Trista Risser, MS, LPC

Hello! My name is Trista, and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Kansas. I earned my master’s degree in counseling with a focus on Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling from MidAmerica Nazarene University.

I have experience working in both community counseling centers and schools, which has given me the opportunity to walk alongside individuals from diverse backgrounds and various life stages. I am currently accepting new adolescent and adult clients, ages 13 and up, in the Manhattan and Wamego areas.

I help clients navigate a wide range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, other mental health diagnoses, life transitions (such as welcoming a new baby, moving, or divorce), trauma, attachment wounds, and the unique demands of military life. I offer individual, family, and group counseling to meet you and your loved ones wherever you are on your journey.

Therapy is not an easy journey, but neither is going through hardship alone. It takes courage to be open and vulnerable. I feel genuinely honored every day to hold a space where people feel seen, heard, and supported as they face life’s challenges and grow through them.
My approach is rooted in person-centered therapy because I believe the relationship between counselor and client is the foundation of meaningful healing. I strive to create a warm, safe environment where you can explore, process, and grow at your own pace. I also draw on emotion-focused approaches such as Attachment Theory and Internal Family Systems (IFS) and incorporate existential perspectives to help you connect more deeply with your values and sense of self.

I believe in the power of combining these approaches with our knowledge of neuroscience and the brain’s ability to change and heal. Understanding how our nervous system and brain respond to stress, trauma, and relationships allows us to work together to create new pathways for resilience, self-compassion, and connection. With a safe, attuned person beside us, and the brain’s natural capacity for growth, we can carry our experiences forward in ways that help us meet life’s challenges with greater awareness and purpose.

Meet Trista