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Dr. Lisa S.

Ph.D., LPC, CCC

Expert Career Counseling for Professional Empowerment

Dr. Lisa is a Career Coach, Executive Coach, Resume Writing Coach, and  Interview Coach specializing in meaningful professional development. She has over 20 years of experience helping professionals reach their highest potential. She has a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and a master’s degree in mental health counseling. She is a past president of the National Career Development Association (NCDA) former Director of Career Services at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Dr. Lisa has the specialized insight and expertise to help you create new levels of success in your personal and professional life through positive, empowering career counseling and coaching.

“I loved the exercise where Dr. Lisa asked about what I like, who I admire, etc. It was very eye-opening for me. It felt like all of my interests were just random interests before but now I see how they are connected and how I can turn that into something helpful in my career choices.”

- Career Coaching Client

Therapist Overview

Hello! My name is Lisa, and I’m so glad you’ve found me. 

I’m a career counselor and professional development coach specializing in helping people get clear about their strengths, their values, and how to put them to work in building the life they’ve always wanted. 

I hope that when our work together has finished, you’ll have a crystal clear vision for your ideal future and newfound confidence in your ability to create it. 

Allow me to tell you why I am uniquely poised to guide you on this journey by sharing a bit about my professional development:

As a past president of both the National Career Development Association and Colorado Career Development Association, former Director of Career Services at the University of Colorado Boulder, and author of numerous book chapters devoted to the art and science of career and professional development counseling, I have learned a lot about how to help you to write a new story for your life and career.

I am a certified career counselor and a licensed therapist. I can help you do deep internal work that will help you break through barriers and achieve professional success while also growing as a person.

I want you to be the hero of your own story! Through thoughtful and genuine exploration together, my hope is that you will gain a better understanding of yourself and what you bring to the world, including your strengths and talents, your meaning and purpose. Through this empowering process, I’ll help you create a meaningful story you can be excited to step into. 

I provide career counseling and coaching, leadership coaching, and executive coaching. I have a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and a master’s degree in mental health counseling. I currently serve on the National Career Development Association (NCDA) and the American Counseling Association (ACA) boards. If you are looking for an experienced guide to help you think about where you are in life, where you want to be, and how to get there, we should talk!   

My Positive, Storied Approach to Personal and Professional Growth 

Everyone’s life is a grand story, filled with twists and turns, good things and bad things, all grounded in personal life themes. I consider it an enormous honor to be invited into someone’s story and I believe that everyone has the power to take control of their stories, write the next chapter, and then make it happen.

As a Career Counselor 

As a career coach and counselor, I know you have the strengths and tools within you to transform your life in meaningful ways. To best support you through this process, I am focused on providing a comfortable, safe, and secure environment to explore, experience, and grow in your career story. There may be times in this process when things work as planned and times when you take a wrong turn, but my hope is that the process is empowering, and you feel comfortable in your current career transition and ones that may come in the future.  

Career Coaching

What has brought you here today? Maybe you’ve been unhappy with your career for a while, or perhaps something dramatic has happened that has pushed you toward change. No matter how much discomfort you are in or how much work-related trauma you’ve experienced, you’re here because you have hope that things can be different and better. You are right! 

You have gifts and talents to share with the world, and you deserve to find an employment situation that recognizes, appreciates, and values you. The process might not always be comfortable or pretty, but together we can figure out what actions you need to take and develop the energy and motivation you need to make a change. 

I tailor the process to what you need, whether you know what you want to do next, or are completely lost but know you need something different.

I can help you figure out how to move forward, whether you:

    • Need to figure out your next steps.
    • Want to launch a new job search.
    • Need help creating or tailoring your resume.
    • Want to polish your interviewing skills.
    • Need help asking for a promotion.
    • Or, need help with negotiating and advancement.

While I have had clients ask me to help them “find themselves,” my preference is to help clients “invent themselves.” Specifically, I draw upon Narrative, Constructivist theories grounded in Positive Psychology. This model is extremely flexible and can help people in all stages of their life success journey, including career transitions, searches for job satisfaction, career values and themes clarification, and advancement.

Resume Writing and Interview Coaching

Once you are confident in your plan for the next chapter, you’ll be excited to get started! I think of this as building out your professional tool kit. I have met many phenomenal people who will be a huge asset to a lucky employer, but they never get to the part where they can demonstrate all they have to offer. I can help you develop the tools and skills you’ll need to showcase your wonderful qualities to your ideal employer. 

These tools may include:

  • Crafting the perfect resume.
  • Drafting a cover letter that will help you stand out.
  • Advanced interviewing skills.
  • Or executive tools related to advancement and negotiations. 

I have over 25 years of experience helping people develop these tools, including working with new college graduates with minimal work experience, to seasoned alumni at the top of their fields. This experience and consulting with peers and colleagues across the globe has taught me lots of tricks and tips I am happy to share. I’m here for whatever you need.


Executive Coaching & Leadership Coaching

Many people think career counseling is only for people looking for a new job. Most everyone could benefit from help in taking a step back to assess their current path and potential opportunities. Attaining the highest level of achievement and job satisfaction can happen by accident — but don’t leave it to chance. 

We can work together to clarify your career intentions and increase your professional competencies, including:

  • Advocating for yourself.
  • Negotiating advancements and salary increases.
  • Improving your intercultural and intergenerational skills.
  • Focusing on your emotional intelligence.
  • Learning how to communicate more effectively.
  • Or increasing your leadership potential.

We can also explore how to handle difficult work situations like a challenging supervisor, toxic work environments, or finding that elusive work/life balance.

About Me 

I was born in Boulder, Colorado, but my family moved to Arkansas and then Florida before my second birthday, so I consider myself a GRIT (Girl Raised in the South). I mostly grew up in Florida with a wonderful year in Exeter, England, and one back in Boulder thrown in. I went to Indiana University as an undergraduate to study music, and then back to the University of Florida for my master’s and doctoral degrees in counseling. I had the wonderful opportunity to move back to Colorado in 2003, and now I can’t imagine being anywhere else!  

I am a huge sports fan and love watching football, hockey, soccer, and basketball. I travel wherever and whenever I can, especially with my wonderful family.

Thanks for taking the time to learn about me. I’d love to learn about you! If you think we might be a good fit to work together, I invite you to schedule a free consultation meeting with me so that we can talk about your hopes and goals and how I can help you achieve them.

Schedule with Dr. Lisa