About Lisa Giles, LMFT
IFS Institute Certified Therapist (Levels 1-3) | IFS Approved Clinical Consultant | Author of MISUNDERSTOOD
Lisa Giles, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist providing virtual therapy in California and Michigan. She is an IFS Approved Clinical Consultant specializing in neurodivergence, trauma, eating disorders, and relationships, and is the author of MISUNDERSTOOD: My Journey to a Diagnosis of AuDHD That Explains Nearly Everything.
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in Internal Family Systems (IFS). My work is grounded in curiosity, compassion, and helping people understand the protective strategies that once helped them survive.
Outside of therapy, I’m also an author, mom, and someone who loves understanding what makes people tick.
A few things to know about me:
I have always wanted to be a dolphin trainer
I completed a half Ironman 70.3 mi in Benton Harbor, MI (Steelhead)
I am legally deaf, though you wouldn’t know without me telling you. I wasn’t treated until I was 19 years old.
Outside the Therapy Room
I’ve lived across California, Connecticut, and Michigan—experiences that shaped both who I am and how I practice. Along the way I attended the US Coast Guard Academy, completed my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, became a mom, and built a private practice. Today I live in Carlsbad, California with my family.
Qualifications
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Graduated from Central Connecticut State University 2010. I was introduced to IFS in graduate school.
California license: MFC113216
Michigan license: 4101006553.
Previously licensed in Connecticut (2010)
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Level 1 (372) in Evanston, IL. October 14, 2016-June 11, 2017 (Cece Sykes and Gretchen King)
Level 2 (514) in Burlingame, CA. June 18-22, 2019 (Frank Anderson and Frances Booth)
Level 3 (922) April 30-May 4, 2023 (Chris Burris and Amy Marcotte)
Certified: April 1, 2020
Certified IFS Consultant: March 2022 -
International IFS Workshop Presenter (2025)
Unbelonging: Reclaiming Self After Community Rejection Through Internal Family Systems (IFS) -
MISUNDERSTOOD: My Journey to a Diagnosis of AuDHD That Explains Nearly Everything
What is Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is the primary model I use in my work. What drew me to IFS was its deep respect for people and its belief that symptoms, emotions, and behaviors often make sense when we understand the parts of us carrying pain, protection, and hope.
Rather than asking “What’s wrong with you?” IFS invites curiosity: “What happened?” and “What is this part trying to do for you?”
IFS has shaped not only my work as a therapist, but also the way I understand healing, relationships, and being human.
Why I Chose Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is the primary model I use in my work. What drew me to IFS was its deep respect for people and its belief that symptoms, emotions, and behaviors often make sense when we understand the parts of us carrying pain, protection, and hope.
Rather than asking “What’s wrong with you?” IFS invites curiosity: “What happened?” and “What is this part trying to do for you?”
IFS has shaped not only my work as a therapist, but also the way I understand healing, relationships, and being human.
What continues to draw me to IFS is its belief that symptoms, emotions, and protective strategies often make sense when we become curious about the story underneath them. IFS has shaped not only my work as a therapist, but also how I understand healing, relationships, and being human.
Lisa Giles is a licensed marriage and family therapist, IFS Approved Clinical Consultant, and author of MISUNDERSTOOD. She provides virtual therapy in California and Michigan, specializing in neurodivergence, trauma, eating disorders, relationships, and Internal Family Systems (IFS).