Beyond the Couch

06/11/2026

Grateful to be a part of this organization and collaboration

06/06/2026

06/06/2026

06/01/2026

Hey! I am Liz! Owner and therapist at Beyond the Couch!

Life can be messy, painful, confusing, and sometimes downright overwhelming. You don’t have to carry it all alone.

As a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW), I’ve spent more than a decade working alongside individuals facing some of life’s most difficult challenges. My work has included community mental health, complex trauma, psychosis, and supporting survivors of exploitation and human trafficking. Through it all, I’ve learned that healing rarely happens because someone has all the answers—it happens when people feel safe enough to be fully seen, heard, and understood.

My approach to therapy is authentic, collaborative, and grounded in the belief that every behavior has a story. I don’t believe people are “broken.” I believe people adapt to survive, and together we can make sense of those adaptations while building a life that feels more connected, meaningful, and aligned with who you truly are.

I specialize in working with trauma, complex PTSD, relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, psychosis, and life transitions. I am trained in EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS), and I tailor treatment to each person’s unique needs and goals.

Clients often tell me they appreciate that I am genuine, down-to-earth, and willing to sit with the hard stuff without judgment. Therapy with me isn’t about fixing you—it’s about helping you understand yourself with greater compassion and creating lasting change from that place.

Outside of the therapy office, I serve on the board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, volunteer as a Make-A-Wish wish granter, and have coordinated the Cedar Rapids Walk for Apraxia for over a decade. Advocacy and community connection are not just part of my work—they are part of who I am.

Whether you’re navigating the effects of trauma, feeling stuck in old patterns, or simply looking for a space where you can exhale and be yourself, I’d be honored to walk alongside you.

You don’t have to have it all figured out before reaching out. We’ll start exactly where you are.

05/27/2026

Creating a safe place for people to honor their journey is my most sought after super power!

A person in psychosis is not “being difficult.” A person with severe bipolar disorder is not “choosing chaos.” A person living with schizophrenia is not simply refusing to “get it together.” These are brain disorders rooted in biology, brain function, chemistry, cognition, and perception. Yet social media is still filled with jokes, ridicule, and blame directed at people during the worst moments of their illness.

If someone collapsed from a stroke in public, most people would respond with concern. When someone experiences a psychotic break, many respond with fear, anger, mockery, or punishment. That difference says far more about society’s understanding than it does about the person suffering. We cannot claim to care about health while treating brain disorders differently from every other medical condition.

Serious brain disorders are not a choice.
Brought to you by the Brett M. Staples Brain Disorder Awareness Coalition.
📧 [email protected] | 🌐 brettstaples.org



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