Marissa Katz Bellani

Marissa Katz Bellani is a licensed mental health counselor who focuses on helping people facing grief, stress, and major life changes. She brings a calm, warm presence and listens without judgment to what matters most to each person. Sessions aim to ease anxiety, improve relationships, and help people find balance in everyday life.

Her background includes a Master of Arts from Lesley University with work that emphasized music therapy and expressive arts. Marissa has eight years of clinical experience and uses that time to blend creative methods with talk therapy. She meets people where they are and tailors sessions to individual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.

Therapy with her often includes practical tools to manage overwhelming feelings. She draws on approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, client-centered work, and cognitive behavioral techniques. These options support learning new coping skills, shifting unhelpful thoughts, and clarifying personal values.

Marissa also brings experience addressing relationship concerns, family and caregiver stress, trauma and abuse, addictions, and issues around identity and intimacy. She lists hospice and end-of-life counseling among her focus areas and can help people facing grief and related decisions.

Sessions are conducted in English and are available to international clients as noted in her profile. Prospective clients should confirm current session options and scheduling details before booking.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Marissa uses several practical approaches that adapt well to online work. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice thoughts and choose actions that match their values; it can help with anxiety, grief, and making life changes. Client-centered therapy centers on listening and understanding the person without judgment, which supports emotional processing and building trust during sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches concrete skills to reduce distress and manage symptoms.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. She will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and daily life. That choice can change over time as needs shift or new priorities emerge.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm the current session formats before booking since the biography notes online work for Hawaii clients. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so appointments are more practical. Therapists and licensed professionals can adapt exercises, creative tools, and homework to an online setting so progress continues between meetings.