Gia Scalise, MSW, LSW

Associate Therapist

Pronouns: they/them & she/her

As a therapist and storyteller, I strongly believe that we are all the experts of our own stories. That being said, stories aren’t linear, nor do they exist in a vacuum, so it can feel like someone else has taken up the pen during times of stress or emotional upheaval. Systems of power, privilege, and oppression, intersecting identities, cultural values, familial ties and ruptures, and the pressure of social norms can greatly affect the way in which we move through the world. My goal is to help you pick the pen back up, create a safe space for you to look at your experiences, relationships, and emotions, and decide what role they played and will continue to play in your story. 

My clinical approach is harm reductionist, person-centered, and relational. This means that the space I create is collaborative, compassionate, and most importantly, judgment-free. I urge you to come as you are and together we can work towards where you’d like to be, wherever that may be. 

I incorporate a mixture of narrative therapy, systems theory, CBT and DBT skills, and psychodynamic approaches in my practice. I also hold space for humor and creativity, both of which I believe are incredibly important tools. While I am open to working with anyone, I am very passionate about LGBTQ+ issues, substance use and recovery, adult children of alcoholics and addicts, neurodivergence (particularly ADHD), intergenerational trauma, anxiety, and depression. 

I’m a therapist and storyteller, but I’m also a queer person, animal lover, and self-appointed nerd. In my free time, I enjoy gardening, binge watching my comfort TV shows, reading, writing, all variety of games, and creating Dungeons & Dragons characters based on my pets. 

gia@empoweredconnectionscounseling.com