Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Doll.
Hi Lisa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Darien, Illinois, the youngest child of three girls to two loving and supportive parents. I began my career in education after earning a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Psychology from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Early on, I knew I wanted to pursue a master’s degree in professional counseling; however, life unfolded differently, and I relocated to Dallas, Texas after my first year of teaching. I went on to teach kindergarten, first, and second grade for 12 years.
While I loved teaching academics, my heart was always drawn to supporting the social and emotional well-being of my students and their families. After becoming a single mother to my first daughter in 2013 and later marrying my husband in 2016, I felt it was time to transition into the counseling profession.
I began graduate school at Amberton University in September 2016 while continuing to teach and welcoming two more daughters. I graduated in November 2019 (7 months pregnant with our 3rd daughter) with a master’s degree in Professional Counseling. After completing 3,000 hours of post-graduate supervision, I became fully licensed as a Professional Counselor in December 2023, at the age of 43.
Following licensure, I founded my private practice, Grace Water Counseling, PLLC. I primarily work with individual adults and couples, with a particular passion for supporting those navigating divorce, blended family dynamics, and trauma. My work is trauma-informed and includes Restoration Coaching, helping clients identify and work through their pain cycles so they can move toward greater healing, clarity, and peace.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The path to this point in my career has not been a smooth one. Becoming a single mother in 2013 and walking through that joy, yet complex journey, ultimately shaped my decision to finally enter the counseling profession. From 2016 through 2023, while completing graduate school and associateship, working full time in education, navigating the early years of marriage, growing my family, and opening my own private practice, I also experienced ongoing involvement with family court. Although deeply challenging, these experiences gave me a firsthand understanding of how counseling techniques and therapeutic interventions can be especially impactful within a family court context. In 2023, I expanded my practice to include the role of Parent Coordinator & Facilitator, allowing me to more intentionally support co-parents navigating high-conflict dynamics with greater structure, understanding, and care to ultimately benefit their children.
Although the road to this point has been somewhat bumpy, I have been deeply blessed by walking through my own healing journey in therapy, leaning on a trusted support system of family and friends, training for and running marathons, and relying heavily on my faith in Jesus Christ.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I specialize in working with individuals navigating separation and divorce, helping them process the stages of separation and rebuild a sense of identity as they step into new roles, responsibilities, and boundaries. My work also includes supporting individuals and families as they adjust to changing family dynamics, including single parenting, co-parenting, and blended families, with the goal of fostering stability, healing, and a hopeful future for both adults and children.
I believe each person’s story is unique, and therefore therapeutic treatment should be individualized. I strive to reflect this belief through an authentic, genuine, and personalized approach to therapy. My eclectic therapeutic style draws from a variety of modalities, including Solution-Focused Therapy, Reality Therapy, Adlerian, Existential, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Cognitive and Behavioral therapies.
I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and offer this approach to clients working through trauma or high levels of distress. I also integrate Christian counseling upon request. In addition, I utilize a Restoration model that incorporates mindfulness, self-regulation, and attachment theory. This approach helps clients understand how violations of love and trust can impact identity and safety, often hindering personal and professional growth. By gaining insight into their cognitive maps and patterns related to identity and safety, clients are empowered to move forward with intentional, best-self actions aligned with their goals.
I approach human nature from a holistic and humanistic perspective, believing that meaningful change and lasting transformation occur when clients engage fully in the counseling process and choose growth. I place strong emphasis on creating a safe, empathetic, and collaborative therapeutic relationship, as a trusting alliance is essential to successful outcomes. What sets me apart is my lived experience through hardship, which deepens my empathy and allows me to meet clients with genuine understanding, compassion, and authenticity.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
`Genuine empathy and compassion for my clients. I really put an emphasis on building a trusting rapport with each individual I work with.
Pricing:
- $175 for Individual sessions
- $225 for Couples sessions
- $275 for Family sessions
- $350 ($175 per person) for Coparent counseling and Parent Facilitation
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gracewatercounseling.com/
