OUR TEAM > Lisa Kays

Lisa Kays

LICSW, LCSW, LCSW-C

Licensed in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey & Oregon
Board-approved supervisor in Oregon, Maryland and Virginia. (DC and NJ don’t require board approval.)

Lisa Kays (she/her)

Therapist/Owner

Lisa brings warmth, curiosity, and realness to her work as a therapist. She supports individuals, couples, and groups in navigating a wide range of concerns. Below, learn more about her background, clinical lens, lived experience, and what therapy with her is actually like:

Lisa is an independently licensed clinical social worker in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Oregon and is a registered supervisor in Maryland, Virginia, and Oregon. She sees adults who want to explore anxiety, depression, their relationship with substances, difficulty fitting in socially, perfectionism, rumination, life transitions — including death of a parent, challenges in finding or maintaining a romantic or long-term relationship, and painful childhood experiences — including abuse, intergenerational trauma, and addicted family systems.
Lisa works with people individually, and provides relationship therapy and group therapy. She also provides clinical supervision and consultation.
It is Lisa’s experience — after a decade of witnessing change in her clients and herself — that all behaviors, thoughts, and feelings make sense given past experience and our cultural and social context. That there is, in fact, nothing wrong with us.
Through therapy with Lisa, you will explore yourself and come to better understand what parts of your suffering or struggle are linked to your temperament, nature, inherited traits, ancestral trauma — and what is influenced by your environment: the people, culture, and social context that is constantly shaping all of us.
Through a better understanding of ourselves within this greater context, Lisa has observed that her clients are then better equipped to make decisions and find solutions that truly work for them.
A lot opens up when you stop assuming there is something wrong with you — and start looking into who you are, what you need, what makes you tick, and what settles your nervous system. That’s when things begin to shift — toward a life where you can really thrive.
If you’re looking for a non-shaming, non-judgmental, creative, expansive type of therapy that fosters creative problem-solving, self-awareness, and self-compassion — with someone who isn’t looking down on you — Lisa may be a great fit for you.
Feedback from patients is that Lisa’s style is warm, dynamic, compassionate, respectful, and genuine. Also, that Lisa is funny and uses humor, when appropriate, to foster healing. We laugh, after all, to survive.
Lisa is not a “stare and nod” type of therapist — if you want therapy that feels conversational, real, and down to earth, please reach out!
Lisa is a white, cis, mid-life person with pink hair, for as long as her hair will hold the dye (gray hair is finicky about it, it turns out). She treasures her many friends, and is married and a parent to two school-aged boys.
If you have questions about any of Lisa’s identities or experiences that may be relevant to or important to you, you are welcome and encouraged to ask!
Lisa strives for her practice to be open and friendly to all people, including those whose identities are marginalized in American culture, and she works to bring an anti-racist, social justice-oriented lens to her work.

Training & Ongoing Education

Master’s in Social Work from Catholic University’s National Catholic School of Social Service
- Completed ClinicalHypnosis Level 1 Training with the Florida Society of Clinical Hypnosis & Level 2 Clinical Hypnosis Advanced Training with the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis. Currently seeking ongoing consultation towards certification in clinical hypnosis from ASCH.
- Completed Relational Life Therapy Level 3 Training in couples therapy
- Three hours of continuing education with Dr. Carmen Knudson-Martin in Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy: Bridging Emotion, Societal Context, and Couple Interaction.
- Completed Training 101: Fundamentals of Working with Neurodiverse Couples in Therapy (AANE – Asperger/Autism Network)
- Completed Introduction to Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy & Introduction to Ketamine for Mental Health with Fluence Training
- Completed Raising Orchid Kids Core Course with SpeechKids
- Completed Working with Adults Who Have Earliest Wounds: A Prenatal and Perinatal Somatic Perspective (Belvedere Integrated Healing Arts)
- Completed Hand-in-Hand Parenting Professionals' Intensive Course
- Advanced-level trainee in Rehearsals for Growth!, using improvisational drama in psychotherapy
- Completed the Washington School of Psychiatry’s 9-month Supervision Training Program
- Completed the first year of the Washington School of Psychiatry’s Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy Program
- Board-Approved Supervisor for Social Work in Maryland, Virginia, and Oregon. (Certification not required for DC)
- Full Member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis as of October 2025
Trained and worked with a diverse spectrum of clients in a variety of clinical settings, including:
- Washington Hospital Center’s Inpatient Psychiatry Unit
- Catholic University Counseling Center
- A residential substance abuse treatment program within a women’s prison
- An outpatient clinic primarily serving court-mandated clients and clients on federal probation
- Kolmac Clinic
- Private practice

