Meet Lisa Fischer of The Phoenix Center for Psychoanalysis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Fischer.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lisa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
As a third-generation native of Arizona (my grandmother was born in Arizona while it was a Territory), I grew up in Phoenix and was educated in Arizona’s schools. When I was an infant at five months old, my profound deafness was discovered. Soon thereafter I was fitted with my first hearing aids which were the ones with large batteries strapped to my chest and started speech therapy which continued until I was in the 9th grade. As a result of this early intervention, I am able to speak in a clear manner and have excellent lip-reading skills. The national law, Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act was passed just in time which enabled me to be mainstreamed into a public elementary school and be educated along with normal hearing classmates. Arizona’s Governor Jack Williams was key in allowing this national law to be enacted in Arizona’s educational system. I thrived in the public schools as a student with a hearing impairment because I was allowed to continue with speech therapy and received tutelage from a hearing resource teacher.

I attended and graduated from Xavier College Preparatory and despite receiving few supports relating to my hearing impairment, it was in this setting that I set lofty goals for myself. From there I graduated with a major in Psychology and a minor in Special Education and Rehabilitation from the University of Arizona, a Master’s degree in Counseling and a Ph.D. degree in Counseling Psychology, both from Arizona State University. My master’s thesis on the various deaf identity development stages was published in the prestigious “Journal of Counseling Psychology.” This research article continues to be cited nearly twenty years later and has been translated into various languages worldwide.

After obtaining my license as a psychologist in Arizona, I developed a private practice where almost all of my clients are of normal hearing. The specialties I have are treating adults in both individual and couples therapy dealing with anxiety, depression, and relationship difficulties including sexual issues. Practicing contemporary psychoanalysis is my passion and this therapeutic modality has been found to be effective in treating many mood issues. Because I value education in order to provide the best possible service to my clients, I received additional training to be certified as a sex therapist and went through rigorous training to be board certified in clinical psychology. As a Fellow with the American Academy of Clinical Psychology, I am one of the handfuls of licensed psychologists in this state to be also board certified. When my two children attended their Catholic grade school, I observed that not much has changed in terms of inclusion with students with special needs. With that in mind, I established the Arizona Catholic Schools Disabilities Fund with the Diocese of Phoenix.

The mission of this organization is “to work in partnership with schools in the Diocese of Phoenix to embrace students that have exceptional needs.” Since then, Catholic schools have said yes to inclusion and more students with disabilities than ever are attending these schools! There are more to accomplish and this fund is dependent on the generosity of donors in the community to enable these children with special needs to reach their fullest potential. In my spare time (what’s left of it), I discovered archery which has become my newest passion. Naturally, as a self-driven person, I became trained in the sport and am currently a Level Two Archery Instructor with the USA Archery Association.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Through the gift of speech and the dedication of many who worked with and believed in me, my hearing impairment became a molehill rather than as a mountain. I am able to navigate very well as a person with profound deafness in a world that thrives on sound.

Receiving a cochlear implant in my early 30s enabled me to excel even more especially in a work setting that relies on spoken communication. While I may not have the ability to hear, I’d like to believe that I have the ability to listen which is fundamental in order to connect with a fellow human being.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Phoenix Center for Psychoanalysis – what should we know?
I practice contemporary psychoanalysis which is not your grandfather’s psychoanalysis.

This therapeutic method has come a long way since Freud, his sex drive theories, and the couch. While most of Freud’s classical psychoanalysis is still very much in use today, contemporary psychoanalysis focuses more on the interpersonal relationships. It is through this modality that I find myself as a more effective therapist. What sets my practice apart from others is that cognitive behavioral therapy is more popular with mental health clinicians.

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy enables the person to go deep into the realm of the unconscious and therefore find the inner strength, richness of being, and experience life to her/his fullest potential.

Pricing:

• A 45-minute individual therapy session is $200
• A 50-minute couples therapy session is $220

Contact Info:

• Address: 7111 North Seventh Street
  Phoenix, Arizona 85020
• Website: www.DrLisaFischer.com
• Phone: 602 448 9755 (text only)
• Email: lisafischer@cox.net
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drlisafischer

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