Alison McCandless

Practical skills and thoughtful exploration for healing

LCSW, CSW Colorado

Experience: 3 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Bipolar
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Attachment-Based Therapy
Languages: English

About Alison

Alison McCandless is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Colorado with three years of experience working in community mental health.

Background and approach

She spent recent years supporting people facing mood and psychotic disorders, trauma, anxiety, depression, and a range of life stressors while working in Chicago, and she holds active licensure in both Illinois and Colorado (IL LCSW 149024690, CO LCSW CSW.09929741).

Her approach blends practical skill-building with exploration of personal history to help clients understand how past experiences shape present difficulties. Alison draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) alongside attachment-focused and psychodynamic ideas, tailoring interventions to each persons needs and strengths.

She emphasizes biopsychosocial assessment to gauge functioning and to guide which tools will be most useful. Alison works with concerns that include stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, mood disorders such as bipolar and depression, substance-related struggles, relationship and family issues, grief, eating and body-related problems, anger, self-esteem, career and workplace challenges, and compassion fatigue.

She aims to offer nonjudgmental support and collaborative care for people seeking to make meaningful change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Alison brings evidence-informed methods into online work, often using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts and develop practical coping strategies for anxiety, depression, and mood symptoms. She also integrates Attachment-Based Therapy to explore how early relationships influence current patterns and to support changes in relationship functioning and emotional regulation. When helpful, Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques are used to build distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills for people experiencing intense emotions.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process, and Alison collaborates with each client to choose strategies that match their goals, history, and preferences. She combines skill-building with attention to personal story so treatment feels both practical and meaningful.

Online therapy sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care from home or work and allow clients to access support in ways that suit their daily life and comfort level.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Alison commonly address?

She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, depression, addictions, relationship and family concerns, grief, eating and anger-related problems, self-esteem and career or workplace stressors.

What is her therapeutic style and approach?

She combines practical coping skills and behavioral strategies with exploration of personal history, drawing on methods such as CBT, DBT, attachment-informed work, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic ideas to match each person's needs.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has three years of experience, primarily in community mental health settings where she supported clients with varied mental health needs.

What credentials and licensure does she hold and where is she located?

She is credentialed as LCSW and CSW and is licensed in Illinois and Colorado with license numbers IL LCSW 149024690 and CO LCSW CSW.09929741, and she practices in Colorado.

Can she work with clients in languages other than English?

Sessions are provided in English only and she is not listed as offering services in other languages.

Are international clients accepted for therapy?

International clients are not currently accepted; she works with clients within her licensed jurisdictions.

What session formats are available for meeting with her?

She offers multiple online formats including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different communication preferences.

How does cost and getting started work?

Cost varies by location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuseBipolar disorderDepression Coping with life changes

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefEating disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesCaregiver issues and stressCommunication problemsEating and food-related issuesGuilt and shameHoardingLife purposeMoney and financial issuesMood disordersParanoiaPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stress Social anxiety and phobiaWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Motivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

3+ years

Licensed

Illinois, Colorado

Languages

English