Featured Work

Lisa Kays has delivered presentations and workshops on various topics including improv in therapy, improv for professional development, social media ethics, substance abuse, change and transition, branding, and advocacy. Lisa has published a number of articles and her work has been featured prominently in the press.

- Navigating Career Uncertainty and Related Anxiety and Grief
  The Public Service Alliance | Zoom; Washington, D.C. | March 14, 2025
- Working with Clients Around Career Stress in the New Climate: Preparing Clients for the Gut Punch of a Shifting Culture, Layoffs, Career Transitions and Opportunities in collaboration with Dr. Judith Klavans
  Lisa Kays PLLC | Zoom; Washington, D.C. | January 10, 2025 & March 7, 2025
- Seeing the Unseen Child: Setting Aside Implicit Bias—the Ethics of Curiosity and Clarity about possible Neurodivergence in Children when Treating Their Grownups in collaboration with Gabriele Nicolet, MA, CCC-SLP and Jen Dryer, MA
  Lisa Kays PLLC | Zoom; Washington, D.C. | October 25, 2024
- Improvisation for Decolonization: The Role of Improvisation on Ethical Decision-making Around Cultural Competence, Social Justice, and Anti-Racism
  American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) Connect 2024 Conference | National Harbor, MD | March 1, 2024
- Bringing More Improv Culture and Play Into Our Groups
  Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society (EGPS) Seminar Series | Virtual | February 11, 2024
- My client said I’m racist… What now?: The Role of Improvisation in Ethical Decision-making
  Washington, D.C. | May 12, 2023
- Improvisation for Therapists
  Catholic University Counseling Center Externship Training Program | Washington, D.C. | March 23, 2023
- Improv for Therapists: Treating Those in Recovery from Substance Abuse
  Sponsored by Lakeview Behavioral Health | Virtual (Multi-state) | April 16, 2021
- Improv for Vicarious Traumatic Stress
  Staff, So Others May Eat (SOME) | Virtual (Washington, D.C.) | January 28, 2021
- Improv for Vicarious Traumatic Stress
  Jordan House, So Others May Eat (SOME) | Virtual (Washington, D.C.) | October 15, 2020
- Improv for Teambuilding of the Legal Assistance Team (Pro Bono)
  CAIR Coalition | Washington, D.C. | October 15, 2019
- Improv for Behavioral Health Staff
  Whitman Walker Clinic | Washington, D.C. | September 25, 2019
- Improv for Staff in a Youth Treatment Program
  Whitman Walker Clinic | Washington, D.C. | September 11, 2019
- Improv for Therapists
  Walter Reed Psychiatric Resident Retreat | Walter Reed Armed Forces Retirement Home | April 26, 2019
- Play with Me: The Role of Improvisation in Personal Growth, Relationships and Therapy (Keynote Speaker)
  Mid-Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Association Spring Conference 2019 | St. Elizabeth's Hospital | March 30-31, 2019
- Playing, Not Using: Using Improv to Develop Healthier Responses to Substance Abuse
  The Farley Center at Williamsburg Place Clinician Education Program | Williamsburg, VA | October 26, 2018
- Improv for Therapists(2-Hour CEU Workshop)The Wendt Center for Grief and Loss | Washington, D.C. | October 15, 2018
- I'm laughing WITH you, not AT you: Improv as a Vehicle for Connection and Change (3-Hour CEU Workshop)
  American Academy of Psychotherapists Summer Workshop | Stonewall, West Virginia | June 19, 2017
- Playing, Not Using: Using Improv to Develop Healthier Responses to Substance Abuse
  The Farley Center at Williamsburg Place Clinician Education Program | Williamsburg, VA | May 19, 2017
- Using Improvisation to Unearth the Unconscious
  National Catholic School of Social Service 6-Hour CEU Workshop | Washington, D.C. | May 5, 2017
- Serious Play: Improvisation in Clinical Practice
  Greater Washington Society of Clinical Social Work 3-Hour CEU Workshop | Washington, D.C. | March 9, 2017
- Staff development workshop
