Counseling & Wellness Center

About Restorative Oasis

So many women move through life like they’re walking through miles of sand: the repeated cycles, the long seasons of pushing through, the exhaustion that settles in your bones, the sense of wandering without a true place to stop and breathe.

Most were never given a real resting place.
A place where the armor could come off.
A place where strength wasn’t expected 24/7.
A place where they didn’t have to hold it together just to feel safe.

Some search for that kind of space for years.
Some give up on finding it.
And many only discover it after beginning the deeper work of untangling what they’ve silenced in order to survive.

The “oasis” in our name is no accident. The “oasis” in our name isn’t just imagery — it’s a destination. It represents the moment when the wandering begins to break, when you finally reach water after years of walking on fumes, when the ground beneath you shifts from scarcity to steadiness.

The sand symbolizes the years you spent overfunctioning, suppressing, surviving, pushing through things you never should have carried alone.
The oasis symbolizes what becomes possible when survival mode is no longer running the show — when you choose restoration, emotional presence, and the courage to slow down and feel again.

Restorative Oasis stands as a reminder that even after years of holding everything together, you can still find your way back to yourself. You are not too far gone, too overwhelmed, or too disconnected to return to your own emotional center.

exists for the women who have spent years carrying emotional weight quietly, steadily, and without a place to set any of it down.

The name was born from a truth I’ve seen over and over again — women who’ve learned to survive in emotional deserts while keeping their lives running, their families supported, and their faces composed.

Restorative Oasis

I come to this work not only as a clinician — but as a woman who has carried many of the same silent battles my clients face.

For years, I was the one who looked composed on the outside, while privately wrestling with emotional weight no one could see. I know what it feels like to move through life performing strength, meeting expectations, and keeping everything together — all while feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or disconnected on the inside.

Those years didn’t just shape the therapist I became — they shaped how deeply I understand women.

My Background

Before opening Restorative Oasis, I worked in community mental health, supporting children and families navigating emotional pain, trauma, and survival patterns. I later transitioned into crisis work, trauma recovery, and underserved adult communities — including women managing generational trauma, anxiety, depression, emotional collapse, and chronic stress.

Through that work, I saw how trauma doesn’t just affect emotions — it imprints on the nervous system, relationships, spirituality, and identity. It shows up in the ways we disconnect, self-silence, or “keep going” even when we’re hurting.

What I Bring to the Work

As a woman, a Christian, and a therapist, I bring every layer of who I am into the room. My work is not just clinical — it’s deeply human.

  • Licensed in Ohio & Colorado — offering trauma-informed therapy via secure virtual sessions
  • Clinically trained in Schema Therapy, ACT, CBT, trauma-focused care, and somatic approaches
  • Faith-integrated when desired — blending biblical principles with emotional support
  • Specializing in anxiety, high-functioning depression, nervous system regulation, identity, boundaries, and emotional exhaustion
  • Deeply attuned to generational patterns, culture, and the lived experience of women who are “the strong ones”

Why This Work Matters

My clients come from many different backgrounds and identities — but the invisible burdens they carry often look the same.

They are women who show up strong, competent, and composed. Women who others turn to. But behind that strength is often years of survival mode, hidden fatigue, and a quiet longing to finally feel safe — to feel seen.

I believe that’s possible.

Not overnight. Not through pressure or performance. But in steady, honest, safe connection — the kind that helps you come home to yourself.

This isn’t just my profession —
It’s my calling.

Licensed in Ohio & Colorado

Marisa Rayford, LPCC

Meet the Founder:

Marisa Rayford

CERTIFIED WOMEN'S MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

Somatic Therapy 

Certified Mental Health & Nutrition Clinical Specialist (CMNCS)

Schema Therapy | CBT | ACT | Solution-Focused Therapy

Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP)

Certified Mental Health & Nutrition Clinical Specialist (CMNCS)

Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)

I am committed to offering holistic, evidence-based care tailored to each woman’s unique experience. My work blends clinical expertise with lived experience. Because wisdom doesn’t come from credentials alone—it comes from holding both your knowledge and your story in equal reverence.

& Advanced Training

Certifications 

CHRISTIAN COUNSELING

Attachment Theory

“In the heart of every storm lies an oasis—a sanctuary where healing begins, and renewal thrives. Seek it, and you’ll find the strength to transform.” – Marisa

Holistic, Trauma-Informed Therapy That Sees the Whole You | Holistic, Trauma-Informed Therapy That Sees the Whole You
Learn more about my approach
Holistic, Trauma-Informed Therapy That Sees the Whole You | Holistic, Trauma-Informed Therapy That Sees the Whole You

My approach is trauma-informed, culturally attuned, and faith-aware

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