- Warm and interactive
- Uses creative methods
- Values-based focus
About Marissa
Marissa Katz Bellani is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) who helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, relationship strain, and codependency concerns. She greets clients with a warm, interactive style and focuses on meeting each person where they are. Her tone is calm and encouraging, aimed at helping people find steadier footing during hard times.
Marissa trained with a focus in music therapy and expressive arts therapies while completing her MA. She blends creative methods with talk-based approaches, adapting sessions to what feels most useful. That might mean using music or expressive activities one week and more traditional counseling the next.
Her approach draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, cognitive behavioral ideas, and client-centered work to help people notice patterns, try small changes, and build values-based routines. She also uses existential perspectives to talk about meaning and direction when life shifts feel heavy.
Clients often come for relationship and intimacy struggles, family of origin issues, caregiving stress, or challenges tied to chronic illness and disability. She also supports people dealing with trauma, addiction concerns, bipolar disorder, and issues around self-esteem and isolation.
Marissa practices from Hawaii and works with English-speaking clients. She has eight years of combined professional and internship experience and encourages people to move toward calmer, more balanced lives through a collaborative process.
Therapeutic approaches and online care
Marissa uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people notice difficult thoughts and feelings, clarify what matters most to them, and take small actions toward those values. ACT can be useful for anxiety, stress, and people wanting a clearer sense of direction. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on active listening and creating a supportive space so clients can explore challenges at their own pace. That approach can help with self-esteem, grief, and relational concerns.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Marissa will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Together they try different ways of working and adjust what isn’t helpful over time.
Confirm the current online session options before booking because specific formats were not listed in the biography. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, shorten commutes, and let sessions occur from different locations. It can also allow for shorter check-ins when life is hectic, or flexible scheduling for clients living outside the therapist’s immediate area.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Credentials
Massachusetts, Hawaii
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns can be addressed?
She supports people coping with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, codependency, trauma and abuse, addictions, bipolar challenges, and life transitions.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is warm and interactive, combining creative activities with talk therapy and collaborative goal-setting to help clients make small, meaningful changes.
How much experience does she have?
She has eight years of combined work and internship experience in mental health counseling.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
She holds an MA and is a licensed mental health counselor, listed as MA LMHC and HI LMHC, and practices from Hawaii.
Which languages and international arrangements are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed in the biography.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.