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LCSW, CSW

Alison McCandless, LCSW, CSW

  • Experience3 years
  • LocationColorado
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, and Bipolar
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Attachment-Based Therapy
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About Alison

Alison McCandless is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who brings three years of community mental health experience to her work in Colorado.

Background and approach

She has provided care for people facing a range of concerns including mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, substance-related challenges, grief, and stress related to caregiving and life transitions.

Licensed in both Illinois and Colorado, she draws on clinical experience gained in a Chicago community mental health setting where addressing practical life stressors and complex diagnoses was central to her practice. Alison adapts her methods to match each person's needs, blending skill-building with deeper exploration of life history.

Her approach incorporates Internal Family Systems ideas alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, while also using psychodynamic perspectives and strengths-based strategies. She values a biopsychosocial assessment to understand functioning and symptom patterns, then works collaboratively to develop coping tools, clarify patterns, and help clients derive meaning from their experiences.

Alison aims to offer nonjudgmental, hopeful support and emphasizes that every client story matters. She is available for video, phone, live chat, and text-based sessions and asks interested people to begin by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire.

How Therapeutic Approaches Guide Online Care

Alison integrates Internal Family Systems principles and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy into her online practice to address both inner experience and everyday coping. Internal Family Systems offers a way to notice and work with different parts of oneself - for example protective or wounded parts - so clients can relate to those parts with curiosity rather than judgment, which can be helpful for trauma, attachment wounds, and self-criticism. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, teaching practical skills that reduce anxiety, improve mood, and support day-to-day functioning.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Alison works together with each client to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting techniques over time and blending skills training with exploration of personal history when that fits the client's priorities.

Online work with her is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and access. These formats make it possible to maintain continuity of care amid busy schedules, geographic moves, or caregiving responsibilities, and they allow for ongoing skill practice and check-ins in ways that fit each person's lifestyle.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Alison commonly address?
She works with a broad set of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar mood concerns, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, relationship and workplace problems, eating and anger issues, and compassion fatigue.
What is Alison's therapeutic style and approach?
Her style combines practical skills training with deeper exploration of personal history, integrating methods such as Internal Family Systems concepts, CBT, DBT, psychodynamic ideas, and strengths-based work to fit client needs.
How much clinical experience does she bring?
She has three years of experience working in community mental health settings, primarily supporting people with a variety of mental health concerns and life stressors.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
Alison holds LCSW and CSW credentials and is licensed as IL LCSW 149024690 and CO LCSW CSW.09929741, and she practices in Colorado.
In which language can sessions be held and are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English, and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available for working with her?
She offers multiple remote formats including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different needs and preferences.
How are fees and payment structured?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What should someone do to begin therapy with Alison?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to her availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseBipolar disorderDepressionCoping 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 stressSocial 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