Mar’lisa Wooten
Mar’lisa Wooten (she/her) is a counseling intern and a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at North Carolina State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from North Carolina Central University. Mar’lisa brings over 10 years of professional experience in social work, providing her with a strong foundation in advocacy, case management, and community-based support.
As a Black woman, Mar’lisa has both witnessed and experienced the profound effects of chronic stress, racialized experiences, and systemic inequities on Black women and women of color. These lived experiences, along with her extensive background in social services, inspired her to pursue a career in mental health counseling. She is deeply committed to advocating for mental health equity in marginalized communities and creating safe, affirming spaces where clients feel seen, valued, and supported as they navigate healing and growth.
Mar’lisa’s counseling approach is client-centered, strengths-based, and grounded in cultural humility. She integrates feminist theory into her clinical work, recognizing the impact of power, oppression, gender roles, and systemic inequities on mental health. Her practice is trauma-informed and responsive, with attention to racial trauma, generational trauma, and complex trauma. Mar’lisa draws from evidence-based practices including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions. She emphasizes collaboration, empowerment, and holistic healing while honoring clients as experts of their own lived experiences.
Mar’lisa is passionate about working with adults, particularly Black women, women of color, and individuals from marginalized communities. She supports clients experiencing anxiety, depression, burnout, life transitions, identity-related concerns, and trauma-related stress, including racial trauma, intergenerational trauma, and the emotional impact of systemic oppression. Through counseling, Mar’lisa aims to help clients build resilience, strengthen coping skills, and foster long-term emotional wellness within a safe and affirming therapeutic environment.
