Marissa Katz Bellani

Collaborative counselor blending creativity and evidence-based care

LMHC Hawaii

Experience: 8 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Marissa

Marissa Katz Bellani is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) based in Hawaii who works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, trauma and abuse, addiction issues, and a broad range of related challenges.

Background and approach

With eight years of professional experience, she combines evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with client-centered and existential perspectives to tailor care to individual needs. Her style is warm, interactive, and person-focused, inviting clients to explore inner strengths and creative resources alongside more traditional talk-based strategies.

Marissa brings training in expressive arts and music-oriented techniques into sessions when helpful, while also drawing on approaches like the Gottman Method for relationship work and mindfulness-oriented practices for stress reduction. She emphasizes collaboration, meeting clients where they are, and supporting movement toward greater balance and self-understanding.

Marissa accepts international clients and offers multiple online session formats, and she maintains the MA LMHC LMHC12356 credential as well as the HI LMHC MHC-851 license. Her work often addresses attachment patterns, family-of-origin themes, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, neurodiversity considerations, and issues such as codependency, forgiveness, and life transitions.

Integrating approaches online for practical change

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical tools to identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, making it useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes values-based action and learning to relate differently to difficult thoughts and feelings, which can help with chronic pain, grief, or persistent worry. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on empathy, acceptance, and supporting the client's own capacity for growth, creating a collaborative atmosphere that complements more technique-driven methods.

Finding the right combination of methods is a shared process. The therapist works collaboratively with each person to explore goals, preferences, and life context, adapting interventions over time so the approach fits the client's needs rather than assuming one method will suit everyone.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing people to engage in care from wherever they are. These options make scheduling easier for busy lives, support ongoing work between sessions, and increase accessibility for those who cannot attend in-person appointments, while still enabling a therapeutic relationship with licensed professionals.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?

Marissa works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, trauma and abuse, addictions, LGBT concerns, bipolar conditions, and coping with life changes among other related topics.

How would you describe the therapeutic approach and style?

Her approach is warm and interactive, combining client-centered and existential perspectives with mindfulness and evidence-based techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

What is her professional background and experience level?

She has eight years of clinical experience and brings training that includes expressive arts and music-informed techniques alongside traditional counseling methods.

Which credentials and location are associated with this clinician?

She holds MA LMHC LMHC12356 and the Hawaii license HI LMHC MHC-851, and she is based in Hawaii.

Can sessions be conducted in languages other than English or with international clients?

Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.

What session formats are available for remote work?

Marissa offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexible ways to connect.

How are costs and payment handled for sessions?

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

What is the process for beginning therapy with this clinician?

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

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGrief Depression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTTrauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesSelf esteemBipolar disorderCoping with life changes

Additional focus areas

Attachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommunication problemsFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacks Phobias Post-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Existential TherapyGottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic Therapy

Experience

8+ years

Licensed

Massachusetts, Hawaii

Languages

English