Therapist profile
Dr. Alissa Putman, Psychologist
Psychologist - Family and parenting focus
Continue with AlissaAbout
- Client-centered approach
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
About Alissa
Dr. Alissa Putman is a psychologist licensed in Maryland with 20 years of experience. She works with adults dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, parenting pressures, and questions about identity and career. She also addresses concerns like grief, burnout, sleeping problems, and feelings of isolation.
Dr. Putman focuses on practical steps people can use right now. She pays attention to what is working and what feels stuck. Sessions often include goal-setting and guidance drawn from positive psychology and coaching ideas. She checks in regularly to make sure therapy is moving in a useful direction.
Her work has included roles in higher education and healthcare. That background informs how she talks about job stress, career decisions, and balancing competing demands. She has also volunteered on suicide prevention education and mentored underrepresented minority teens.
In sessions she mixes client-centered listening with cognitive-behavioral tools and family systems perspectives. That means she listens first, then helps identify habits of thought or interaction that keep problems going. For parenting or family-related concerns she looks at how patterns between people affect day-to-day life.
People who prefer clear aims and practical steps may find this approach helpful. She encourages open conversation about goals and adjusts plans based on what feels most useful. To begin, readers are asked to use the site's matching steps to schedule an initial appointment.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online work
Dr. Putman uses client-centered methods that begin with listening to what matters most to the person. That approach helps identify priorities for work, whether the concern is parenting stress, relationship strain, or feelings of emptiness.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to spot unhelpful thinking and change patterns that keep problems going. CBT techniques are practical and can include short exercises to try between sessions for issues like anxiety, low mood, and sleep problems.
Internal Family Systems looks at different parts of a person’s inner life and how they relate to one another. It can be useful when people want to understand recurring reactions, family of origin dynamics, or conflicts around identity and intimacy.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. She will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences and will check in regularly to adjust the plan.
Session logistics should be confirmed before booking since specific formats were not listed in the biography. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Talk with the therapist about scheduling needs and practical adjustments to make therapy workable with everyday life.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
Maryland
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, parenting concerns, career questions, grief, burnout, sleeping problems, and related issues listed in her profile.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She uses a client-centered approach with practical tools from cognitive-behavioral work and family systems thinking to set goals and address patterns that cause difficulty.
How much experience does she have?
She has 20 years of clinical experience working in settings such as higher education and healthcare.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a psychologist licensed in Maryland and practices from that location.
Does she work in languages other than English or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking since the biography does not list specific formats.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.