Grace Szeja, LCSW

Grace Szeja, LCSW, is a clinical social worker with more than nine years of experience supporting people across the lifespan, from children to older adults, in a hospital setting. She approaches therapy with compassion and respect for each person’s identity and lived experience, and she welcomes individuals from the LGBTQ+ community as well as iGen and Gen Z clients who want a space to be understood and supported. Grace recognizes that life transitions and personal growth can feel uncertain, lonely, or intimidating, and she focuses on helping clients move through challenges with steadiness, warmth, and practical guidance.

Before entering the mental health field, Grace built her career in fine arts and achieved her dream job as a comic illustrator. That journey helped shape her understanding that meaningful work does not always guarantee a fulfilling life, and it also deepened her commitment to becoming the kind of support she once wished she had. She brings this perspective into therapy for clients who feel stuck in toxic cycles, struggle to prioritize their own needs, or feel weighed down by the past, fear of the future, or self-doubt. Her work often centers on helping people reconnect with their values, develop self-acceptance, and make room for a life that feels more authentic and satisfying.

Grace practices from a client-centered foundation and integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills to help clients build healthier coping strategies and shift unhelpful thought patterns. She also incorporates expressive, creative approaches such as zendoodle, zen journaling, sand tray, drawing, painting, and clay work for clients who find that creativity helps them process emotions and access insight. Grace believes therapy can be a place to strengthen internal and external resources, revise old beliefs about oneself, and move toward greater freedom and joy.