“I hope I live to see the day where we no longer have a priority distinction between physical and mental health,” says Lisa Balderman LCSW-R, psychotherapist and owner of Balderman Wellness.
Unfortunately, while awareness for the importance of mental and behavioral health is on the rise, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted how society still separates physical health from mental health.
The increased focus on the physical consequences of COVID-19 has created a secondary, silent pandemic: a mental health crisis. According to a brief released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the first year of the pandemic saw a 25% increase of global prominence of anxiety and depression. Mental health refers to our emotional, social, and psychological well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. Our mental health deserves just as much attention as our physical health.
In Western New York, Lisa Balderman, an advocate for mental health awareness, supports clients, businesses, and other mental health professionals through her therapy and consulting practice.
Meet Lisa Balderman LCSW-R
A lifelong resident of Western New York, Lisa Balderman has been serving community residents for over 14 years in the mental health field. “It’s always been my honor to have my fellow Western New Yorkers trust me with their care,” says Lisa.
Lisa finds meaning through helping her community. Whether working with individuals through psychotherapy or assisting young therapists gain more confidence and skill, helping fellow Buffalonians through challenging times is what it’s all about for Lisa.
Professional Background
Passionate about helping others, since 2008, Lisa Balderman has been practicing across countless public health, private, and collaborative clinical settings. Lisa graduated in 2008 from the University of Toronto, where she received her Master’s Degree in Social Work.
Since then, she has held numerous public health and private clinical positions at a number of mental health organizations across Buffalo, NY including, Catholic Charities, Spectrum Human Services, and Baker Victory Services.
In 2017, Lisa Balderman opened her own private practice offering mental and behavioral health resources for individuals, businesses and other mental health professionals across Western New York. Lisa’s services include therapy, group advice parties, life coaching, as well as corporate and clinical mental health consulting.
A Resource For Mental Health In WNY
A trained clinical social worker, Lisa believes in looking at the whole person, treating people within the context of their own environment. “My experience has taught me that physical health and mental health are very much intertwined, rather than separate and distinct,” says Lisa.
“Our bodies and minds work together to keep us going. You can’t ride a bicycle with only one tire, we need both to pedal.”
Just like our physical health, there are a number of ways to tend to our mental well-being, both virtually and in-person.
Psychotherapy or Counseling
Therapy, also referred to as psychotherapy or counseling, provides individuals with a safe, non judgemental space to work through challenges with a licensed mental health professional. There are many benefits to therapy. Its primary goal is to stimulate change and improve quality of life for an individual through self-awareness and self-exploration.
Lisa believes that through healthy dialogue and transparent communication she can work with clients to identify the root cause of their feelings and behaviors and develop a healing plan.
Advice Parties
A non-traditional source for guidance with a little twist. While not a substitute for therapy, an advice party combines the comfort and fun of an evening with friends or family with unbiased advice from a licensed therapist to navigate all of life’s happenings.
Lisa Balderman designed this unique service to create a more casual environment for people to gain some professional perspective on topics like life, relationships and careers.
Life Coaching
Working toward a goal tends to be easier with a clear plan. Life coaching is a good way for a person to be proactive about their mental health. A life coach helps to set goals, identifies existing problematic behaviors that may be standing in the way of those goals, and helps devise pathways to modify those behaviors to achieve success.
As a licensed psychotherapist, Lisa Balderman leans on her years of experience to coach individuals in goal setting and shaping a path to achieving them.
Corporate Mental Health and Clinical Consulting
Not all mental health programs impact a single person. Corporate and clinical mental health consulting practices can have a positive impact on mental and behavioral health at scale.
When a business implements a mental health program, they are impacting an entire team. When a young mental health professional improves their knowledge and skills in the field, they can help even more individuals and businesses within a community. And when a mental health practitioner starts or grows a private therapy practice, they are bringing quality mental health care to more people.
As a consultant, Lisa Balderman is driving mental health practices at scale.
A Note From Lisa
“I have always felt fortunate to have a career that brings so much meaning to my life. A career that allows me to constantly learn from the individuals I have the honor of working with and walking alongside my fellow Buffalonians through some of the most challenging times in their lives.
It’s both my job and my passion. I am extremely fortunate to have found a career path that serves as both. My greatest gratitude to all those who have allowed me to be part of their personal journeys,” Lisa Balderman.
Through her private practice, Lisa offers a number of services to help people make mental and behavioral health a priority. With both telehealth and office visits available, find the care for your mental well-being. Visit BaldermanWellness.com to learn more.