Lisa J. Young, LCPC, LPC

ACA is a community of diverse, vibrant of counselors and educators who are changing lives and the world at large. Lisa J. Young, who joined ACA in 2001, is a professional counselor and owner of Let’s Fly Counseling Services in Maryland. She enjoys helping clients overcome their apprehensions about counseling and grow to embrace it.  

What is the biggest challenge facing the mental health field today?  

The biggest challenge facing the mental health profession is that there are more clients willing to explore counseling as an option for mental wellness, which is great. However, there are not enough therapists to meet the great need for counseling. To provide quality therapeutic services, I try to maintain a caseload that is not too overwhelming. It is hard not taking every call or referral, but therapists need to practice what we share with our clients., “It’s ok to say no”. 

What do you think are the biggest misconceptions about counseling? 

One of the biggest misconceptions about counseling is that clients will be judged by their therapist. Another misconception about counseling is that counseling it is only for individuals who have severe mental health disorders,; and that if you need counseling, there is something wrong with you. I find that the idea of counseling is a mystery for many people. It is very rewarding when I get a client who at first appears somewhat apprehensive or ambivalent about starting counseling eventually embrace the idea “I’m okay, and it’s safe to finally work through what I could not explain to others or manage by myself anymore.”.  

 What do you do to take care of yourself and rejuvenate? 

I try my best to be intentional with doing something that brings me peace. I love taking care of my plants in my home/office. I love reading about the different plant species and making sure I keep them alive and healthy. During the week, I also like going for a walk in my neighborhood to not only exercise, but also to relax my mind. 

If you’d like to share how ACA membership or participation has helped you along your career journey, please do. 

During graduate school, I became a member of ACA because I believe that was a suggested helpful resource from my professors. It was good to learn more about the profession I was embarking on. Once I graduated, I became a Professional Member. Back then, I used to receive not only the Counseling Today magazine, but also the Journals. It was a challenge to keep up with both reading materials, but I felt I had great resources to help me learn as a professional and stay current with many treatment modalities, legal and ethical issues, and practical applications. Being a member has been very helpful over the years. I have attended a few conferences, Toronto 2023 most recently. I have also taken advantage of getting CEUs from the Counseling Today’s articles. As an ACA member, I feel supported and grateful for the work ACA staff does for its members and the counseling profession.