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Alyssa Mandel’s career in social work and psychotherapeutic healing spans over three decades. Her work as the Founder and Director of the Mandel Center of Arizona has helped countless individuals become aware and manage addictions and disorders. Alyssa is the Vice President/President-Elect of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (Arizona Chapter), and she also holds standing memberships with the following organizations: ADAA (Anxiety Disorders Association of America); ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders); APA (American Psychotherapy Association); IAEDP (International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals); NASW (National Association of Social Workers); NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association).

Alyssa’s experience in a number of organizations has provided counseling to many in need. Previous past experiences include serving as the Director of Social Services at Phipps Community Development Corp and Senior Certified Social Worker/Reproductive at Creative Arts Workshops.

Alyssa Mandel’s entrance into psychotherapy was really birthed out of her desire to become a “professional empath”. Her strength has always been found in her ability to listen and understand from a nonjudgemental and caring place. In 2003, Alyssa founded the Mandel Center of Arizona. The Mandel Center strives to offer a caring environment that promotes psychotherapeutic healing to people looking to overcome their past. The crux of Alyssa’s philosophy is to empower clients from a “strengths-based” perspective. Her courage and grace to examine a situation from a judgement-free but real standpoint is the fundamental element in the success of the Mandel Center.

The Mandel Center offers long and short-term psychotherapeutic counseling to children, adolescents, and adults. Specializing in helping patients address and manage OCD, Eating Disorders, and Anxiety, Alyssa has seen great success while implementing Dialectical Behavior Therapy—a form of cognitive behavioral treatment.

Originally, DBT was designed to help for people with borderline personality disorder, but the positive effects of it have recently begun to bear fruit in a number of different fields, with signs showing it helps people dealing with PTSD.

Alyssa Mandel received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and holds a Master’s of Social Work from Columbia University in New York, NY. She is dedicated to working with people no matter their creed, age, or color.

Another driving force behind Alyssa and the Mandel CEnter’s success is the embodiment of the phrase, “being where the patient is”. By fully engaging and entering into the pain of a client, Alyssa can help them transcend their suffering by her unique ability to relate to empathize with those on the margins.

It is this ability – the ability to relate to and transcend the issues of the individual – that marks a truly caring and successful psychotherapist and social worker.

Alyssa Mandel was awarded the 40 under Forty Award in 2008 by the Phoenix Business Journal.