About

Welcome! My name is Lizzie. I am a queer, cisgender, white woman who grew up in a small town as a nerdy theater kid with perfectionist tendencies. As the eldest daughter I learned how to take care of my family and loved ones but it took time to learn how to be there for myself. My journey to adulthood has been about finding my authentic voice, building supportive community, and finally feeling comfortable in my own skin. I learned along the way that being an introvert is a superpower as long as you know how to protect your peace.

As a parent myself, I understand the delicate balance of wanting the best for your child while questioning when to guide them, when to step in, and when to let them navigate challenges independently. I know how your own upbringing influences these decisions as you create a safe space for your teen to discover who they truly are.

I specialize in working with teens and young adults who are searching for their identity and place in the world. My clients often come to therapy feeling lost, anxious, or needing support after a traumatic event in their life. Through my own journey (which will be different from yours), I've witnessed the transformative power of discovering your authentic voice, even when it feels impossible at first. This discovery builds confidence, clarity, and deeper connections with yourself and your community.

If you are questioning who you are in this complex world, and want a safe place to explore all of the possibilities and develop your inner compass, let’s work together.

A note about my work:

I center anti-racist, womanist, and community-based practices in my work that focus on what Liberation-focused care looks like in real time. I believe the source of the problems my clients face is located in the systems they are surrounded by and not in the person themselves. I love finding resources that genuinely work for my clients and helping them find or build local community and mutual aid support. With my clients I am often asking: Who are you? What support do you need to feel that all parts of you are seen and validated? What communities do you connect with or want to connect with that affirm who you are and what you need to thrive?

Areas of Focus

LGBTQIA+ Affirming

10+ years of experience in Trauma-centered Psychotherapy
Trained in Shawna Murray Browne’s framework of Liberation Focused Healing
Certified in Developmental Transformations
Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT #002223)
Registered Drama Therapist (RDT) and Board Certified Trainer (BCT). Read more about drama therapy here.

Publications

McAdam, L. (2020). Speaking your truth: Using creative writing to process grief & negotiate self-disclosure in trauma-informed care. In E. Counselman Carpenter & A. Redcay’s (Eds.), Working with grief and traumatic loss: Theory, practice, personal reflection, and self-care (pp. 286-290). San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing.

McAdam, E. & Davis, C. (2019) Confronting power, privilege and oppression in trauma-informed school-based work: Framing the ALIVE model within critical race theory. Drama Therapy Review, 5(1), pp. 85-101.

Sajnani, N., Mayor, C., Burch, D., Davis, C., Feldman, D., Kelly, J., Landis, H., McAdam, E. (2019). Collaborative discourse analysis on the use of drama therapy to treat trauma in schools. Drama Therapy Review, 5(1), pp. 27-47.

McAdam, E. & Johnson, D.R. (2018). Reducing depressive symptoms in adolescents with posttraumatic stress disorder using drama therapy. In A. Zubala & V. Karkou (Eds.), Arts Therapies in the Treatment of Depression (pp. 48-67). New York: Routledge.

McAdam, E. (2018). Play in family therapy: Engaging the whole family system. Drama Therapy Review, 4(1), pp. 135-138.

Photo by Marielle Solan Photography