Licensed clinical social worker recordColorado
Alison McCandless, LCSW, CSW
Colorado
Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Mood and Stress
Continue with AlisonCredentials check
- Credentials
- LCSW, CSW
- Licensed in Illinois
- LCSW, licence 149024690
- Licensed in Colorado
- LCSW, licence CSW.09929741
- NPI
- 1205611092
- Experience
- 3 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- Colorado
These details come from information Alison supplied to BetterHelp. A licence can be checked with the social work board of the state that issued it, and an NPI with the national registry.
AAbout
- CBT
- DBT
- Psychodynamic
About Alison
Alison McCandless is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in Illinois and Colorado with three years of clinical experience. She has worked in community mental health settings and helps people manage stress, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, relationship strain, and life changes.
Alison spent her recent years at a community mental health agency in Chicago, working with people facing financial strain and complex mental health needs. She moved to Denver, Colorado and continues to work from that region while using her community mental health background to inform care.
Her approach mixes skill-building and digging into personal history. She often teaches coping skills and behavioral strategies while also asking about upbringing and past events to help clients make sense of current patterns. That combination is aimed at both immediate relief and longer-term understanding.
Alison draws on several methods depending on the situation. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, Dialectical Behavior Therapy for emotion regulation and distress tolerance, and psychodynamic ideas to trace repeated patterns back to earlier experiences. Motivational Interviewing can be part of work on change goals.
She uses a biopsychosocial assessment to map functioning and symptom patterns, then prioritizes practical goals. The tone she aims for is nonjudgmental and hopeful. To get started, prospective clients follow the platform steps to match and schedule a first session.
BHow sessions work
How her approaches translate to online work
Alison commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy in her sessions. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which is useful for anxiety, depression, and workplace stress. DBT teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills that help with intense emotions and relationship strain.Finding the best approach is a collaborative process. She reviews a client's history, current goals, and day-to-day challenges, and then suggests methods to try. Clients and the therapist adjust the plan over time based on what helps and what feels manageable.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. The emphasis is on practical, workable therapy that fits normal life routines rather than a one-size-fits-all model.
CAreas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
3+ years
Listed in
Illinois, Colorado
Languages
English
DQuestions
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma, mood disorders including bipolar and depression, relationship and family issues, grief, addictions, eating and anger concerns, workplace stress, and related topics.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She combines skill teaching with exploring personal history. Sessions often include coping skills, behavioral strategies, and time spent connecting past experiences to current patterns.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has three years of experience working primarily in community mental health settings.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW - licensed in Illinois and Colorado and currently located in Colorado.
Does she work in languages other than English or accept international clients?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
Which session formats are offered?
Session formats are not specified in the biography. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session through the platform.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, call 911, or call or text 988. More crisis numbers