Malaiya Ilene Liwag
Licensed Therapist
MA, LAC (AZ) , LPC-Associate (TX), CTP
Connect with me!
Email: malaiya@storiescounseling.com
Instagram: @healingwithmalaiyailene
Schedule with Malaiya!
Education:
Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Townsend Institute at Concordia Irvine
At the heart of my practice is a sacred commitment to being fully human alongside you. Not as an expert with all the answers, but as a compassionate witness and fellow companion. I believe that healing begins the moment we feel truly seen, heard, and accepted. Without judgment, without condition, and without the need to be anything other than who we are.
My mission is to support you and get you where you want to be in your healing journey. My space is intentionally created to be inclusive, affirming, and supportive. Where every part of you is welcome, including the messy, the uncertain, the hurting, and the hopeful. Your story matters deeply here. Your voice leads, and your truth sets the pace.
I’m an Arizona-based Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor - Associate (LPC-Associate) in Texas, offering in-person and virtual sessions in Arizona and virtual sessions to Texas clients. She is supervised by Cassie Harlan, LPC-S in Texas. With a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, I am trained in working with traumas, depression, anxiety, attachment, and life transitions with a special interest in relational traumas and AAPI communities. I serve all populations but am especially keen in working with teens and adults. In addition to my studies, I have also provided mental health services to children in the village of Seine Bight, Belize with a multicultural team.
My therapeutic approaches include person-centered, narrative, and mindfulness therapies. Through a collaborative effort between client and counselor, I strive to help clients gain the necessary tools toward greater self-awareness, understanding, and overall healing. I am a Certified Trauma Professional (CTP) and am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Play Therapy, and Expressive Arts Therapy to provide resources to meet the needs of each individual, unique client.
I understand the difficulties and challenges that personal growth and healing may bring. I believe that counseling is not a one-size-fits-all approach and that because each journey is unique, one’s healing process will be too. I’m here to support you in building the life you want, one rooted in happiness and fulfillment.