Meet Alyssa Danis, Mental Health Therapist
Meet Alyssa Danis, Mental Health Therapist with our Adult Outpatient Mental Health team. Three years ago, she joined LifeWorks NW as an intern at Mountaindale Recovery Center. What started as a graduate school requirement would ultimately shape the course of her career.
Turning research to human connection
Alyssa didn’t always envision a career in therapy. Before joining LifeWorks NW, she worked as a neuroscience research assistant at Oregon Health and Science University, studying traumatic brain injury and epilepsy. While she remains passionate about neuroscience, she found herself wanting to work more directly with people and be part of what she describes as the “after-the-injury process” of healing and recovery. For Alyssa, being a therapist is about being a conduit for change.
“Clients are in the driver’s seat, and they have the final destination,” she says. “I just have the map and provide some fun and light along the way.”
Her path eventually led her to a master’s degree in clinical psychology and a year-long internship at LifeWorks NW’s Mountaindale Recovery Center. It was there that she found her calling.
“Wow, I love this. Maybe this is how we help heal people,” she recalls.
From intern to therapist
After completing her internship, Alyssa stayed connected with the agency. An opportunity soon opened for a full-time therapist with our Enhanced Adult Mental Health Services (EAMHS) team, giving her the chance to continue the work she had come to love.
“I decided to stay to continue to support a population of individuals who need it most,” she says.
From there, her career at LifeWorks NW continued to evolve, eventually leading her to her current role with our Adult Outpatient Mental Health team.
Finding joy in growth
The most rewarding part of Alyssa’s work is witnessing the progress her clients make.
“They set the boundary, they engage in harm reduction, they start to say nice things to themselves, they leave the house,” she says. “Seeing those client wins is the most rewarding part.”
She also values the opportunity to learn from the people around her. “It’s rewarding to work with good people, have support, and continue growing as a clinician,” she adds.
Outside of work, Alyssa enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors as much as possible with her dog — hiking, backpacking, paddleboarding, or even cross-country skiing! She also likes bouldering, though she jokes, “That’s inside. I haven’t graduated to real rocks yet.”