- ACT
- CBT
- Music therapy influence
About Marissa
Marissa Katz Bellani is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with eight years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, depression, addiction concerns, LGBT issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy concerns, and self-esteem challenges. Sessions are conducted in English and she accepts international clients. Marissa practices from Hawaii and holds an MA and the LMHC credential listed as MA LMHC, HI LMHC.
Marissa favors practical, person-focused work. She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside client-centered and existential approaches. In sessions she talks through thoughts and behavior patterns, practices mindfulness exercises, and helps set short, achievable goals. She also draws on Gottman ideas for relationship communication when relevant.
Her background includes a graduate focus in Music Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapies, which informs how she invites creative ways of expressing difficult feelings. That can mean bringing songs, rhythm, or other expressive methods into sessions when a person wants that option. She pairs creative tools with talk-based techniques rather than replacing them.
Marissa aims to help people notice what matters to them and try small, practical steps toward those values. She also supports people coping with life changes, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and isolation. Work on forgiveness, guilt, codependency, and family-of-origin patterns is included when useful.
People who prefer straightforward, interactive sessions may find this approach helpful. Before booking, confirm current session options since formats are arranged through the service sign-up process.
How Marissa uses evidence-based approaches online
Marissa uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people notice unhelpful thought patterns and commit to small actions that reflect their values. ACT often focuses on noticing feelings without getting stuck and trying experiments that align with what matters to the person.She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify and shift thoughts and behaviors that reinforce anxiety or depression. CBT typically involves clear, step-by-step strategies such as tracking thought patterns, testing assumptions, and practicing new behaviors between sessions.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Marissa will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. She discusses options, tries techniques, and adjusts the plan as progress and feedback indicate what helps.
Because the biography indicates online practice, confirm the exact session formats before booking through the platform. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, and let people attend without commuting. Talk-based work, mindfulness exercises, and ACT or CBT homework can all be adapted to remote sessions, and Marissa can explain what to expect during the sign-up process.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
Massachusetts, Hawaii
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, grief, depression, addiction, trauma and related issues such as self-esteem and intimacy challenges.
What is her therapeutic style?
She combines person-centered care with ACT and CBT approaches and can include mindfulness and existential conversation depending on the person's needs.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Marissa has eight years of professional experience working in mental health settings.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is listed as MA LMHC, HI LMHC and practices from Hawaii.
Which languages and international options are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography notes online sessions; confirm the current session options before booking through the sign-up flow.
How does billing or cost work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.