About Alissa
Dr. Alissa Putman helps people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin. She aims to make the first steps toward change feel manageable and straight forward.
Her approach is warm and practical, and she pays attention to what each person values and wants to accomplish. She listens closely to what is going well and what is not. Then she works with people to set clear, realistic goals.
Sessions focus on doable changes that fit daily life, whether the concern is stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, or career uncertainty.
How Alissa works
Dr. Putman holds an MD and has 20 years of experience working in higher education and healthcare settings. She has worked with diverse people and has volunteered on suicide prevention education and mentoring for underrepresented teens.
Her practice draws on client-centered methods, cognitive-behavioral ideas, and Internal Family Systems thinking. That means she centers each person’s priorities, helps identify unhelpful thought patterns, and pays attention to the different parts of a person’s inner life. Sessions often include goal-setting, straightforward coping tools, and ways to strengthen communication and self-care.
She checks in regularly to make sure the work is heading where the person wants it to go. Dr. Putman practices in Maryland and conducts sessions in English.
People who want a collaborative, goal-minded approach that stays grounded in everyday life may find her style helpful.
Alissa lists 3 ways of working on the entry:
What Alissa works with
The areas below are the ones Alissa selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Anger management
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Parenting issues
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Register | MD |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 20 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Maryland |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
Therapy approaches and how online sessions work
Dr. Putman uses client-centered work to begin by understanding what matters most to each person and to shape sessions around those priorities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and teaches practical coping skills for anxiety, depression, and stress. Internal Family Systems helps name and gently work with the different parts of a person’s inner life to reduce blame and increase self-compassion.Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will collaborate with people to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences, and will adjust the plan as needed. That collaborative process helps make sure the focus stays relevant and useful.
Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be a good fit when video is impractical or bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text-based messaging can be used for brief check-ins, coaching-style support, or when a written conversation feels easier. These formats offer flexibility for busy schedules and different comfort levels, while keeping the focus on consistent progress and practical strategies.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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