resources—such as support groups, psychiatric care, or additional mental health professionals.

How Therapy Works

As a trauma therapist, I always like to explain a little bit about how I approach therapy to new clients.

I view therapy as having two parts: Coping and Healing.

Coping is learning needed skills put out fires in our daily lives.

Healing is building resilience and self-understanding so there are fewer fires in the first place.

Coping involves learning skills and techniques to communicate effectively, regulate our emotions, manage symptoms, and learn to work with the brain we have rather than against it. We can learn what is (and isn't) in our control, and how to skillfully navigate those obstacles in our daily lives.

Healing involves changing the way we feel overall, in a way that no longer requires constant and conscious effort. This occurs over time as we gain understanding of how our life's experiences influence beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world.

When both elements are present, we unlock resilience-- the trust in our ability to respond and regulate even in times of fear and hardship. This is the true end-goal of therapy.

Modalities and Specializations

As a trauma-informed therapist, I draw from a wide range of modalities and evidence-based practices to tailor my approach to the needs, goals, and values of each client I work with. This allows me to work with a wide variety of client presentations including:

  • Complex Trauma and PTSD

  • Borderline Personality Disorder

  • Stress and Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Bipolar I and II

  • ADHD and Autism

  • Gender Identity Concerns

  • Chronic pain and Chronic Illness communities

Here is a brief overview of some of the techniques I use in therapy, separated into those for general mental health and those for trauma work (since trauma treatment requires a different approach compared to general mental health concerns).

For General Mental Health

  • Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Dialectical behavioral Therapy (DBT)

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Existential Psychotherapy

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Psychodynamic Therapy

For Complex Trauma and PTSD

  • Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)

  • Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy / Psychedelic Integration

  • NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM)

  • Parts Work / Ego-State Therapy

  • Somatic Psychotherapy

LGBTQ+ Mental Health, Queer, Kink, and Trans-Affirming Therapy

As a queer therapist myself, serving other individuals in the queer community has always been a cornerstone of my practice. My practice provides gender-affirming therapy and can provide assessment for letters of gender affirming care. In addition, I understand the nuances that often come with clients that engage in ENM/Polyamorous relationships and are involved in the kink community.

Online Trauma Counseling in Arizona

This is where I write a little blurb about me, my practice and where I'm located, so Google knows how to find my webpage and show it to people who are looking for help.

My name is Alessia Kosta and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker that practices individual therapy in the state of Arizona. I am a fully online therapist offering teletherapy with flexible scheduling to keep therapy accessible for as many people as possible.

While my training is extensive, some of the highlights most useful to clients include being a trained EMDR therapist, a trained NARM therapist, and trained in utilizing somatic psychotherapy to support clients in mind-body healing for the treatment of childhood trauma, complex trauma, and PTSD.

If you're interested in working together, have more questions, or want to schedule a free consultation, feel free to reach out! I'm always happy to chat and answer any questions you may have.