Meet The Therapists

Welcome to Turning Point Therapy’s webpage, I am so glad you found us! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, who has been providing therapy to adults and adolescents in a range of settings since 2006. I have been in private practice since 2012 and formed the Turning Point Therapy group in 2018. I have my undergraduate degree from Villanova University – Go Wildcats! – and my graduate training from The State University at Stony Brook. I am EMDRIA Certified in providing EMDR therapy and am a Consultant-In-Training. I love that my work with clients has evolved to being able to work on underlying issues instead of merely helping someone cope with and manage their symptoms. I work by gathering a client’s history, figuring out with them what they want from therapy and making a plan together about how to achieve that goal. Together we will use EMDR, parts/ego state work, attachment theory and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy among other interventions to heal.   I oversee all of the treatment at Turning Point Therapy, so no matter which therapist you choose, I will always see to it that you are receiving excellent care.

My name is Carissa McDermott and I am a licensed clinical social worker. I believe the best way of healing through trauma and anxiety is to develop coping skills/ communication skills/self-regulation skills in order to improve overall functioning. I have completed basic training in EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing) in 2015 and utilize this model with my clients to address maladaptive beliefs that are impacting the ability to improve quality of life and reduce distress. I have also been trained in TF-CBT (trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy) and will utilize aspects of this model in my therapeutic practice. I love staying on top of the latest treatment interventions to utilize these techniques to help you heal. I believe we must meet our clients where they are in order to best support them in a safe, therapeutic environment to reach their goals.

I am a Licensed Master Social Worker and as your therapist, my goal is to create a warm, safe, non-judgmental space for your self-discovery and healing. I support my clients as they build on their intrinsic skills and strengths so that they can navigate through difficult periods and life transitions in ways that foster growth and well-being. I believe that the strongest therapeutic relationships are built from trust, respect, transparency, empathy, and equality. I counsel from a place of kindness, understanding, and compassion through an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens. 

In our first sessions, we will work to establish goals for treatment so that our later sessions can serve to deepen self-exploration into how we can meet those goals. I use a combination style of CBT, psychodynamic, and attachment theory and then tailored to best suit the client's goals and needs. I am also incorporate EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) into my therapeutic approach as I completed EMDR Basic Training in 2022. I have an eclectic and flexible perspective. I have experience with and specialize in treating depression and anxiety disorders, PTSD, and Complex Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). I also believe in a mind-body connection in healing trauma and place emphasis on the interaction between these two systems.

I am a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who focuses on helping clients rediscover who they are and become their most authentic selves. By learning someone's nature and working within this framework, allows for a foundation to cultivate more permanent changes in their lives. In my experience in helping others, this has been the most beneficial way to assist people with changing their own lives. I use a holistic approach to each individual client and their goals. I utilize a mix of psychodynamic, ACT, attachment theory, and relational theory to tailor care to client needs. Along with this, I will begin EMDR training April 2023. I specialize in working with clients who want to shift cycles and patterns that lead to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, trauma/PTSD, and life transitions.