  Willow Oak Therapy Center | Rockville, MD | February 28, 2017
- Teambuilding workshop
  Attache Corporate Housing | Washington, D.C. | December 14, 2016
- Laughter IS Medicine: Building Executive Functioning Skills Through Improv (with Brett Howard, PhD, NP)
  CHADD of Northern Virginia, ADHD Connections Mini-Conference | Arlington, VA | October 15, 2016
- Trust, Connect, Collaborate: Improv as a Tool for Building Habits of Recovery
  Kolmac Clinic | Washington, D.C. | September 10, 2016
- Improvisation for Clergy: Introductory Workshop
  Alexandria, Virginia | July 29, 2016
- Improvisation for EAP Professionals (with Laurie Emmer-Martin, LICSW, LCSW, LCSW-C, CEAP)
  DCEAPA | Washington, D.C. | June 16, 2016
- Making It Up As We Go Along: How Improv Can Lead to a More Authentic Life
  Psychotherapy Networker | Washington, D.C. | March 17, 2016
- Playing Through Anxiety: Using Improvisation Techniques to Improve Mood
  National Catholic School of Social Service | Washington, D.C. | February 2016.
Anti-Racist Group Practice & Social Work Ethics (3-Hour Ethics CEU Workshop)
Washington State Society of Clinical Social Work via Zoom | April 28, 2023
Social Justice-Based Therapy Practice & Social Work Ethics (2-Hour CEU Workshop)
Wendt Center | Washington, D.C. & Zoom | March 28, 2022
Social Justice-Based Group Therapy Practice & Social Work Ethics (3-Hour CEU Workshop)
Lisa Kays PLLC | Zoom | June 5, 2021
Must I Un-Friend Facebook? (3 Hour CEU Workshop/Five Fridays Seminars)
Washington Society of Psychoanalytic Psychology | Bethesda, MD | September 20, 2019
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (3-Hour CEU Workshop)
Whitman Walker Clinic | Washington, D.C. | September 19, 2019
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (3-Hour CEU Workshop)
So Others Might Eat | Washington, D.C. | July 17, 2019
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (3-Hour CEU Workshop)
DC Rape Crisis Center | Washington, D.C. | October 29, 2018
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (6-Hour CEU Workshop)
Health Alliance Services | Washington, D.C. | September 24, 2018
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (3-Hour CEU Workshop)
So Others Might Eat | Washington, D.C. | September 11, 2018
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (6-Hour CEU Workshop)
CPC Behavioral Health | Eatontown, NJ | July 26, 2018
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (6-Hour CEU Workshop)
Adelphi University School of Social Work Continuing Education | Hauppauge, New York | December 8, 2017
The Tangled Web of Social Media, Technology & Therapy: New Challenges for the Therapy Relationship with Dr. Marilyn Schwartz (3-Hour CEU Workshop)
American Academy of Psychotherapists Institute & Conference | Santa Fe, New Mexico | October 18, 2017
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics
Quin Rivers: A Community Action Agency | New Kent, VA | August 12, 2016
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics
CPC Behavioral Health | Eatontown, New Jersey | May 11, 2016
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics
Greater Washington Society of Clinical Social Work | Silver Spring, MD | March 25, 2016
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics
Lisa Kays PLLC | Washington, D.C. | November 5, 2015
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (with Dr. Eileen Dombo)
National Catholic School of Social Service | Washington, D.C. | May 2015
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (with Dr. Eileen Dombo & Katelyn Weller)
National Catholic School of Social Service | Washington, D.C. | 2013
Updating our Status: Social Media & Social Work Ethics (with Dr. Eileen Dombo)
National Catholic School of Social Service | Washington, D.C. | 2012
Seeing the Unseen Child: Setting Aside Implicit Bias
Washington, D.C. via Zoom | October 25, 2024
Growing Your Group Psychotherapy Skills
Vesta, Inc. | Germantown, MD | April 18, 2024
