Hi there, I’m Mirisen (she/her). I offer online therapy for adults, teens, and relationships (couples and polycules) across California. I'm warm and interactive in sessions. I strive to practice from an anti-oppressive lens, attending to how systems of power shape our lives and wounds. My approach is grounded in Internal Family Systems (IFS), attachment theory, and client-centered therapy, with tools from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) when helpful.

I work with people who want to:
- reconnect with their true selves and inner wisdom
- live with greater intention and self-trust
- feel alive in their connection to themselves and others
- follow what brings them meaning and nourishment

I’m an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist based on Lisjan Ohlone land, also known as Oakland, CA.

My name, Mirisen (pronounced Me-ree-sen), is a blend of words from different languages. It reflects my family’s historical ties to different cultures. I also go by Mimi, a nickname from childhood.

I was a curious child who felt deeply. I carry that sense of wonder and open heart with me still. Alongside these qualities, my identities as a queer, cis woman of mixed-heritage (Middle Eastern and white) and a first-generation immigrant shape how I understand myself, others, and the messy, beautiful world we share. Therapy is more than a job to me. I genuinely enjoy what I do and find real meaning in supporting people as they follow what’s alive in them.

Education
M.S., Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling, San Francisco State University
Ph.D., Linguistics with a concentration in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Purdue University
M.A., Linguistics, University of Manchester

I don’t believe therapy is about “fixing” anyone. I see it as a sacred process of exploring and tending to your inner world. Together, we will explore the patterns that shape your life: where they began, how they have served you, and what might be holding you back now. We’ll also work with the different parts of you, including the ones that step in to protect you, even when it means silencing yourself or staying small. We’ll care for the parts that carry unmet needs, grief, or the weight of what you’ve been through. And we’ll connect with the parts that dream of something more, holding your deepest hopes and longings. As we do this work, we may also build a self-soothing toolbox to help you manage distress in a way that feels supportive. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the key approaches I use in therapy. Think of these as the building blocks of our work together.

- Internal Family Systems -
I help you connect with your internal system, your protectors, exiles, and core Self, with compassion. Every part has a story to tell, and none are inherently bad.

- Attachment -
Early relationships shape how we connect (or protect) in the present. By understanding your attachment patterns, we create space for new ways of being. Both with yourself and others.

- Client-centered -
You are the expert on your experience. My role is to walk with you as you explore your inner world and grow into a life that feels more like your own.

Areas of Focus
LGBTQIA+
Neurodiversity
Immigrant experiences
Family of Origin Issues
Relationship Trauma
Religious Trauma
Self-worth
Anxiety

• Adolescent: 13-17
• Young Adult: 18-25
• Adults: 26-65
• Seniors: 65+

• Individuals
• Couples
• Polyamorous relationship groupings

• ADHD
• Aging
• Anxiety
• Autism
• Blended Families, Step-Parenting
• Body Dysmorphia
• Body Image
• Burnout
• Codependency
• Complex Trauma, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD)
• Depression
• Gender Identity Dysphoria/Euphoria
• Grief or Loss
• Intercultural or Interfaith Relationships
• Intergenerational Trauma and Healing
• Parenting
• Polyamory, Non-Monogamy, Open Relationships
• Pregnancy, Pre-Natal, Birth, Postpartum Care
• Racial / Ethnic / Cultural Identity
• Self-Esteem/Worth/Compassion
• Sexual Compulsivity, Hypersexuality
• Social Anxiety
• Socioeconomic Inequity
• Spiritual or Religious Trauma/Abuse
• Stress
• Stages of Life

• Attachment Theory
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Liberation / Decolonized Psychology
• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
• Narrative Therapy
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
• Trauma-Informed

• Turkish

• Credit Card

Individuals: $120 | Couples: $140

Individuals: $60-100 | Couples: $80-120 | Contact me for current sliding scale availability

• Evenings
• Weekdays
• Weekends

Please fill out the contact form on my website or send me an email.

Tracy Smith, PsyD #24366

07/25/2025