Therapy with Larissa Mozes

04/01/2026

April is Autism Awareness Month

Working as a therapist with clients on the autism spectrum has fundamentally reshaped how I understand connection, communication, and what it means to truly listen.

So many of the individuals I work with have spent years, often decades, being misunderstood or asked to adapt to a world that wasn’t designed with them in mind. And yet, in the therapy room, I see an incredible depth of insight, honesty, and self-awareness that challenges common assumptions.

My clients have taught me that communication doesn’t have to look a certain way to be meaningful. That directness can be a form of care. That sensory experiences shape emotional life in ways many people overlook. And that “fitting in” is often far less important than feeling safe enough to be authentic.

They’ve also reminded me to slow down. To be precise with language. To check my assumptions. To respect different processing styles rather than pathologize them.

Most of all, they’ve shown me that growth doesn’t mean becoming more like everyone else. It means building a life that actually fits who you are.

It’s a privilege to do this work, and I’m continually learning from the people I have the honor of sitting with.

02/21/2026

As a therapist, I have been reflecting on Season 10 of Love Is Blind and what it reveals about human connection.

The pods create a rare environment. Without visual cues, people lead with vulnerability. They share fears, family dynamics, attachment wounds, and long term hopes. When someone feels heard and emotionally validated, bonding can happen quickly.

That kind of connection is real.

And then real life begins…

Outside the pods, couples face family expectations, financial stress, conflict styles, and the reality of day to day compatibility. This is where attachment patterns become more visible. When someone withdraws, becomes defensive, seeks reassurance, or shuts down, it is often the nervous system trying to create safety, not a lack of care.

A few relationship truths this season highlights:

• Emotional intensity is not the same as long term compatibility
• You can genuinely care about someone and still not be aligned in values or lifestyle
• Conflict is not a red flag by itself, how partners repair matters more
• Strong feelings do not automatically equal emotional safety

What I appreciate most is how this season normalizes something many couples experience privately. Love can be sincere and still complicated. Compatibility requires more than chemistry. It requires regulation, communication, and shared values under pressure.

02/18/2026

We talk about mental health more than ever. That is a real step forward. Awareness is rising, stigma is slowly decreasing, and more people are open to support.

But awareness alone does not equal understanding.

Some common misconceptions still shape how people treat themselves and others, often leading to silence, shame, or waiting too long to get help.

A few important reminders:

• Mental health is not the same as mental illness
Everyone has mental health. It shifts over time and exists on a spectrum. A diagnosis is only one part of the picture.

• Struggling does not mean weakness
Stress, burnout, and emotional pain are human responses to life, not character flaws.

• You cannot always see it
Someone can look productive and put together while struggling internally. Functioning is not the same as thriving.

• Therapy is not only for crises
It can be preventive, growth focused, and a space to build insight and skills.

• Self care is not only comfort
It can look like boundaries, rest, honest conversations, and asking for help.

When we improve how we understand mental health, we make it easier to seek support early and to extend compassion at work and at home.

01/14/2026

12/23/2025

As a therapist, I want to gently remind you that setting boundaries at work is not about being difficult or unkind. It is about protecting your energy, your time, and your mental health. These are not luxuries, they are essential to your well being.

Many people come into therapy carrying the belief that being a “good employee” means always being available, saying yes automatically, and putting personal needs last. Often this belief was learned long before adulthood. Over time, living this way can lead to resentment, burnout, and a quiet sense of losing yourself in your role.

Healthy boundaries can look very practical and very human. They might include not responding to emails after work hours, saying no to tasks that fall outside your role, taking your full lunch break, or asking for clarity when expectations feel unclear. These choices are not selfish. They are acts of self respect and emotional regulation.

Boundaries help you understand what is actually sustainable for you, not just what is expected of you. When your limits are honored, you are able to show up more focused, more present, and more engaged. Boundaries also teach others how to treat you, often without a single confrontation.

If setting boundaries feels uncomfortable or even scary, that is completely normal. Discomfort does not mean you are doing something wrong. It often means you are unlearning old patterns and practicing something new. Your nervous system may need time to adjust.

You are allowed to have limits. You are allowed to take up space. And you are allowed to build a work life that supports your mental health, rather than slowly draining it.