Not a Pretty Girl (3-Hour Process Group Training)
American Academy of Psychotherapists | Summer Workshop | Zoom | June 26, 2021
Ethical considerations and racial bias in social work practice (with Cathy Roberts, LCPC) (6-Hour Ethics CEU Workshop)
University of Maryland at Shady Grove Continuing Education | Rockville, MD | May 10, 2019
Social work in various clinical settings with people with substance abuse diagnoses
George Mason School of Social Work BSW class presentation | Fairfax, VA | November 15, 2016
WIT@Work
Various trainings using improvisation for corporations and organizations.
Why do I need a group if I have 1,000 Friends? (Panel Discussion with Judy Simon, Alice Sklar, et al.)
American Group Psychotherapy Association Annual Meeting | San Francisco, CA | February 2015
Change, Transition, Re-Entry and Culture Shock: A Workshop for Volunteers Completing Their Service
Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps | Washington, D.C. | July 2014
Messaging, blogging and branding
Women's Funding Network Conference | Atlanta, GA | 2009.
Women’s advocacy
Women for Women International's Nigerian Women's Exchange | Nigeria | 2004
“improvisation” and “groups” (co-authored with Paula D. Atkinson). Encyclopedia of Radical Helping. Eds. Erin Segal, Chris Hoff & Julie Cho. ThickPress. January 2024.
“Play Post-Pandemic: The Exquisite Grief and Opportunity of Re-Entry.” Mid-Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Society Newsletter. March 2023.
“How to do less racial harm as a group therapist.” 11 February 2021.
“Being a White mom on 15th and Swann.” 2 June 2020.
“Finding light in the darkness of a mother’s depression, lies about a father’s identity and a legacy of trauma.” 20 December 2019.
“10 ways to bore bullies out of hijacking your public meetings.” 18 December 2019.
“How improv can shut down ableism (and other) privilege.” 18 September 2019.
“What improv has to teach us about creating Consent Culture.” 23 September 2019.
Don't Fly Away, Friend. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: Dimensions of Friendship. 57:1. p. 108.
The Therapist Parents of the Pandemic are F&#$ed Up. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy Amidst Pandemic. 56:3. p. 67-71.
Can Politics be Pathology? Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: WTF? Oppression, Freedom and Self. 54:3. p. 81-84.
Voices in the Classroom: Teaching Diversity is Not a Job for One. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: WTF? Oppression, Freedom and Self. 54:3, p. 53-60.
Sent from my iPhone. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: Technology and Psychotherapy. 54:1. p. 1-3. (with Dr. Eileen Dombo and Rosemary Moulton)
Tech Talk: Cheating presence or enhancing it? (An interview with Damon Blank and Loretta Sparks).Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: Technology and Psychotherapy. 54: 1. p. 52-53.
Guest Editor with Dr. Eileen Dombo and Rosemary Moulton. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: Technology and Psychotherapy. 54:1.
40s: Finally swimming. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: Aging and Psychotherapy. 53:3. p. 29.
My super-secret love affair with ISTDP. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: The Body and Psychotherapy. 53:1. p. 93.
Foreigner. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: Race and Racism. Winter 2016. 52:3. p. 13.
Intervision: Response 2. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy: What's Love Got To Do With it?. Summer 2016. 52:2. p. 91.
“WIT's Lisa Kays on the Parallels Between Therapy, Good Living, and Improv.” Washington Improv Theater. 2 February 2016. [Questions by Dan Miller, responses by Lisa Kays]
“Clinical Social Work Practice and Technology: Personal, Practical, Regulatory, and Ethical Considerations for the Twenty-First Century.” with Dombo, E. and Weller, K. Social Work in Health Care. 53:9. Downloaded on 21 October 2014.
