Online in Colorado, New Mexico
(Online Only)
I've been working with clients in a consultant capacity since 2009, and since completing my Master's in Social Work a few years ago as an LMSW/LSW, have added a strong clinical foundation to that experience. Together, they give me a deep well of practical, real-world knowledge to draw from with every client who sits down across from me. In addition, I have an adult bonus daughter and two adult children (with whom I have wonderful, fulfilling relationships) as well as having been a coparent.
I believe learning never stops — especially in a healing profession. I regularly pursue continuing training across a range of modalities, including Internal Family Systems (IFS) and trauma-informed, neuro-affirming approaches, so the tools I bring into session stay current, evidence-based, and responsive to the person actually in front of me.
I enjoy working with a wide variety of individuals, couples, and families from all backgrounds, walks of life, and family structures, and I bring particular depth of experience working with families who are CPS or CYFD involved. Social justice and equity aren't an add-on to my practice — they're part of how I show up for every client, and I'm committed to creating a space where people of all identities and circumstances feel respected, seen, and supported.
Client Focus
Session Format: Couple, Group, Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult
Languages: English
Treatment Approach
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy Based on decades of research, this method gives couples tools to improve communication, manage conflict, and strengthen intimacy.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) Helps clients heal by working with different ‘parts’ of themselves, like inner critics or wounded children. It fosters harmony within the self.
- Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) Emphasizes empathy, unconditional positive regard, and authenticity. It provides a safe space for self-discovery and growth.
- Psychoeducational Therapy Provides education and coping tools about mental health conditions. It empowers clients with knowledge and practical skills.
Approach Description: I approach all clients from the perspective that they are the experts on what they need and I am collaborating to help them reach their goals. With that in mind, each session is unique, co-created by participants and myself.
Fees & Insurance
Fees
- Average Session Fee $65 for group, $150 for individual, $180 for couples
- Accepts Insurance
- Medicaid, Medicare, BCBS, Presbyterian, Aetna, United, Humana, Cigna, NM Health Connections
Education & Credentials
Elissa Chazdon LMSW, LSW
- Female
- License # SWB-2024-1192, LSW.0009927124
- Licensed in NM, CO
- Practicing Since 2024
Education: BS fin Biology from UNM, MSW from NMHU, and hundreds of continuing education hours
Elissa Chazdon Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available Online for residents of Colorado, New Mexico
- Online Therapy Details: I use a fully HIPAA compliant version of Zoom and can fall back on HIPAA compliant Google Meet if needed.
My practice is built around a simple belief: every family, couple, and individual has the capacity to build healthier, more connected relationships — they just sometimes need the right tools, support, knowledge, and a space free of judgment.
My approach is grounded, authentic, and collaborative. I draw heavily on Internal Family Systems (IFS), and I work from a trauma-informed, neuro-affirming lens — understanding how nervous system differences and developmental experiences shape the patterns that bring people to therapy in the first place. Rather than assigning blame, I focus on building real, practical skills: the kind that hold up outside the therapy room, in the middle of an actual bedtime meltdown or a tense co-parenting handoff.
I work with individuals, couples, and families, and I run parenting and coparenting psychoeducational groups using the Love and Logic approach — practical, firm-but-loving tools for setting limits, building trust, and communicating clearly, whether you're parenting together or coparenting apart. Groups run as either a 6-week series (Becoming a Love and Logic Parent) or a 4-week series (Got Kids?), in group or private formats, in person or online. My specialty areas within this work include ADHD, anxiety, autism and neurodivergence, chronic pain or illness, codependency, divorce, LGBTQ+ issues, stress, infertility or adoption, self-esteem, and child or adolescent development.
I bring particular depth of experience to families who are CPS or CYFD involved, and I've worked closely with schools, tribal communities, and family law attorneys, GALs, and judges on court-referred cases — so if you're navigating those systems, you're working with someone who understands that world. More broadly, I'm committed to social justice and equity in my work, and I enjoy partnering with individuals and couples from every background and family structure.
My educational foundation includes a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Social Work, and am a Licensed Master Social Worker in both New Mexico and Colorado. I've been working with clients in a consultant capacity since 2009 — over 17 years now — and I hold onto the belief that learning never stops in a healing profession: I regularly pursue continuing education and training, and I bring a genuinely well-rounded, integrative perspective shaped by a lifelong curiosity about how people heal and grow.
If you're looking for a practical, compassionate partner in building a healthier relationship — with your kids, your coparent, your partner, or yourself — I'd be glad to work with you.