Alison McCandless

Compassionate clinician blending skills and insight

About Alison

Alison McCandless is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with three years of experience providing mental health care in community settings. She holds licenses in both Illinois and Colorado - IL LCSW 149024690 and CO LCSW CSW.09929741 - and recently relocated to Denver after working in Chicago.

Background and approach

Her clinical background centers on supporting people navigating mood and psychotic disorders, trauma, anxiety, depression, and complex life stressors encountered in community mental health work. Alison draws on several therapeutic models to meet individual needs, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), psychodynamic approaches, and attachment-informed perspectives.

She combines skill-building and behavioral strategies with careful history-taking so clients can make connections between past experiences and present patterns. Her practice emphasizes a biopsychosocial assessment to understand functioning and symptom patterns and she works without judgment while fostering hope.

Areas Alison addresses include stress, trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, addictions, grief, self-esteem and workplace issues among many others. She offers a collaborative, strengths-oriented approach aimed at helping clients develop coping tools, clarify goals, and find meaning as they work toward improved well-being.

Applying Evidence-Based Approaches to Online Care

Attachment-informed work focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns of connection and trust, helping clients explore relationship dynamics and heal attachment wounds. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) addresses the links between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors by teaching practical skills to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and modify unhelpful thinking. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, offering concrete strategies for managing intense feelings and improving relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and collaboration guides that choice. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and clinical needs to determine whether CBT, DBT, attachment-based work, or a combination will best support progress, adjusting the plan as work unfolds.

Online therapy with this practice uses video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and access. These options allow scheduling that fits varied routines, consistent contact when life gets busy, and multiple ways to practice skills between longer sessions, all aimed at making it easier to engage in meaningful therapeutic work.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Alison address?

She works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, depression, addictions, grief, eating issues, anger, self-esteem, career and workplace problems, and related symptoms listed in her focus areas.

What is Alison's general therapeutic style?

Her style blends skills-based interventions and deeper exploration, using approaches such as DBT, CBT, psychodynamic therapy, and attachment-informed work to build coping skills while connecting history to current patterns.

What background and experience does she bring?

She has three years of experience working in community mental health settings, engaging with diverse clients facing mood and psychotic disorders, trauma, anxiety, depression, and life stressors.

Where is Alison licensed and based?

She is licensed in Illinois and Colorado with credentials IL LCSW 149024690 and CO LCSW CSW.09929741, and is based in Colorado.

Does she offer services in languages other than English?

Sessions are offered in English; she is not listed as providing services in other languages and is not accepting international clients at this time.

What formats are available for sessions?

Alison provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging as session formats to accommodate different needs and preferences.

How is cost structured for sessions?

Costs vary by location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What are the steps to begin working with her?

To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule based on the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

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