About Ryan
Ryan Lisman is a California-licensed counseling professional with five years of clinical experience. He uses a humanistic, client-centered way of working that puts the person’s goals and values first. He welcomes conversations about identity, mental health, and life changes in a direct and respectful way.
Ryan has supported people dealing with stress and anxiety, depression, and trauma and abuse. He also helps with issues around self-esteem, motivation, and addictions, and addresses concerns tied to intimacy, body image, and relationship difficulties.
How Ryan works
He is comfortable discussing LGBT-related matters and sexuality topics, including BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture. At times his practice includes creative methods drawn from drama therapy and embodied techniques. Those approaches can help people express feelings that are hard to put into words, try out new ways of relating, and practice different responses in real time.
He balances creative work with talk-based work so sessions fit each person’s needs. Ryan currently works as a psychotherapist and drama therapist in a hospital mental health unit in Pasadena, California. He brings that clinical experience into his care while still keeping sessions focused on what the individual wants to address.
He aims to offer steady support during grief, life transitions, and complicated family or relationship concerns. People who meet with him can expect straightforward conversation, gentle challenge, and collaborative planning. He encourages clients to share how they prefer to work so therapy can be shaped around their goals and pace.
What Ryan works with
The areas below are the ones Ryan selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Bipolar disorder
- Body image
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Eating disorders
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Traumatic brain injury
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Register | LPCC |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 5 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | California |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
Approaches and online care that fit your needs
Ryan’s core orientation is humanistic, which centers the person and their goals. This approach focuses on listening closely, honoring each person’s values, and helping them set practical steps for change. It suits people dealing with anxiety, low self-esteem, or life transitions by keeping the work grounded in the client’s priorities.He also uses drama therapy and embodied techniques as complementary tools. These methods invite creative expression through role play, movement, or enactment to access feelings that may be hard to name. They can help with trauma recovery, communication practice, and trying new ways of relating in a contained setting.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the person about their goals, preferences, and what feels most useful, then together they’ll try methods that match those needs. Plans are adjusted over time based on what helps most.
Online therapy offers several practical benefits. Video calls provide face-to-face connection and visual cues, while phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit into a short break. Live chat and text-based messaging allow for ongoing check-ins, written reflection, and more flexible scheduling. These formats make it easier to keep therapy consistent around work, caregiving, and other commitments.
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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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