ABOUT DR. LYSSA MENARD
I help high-achievers, leaders, and seekers navigate transformation—with clarity, courage, and compassion.
Who I Am
I’m a clinical psychologist, business coach, and psychedelic therapist with decades of experience guiding people through change, healing, and growth. I’m also a professor at Northwestern University’s medical school and the founder of Strategies for Change, a consulting firm for leaders in transition.
My work is holistic and integrative, addressing mind, body, and spirit through Internal Family Systems, trauma-sensitive mindfulness, somatic approaches, and psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Credentials aside, what matters most is connection. My clients describe me as both compassionate and tough-minded. I’ll never coddle you—but I’ll always do everything I can to make sure you feel safe, respected, and truly seen. And if I misstep, I’ll own it and work with you to repair it. Because healing often happens not in perfection, but in the courage of repair.
How I Work
My integrative approach blends science and soul, strategy and depth, including:
- Psychotherapy & trauma healing
- Executive and leadership coaching
- Ketamine-assisted therapy and psychedelic integration
- Somatic and mindfulness-based practices
Whether we’re focused on healing, purpose, or leadership, all of you is welcome—the polished parts, the messy parts, even the parts you usually hide. You don’t have to choose between success and fulfillment, logic and intuition, or ambition and inner peace. Together, we’ll make space for it all.
MY VALUES
- Authentic Connection — Our relationship isn’t transactional. I aim to help you feel truly seen and heard.
- Growth & Learning — Curiosity and learning are lifelong obsessions, and I bring that spirit into our work.
- Honesty & Integrity — You’ll always get the truth from me, delivered with as much care as possible.
- Compassion + Tough Love — Empathy paired with direct feedback—because that’s how real transformation happens.
- Mindful Presence — Being fully present is the least you deserve. My motto: “You must be present to win.”
- Gratitude — I’m grateful for every client and every moment of this work.
MY STORY
Change has been the throughline of my life. I started as a musician, pivoted into computer science and business, and eventually found my true calling in psychology and healing. Along the way, I’ve navigated my own seasons of burnout, identity loss, and reinvention.
My own winding path—through trauma work, business coaching, mindfulness, and psychedelic therapy—taught me that transformation isn’t linear. It’s messy, profound, and ultimately liberating. And it’s my honor to walk beside others as they navigate their own transformations.
Let’s Work Together!
If you’re ready for more clarity, courage, and compassion on your path, I’d be honored to walk beside you.
If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That's why it’s your path.
