Alison McCandless, LCSW, CSW - Therapist in Colorado

About Alison

Alison McCandless is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with three years of clinical experience. She moved to Denver, Colorado after practice in Chicago and holds licenses in Illinois and Colorado. Alison draws on direct work with people facing serious life stress, mood and psychotic disorders, anxiety, depression, trauma, and everyday struggles.

She offers practical support without judgment and focuses on clear steps people can try between sessions. Alison adapts her approach to each person rather than using a single method.

Background and approach

She commonly teaches coping skills and behavior changes while also asking about a person’s history. That helps connect current problems to past experiences and patterns. She uses assessments that consider biology, psychology, and social factors to shape treatment choices.

In sessions Alison blends skill-building therapies with talk-based work. She may teach tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to manage emotions and change unhelpful thoughts. She also uses Attachment-Based and psychodynamic ideas to look at relationships and deeper patterns.

Her background includes work in community mental health with people from low-income backgrounds. That experience informs a straightforward, practical style aimed at everyday life problems like work stress, grief, substance concerns, or relationship troubles. Sessions are offered in English and framed around the client’s goals.

Alison works with a subscription model for sessions. Scheduling follows the site's matching process and appointments are arranged according to therapist availability. She encourages people who want help to take the first step and complete the matching questionnaire.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current patterns. Online sessions using this approach focus on how trust and connection affect mood and behavior, which can help with relationship difficulties and attachment concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, teaches concrete skills to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. In video or phone sessions clients learn practical exercises and homework they can try between meetings to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, emphasizes emotion regulation and distress tolerance. It offers step-by-step tools for intense emotions, and those skills translate well to brief teaching during live chat, text coaching, or scheduled video sessions.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to your goals, review your history, and suggest strategies that match your needs and preferences. Together you can adjust the plan as progress continues.

Online therapy provides flexible ways to connect. Video calls let you work face to face from home, phone sessions remove travel needs, and live chat or text messaging offer quicker, smaller check-ins. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy family and work routines while keeping focus on practical goals and skill building.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Concrete skills for riding out strong emotion, tolerating distress, and handling relationships without things escalating. The skills are practised in daily life, so between-session support by message or phone fits naturally.

Frequently asked questions

What problems does Alison help address?

She works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, mood issues like bipolar and depression, addictions, grief, eating and anger problems, and work-related stress.

What is Alison's style in therapy?

Her style combines skill teaching and deeper conversation. Clients learn practical coping tools and also talk through personal history to find meaning and change patterns.

What training and experience does she have?

Alison holds the Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential with three years of experience in community mental health settings working with diverse needs.

Where is Alison licensed and based?

She is based in Colorado and is licensed in Illinois and Colorado as an LCSW and CSW with license numbers IL LCSW 149024690 and CO LCSW CSW.09929741.

Which languages are used in sessions?

Sessions are offered in English only and international clients are not accepted at this time.

What formats are available for sessions?

Therapy can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.

How are fees and payment handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin a therapy relationship?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 3 years
Licensed: Illinois, Colorado
Languages: English

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