“Social Worker on the Job Interview: A Drunk/High Client Shows Up…” Social Work Career Development Blog. 6 March 2013. [Contributor]
“A Day in the Life of a Prison Social Worker.” Social Work Career Development Blog. 7 December 2011. [Questions by blogger; responses by Lisa Kays].
“Must I Un-Friend Facebook? Exploring the ethics of social media.” The New Social Worker. Summer 2011. Vol. 18, No. 3.
Various. GlobalGoodness: GlobalGiving's blog.
Girls’ Success: Mentoring Guide about HIV and AIDS. Academy for Educational Development. 2009. (Contributor)
Girls’ Success: Mentoring Guide for Life Skills. Academy for Educational Development. 2009. (Co-authored with Stephanie Psaki)
Keeping the Promise: Five Rewards of Girls’ Secondary Education. Academy for Educational Development. January 2007. (Collaborator/Major contributor).
Various. Ask Us How: Washington Area Women's Foundation's blog.
Ensuring Successful Partnerships: A Tool-kit. Africa Liaison Program Initiative; InterAction. 2006. (Original conceptualization and first draft.)
“The Hidden Girl Soldier: A Study of Professional Attitudes Towards Gender Analysis in International Conflict and Development Work.” Peace, Conflict and Development: An Interdisciplinary Journal. January 2005. Issue 6.
“Seeing AIDS Through a Rights-Based Lens: The Kenya Network of Women with HIV/AIDS.” Monday Developments. 13 December 2004. 9.
“Inclusive Security, Sustainable Peace: A Tool-Kit for Advocacy and Action: Justice, Governance and Civil Society: Transitional Justice and Reconciliation.” Women Waging Peace. November 2004. (Co-author and researcher).
Buying of the President 2004. Center for Public Integrity. December 2003. (Researcher)
“Empowering Girls in Education: Fixing the Girls or Fixing the Problem?” Off Our Backs. Nov-Dec 2003. 19-24.
“An Open Letter to the Editor of Jane Magazine from a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.” Peace Corps Online. November 2003.
“Empowering Girls’ Mentors: Benin Conducts Take Our Daughters to Work Mentor Workshop.” The Exchange: Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter. February 2003. Vol. 36. 18-19.
“Don’t Know, Don’t Care.” Northeast Writers in Process: Perspectives. Eighth Edition. Kirksville: Northeast Missouri State University. 1995. 77-78.
“Prestige Lost.” Northeast Writers in Process: Perspectives. Eighth Edition. Kirksville: Northeast Missouri State University. 1995. 70-72.
“Teachers are people, too.” Raytown Dispatch. April 1994. 7.
“No trophies for academic achievement.” Raytown Dispatch. 8 Sept. 1993. 5A.
Ask Me Anything. Complicated Kids Podcast. February 17, 2026.
Processing the Emotional Loss of a Job. The Transition Blueprint Podcast. May 28, 2025.
Diagnosing Backwards. Complicated Kids Podcast. March 4, 2025.
Improv: Fostering Connection in Challenging Conversations with Lisa Kays. Therapist Uncensored Podcast. August 13, 2024.
Video interview with Margot Escott on improv and therapy. MargotEscott.com. April 13, 2017.
Embracing an improv state of mind with Lisa Kays, MSW. Self Care with Gracy Podcast. Gracy Obuchowicz. July 20, 2016.
Freedsters in the wild: Rosemary Moulton, Some of the things we do when we're not here. Freed Bodyworks Blog. Kelly Bowers. June 6, 2016.
Washington's therapists embrace improv. Feature Story News. May 31, 2016.
Two words that change everything. Self care with Gracy. Gracy Obuchowicz. May 11, 2016.
NBC4's Changing Minds with Doreen Gentzler: Improv class offers special skills for psychotherapists. April 4, 2016.
The not so funny reason therapists are taking comedy classes.The Washington Post. Colby Itkowitz. April 25, 2016.
The landscape of liturgy: Improv and confession. God of the Sparrow. Ashley Goff. February 15, 2016.
The landscape of liturgy: Improv and empathy. God of the Sparrow. Ashley Goff. January 18, 2016.
The landscape of liturgy: Foundations of Improv class. God of the Sparrow. Ashley Goff. January 8, 2016.