Faith Lerner

Pronouns
she/her/hers

I have been a therapist in Madison and the surrounding area for 38 years. After traveling extensively in my early life, pursuing a degree in South Asian Studies and living and studying in India, I realized, mid 20’s, it was time to find a degree that would lead to a career. I knew my calling was to live a life of service, and that social work ethics and values embodied the values I held then and continue to hold strongly today: service, social justice, human dignity and worth, the importance of human relationships, integrity and competence. The older I get, the more important these values are to me: the way I live my life and the way I approach work.

Having a master’s degree in Social Work through UW Madison has allowed me to work as a therapist and social worker in many capacities, each one deepening my fascination with and understanding of us as human beings. True to my name, I am committed to continued learning as each new client adds another piece to this mystery of being human.

I am trained in Mindfulness approaches to addiction and apply these to depression and anxiety as well. Additionally, I am trained-in and utilize interpersonal supportive psychotherapy, trauma-informed therapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, gestalt and other experiential therapies, motivational therapy, client-centered therapy, affected family member therapy, and therapy for older adults. Having worked in a medical clinic for 12 years in addition to other medical settings, I have expertise working with persons with health concerns including chronic disease management, acute disease and new diagnoses as well as end of life, anticipatory grief and bereavement.

When I meet with a client my first task is to ask them to tell me about themselves so that I might be able to begin to see the world through their eyes. Thus begins the journey of meeting part way between our two worlds, to work together with mutual honesty, gradual trust and growing confidence that this process of therapy will unfold in service to your therapeutic goals and moving forward in your chosen direction in life.