12/13/2025

Sometimes the heart doesn't harden, it goes into hiding. It learns that distance feels safer than hope.

The Grinch didn't need to be taught how to love; he needed to feel safe enough to try again. That is the gentle work of therapy. In the room, we don't tear down the walls we built (the sarcasm, the numbness, the self-reliance). We listen to why they were needed.

With care, those protective parts begin to loosen on their own, not because they are wrong, but because they are finally not alone. Even the smallest opening can change everything.

12/10/2025

Did you know sour candy helps with anxiety and panic attacks?

Sometimes anxiety hits so fast you feel swept away. A quick grounding trick that helps many people is using a sour candy. The intense flavor gives your brain a strong sensory cue that interrupts spiraling thoughts and brings you back into the moment. It is not a cure, just a simple tool that creates enough space to breathe, settle, and reconnect with your body. Keeping one in your bag or pocket can give you a quick reset when anxiety spikes.

12/03/2025

What Wicked Can Teach Us About the Therapy Process

Wicked mirrors so much of what happens in the therapy room. Elphaba carries a story that was written about her long before she had a chance to speak for herself. Many clients come in carrying narratives shaped by family roles, relationship patterns, or cultural expectations. Therapy becomes the place where those inherited stories are examined, softened, and rewritten so they fit the person they are becoming.

Her evolving bond with Glinda reflects the core of relational work. Their connection grows not because they avoid discomfort, but because they move through repair with honesty and curiosity. This is the same process couples and families practice in session, learning that mismatches and misunderstandings can become opportunities for deeper understanding.

At the heart of the story is the work of identity, belonging, and self-acceptance, which is central to so many therapeutic journeys. Elphaba’s growth reflects what happens when a person begins to trust their own experience, even when it disrupts longstanding patterns.

For clients and clinicians alike, Wicked illustrates something simple and true: healing begins when a person is finally allowed to inhabit their own story with clarity, support, and compassion.

11/20/2025

Being a therapist means living with a lot of uncertainty. There is no clear blueprint, no universal checklist, no moment where a bell rings and tells you that you got it right. Therapy is abstract, it is human, it is layered. That is part of what makes this work both challenging and meaningful.

I remind myself often that the goal is not right or wrong. The goal is to help someone’s life become a little lighter, a little clearer, a little more possible.

This work is not about perfection, it is about presence. It is about showing up consistently, listening with care, and holding space for someone to explore their inner world without fear of judgment. And if a client can breathe a little easier because I am there with them, then that is what good therapy looks like.

11/11/2025

Not Everyone Loves the Holidays — And That’s Okay.

The holiday season is often painted as a time of joy, connection, and celebration. But for many people, this time of year can bring up loneliness, grief, stress, or painful memories. The constant messages about cheer and togetherness can make it feel like there’s something “wrong” if you’re not feeling festive, but there isn’t.

You don’t have to love the holidays to be okay. You don’t have to force smiles or participate in traditions that feel heavy. It’s completely valid to set boundaries, simplify your plans, or take space to care for yourself.

As a therapist, I see how stigma around “holiday happiness” can make people feel even more isolated. So if this season feels difficult, please know you’re not alone.

Take care of yourself the way you need to, not the way others think you should.

10/24/2025

Larissa Mozes is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Communications from the University of Dubuque and her Master’s degree in Psychology with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brandman University.

Larissa’s clinical focus includes supporting individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, neurodivergence, and major life transitions. She also has extensive experience working with clients within the LGBTQ+ community and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and gender-identity backgrounds.

Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution Focused approaches, Larissa provides a safe and supportive space where clients can heal, grow, and build confidence to become the best version of themselves.

10/15/2025

💛 Therapist moment of reflection 💛

I saw my own therapist today and want to give her a shout-out. She reminded me that we don’t have to be the perfect person and took a moment to acknowledge all the hats I wear. She called me a good therapist, a good mom, a good daughter, and a good wife, and I cried.

Not because those things aren’t true but because we don’t always hear them. So many of us move through life in fight-or-flight mode just trying to stay afloat. Her words reminded me how powerful it is to be seen and affirmed.

As therapists, parents, partners, and friends, we all need that reminder. Let’s make it a practice to see and speak life into the people around us. You never know who needs to hear it today.