Eti Lisani

Eti Lisani is a Marriage and Family Therapy intern at Nova Southeastern University, bringing to her work a rich background in education, leadership, and cross-cultural experience. She holds a Master’s degree in Leadership and Educational Management in addition to her clinical training in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Before entering the therapy field, Eti spent over a decade as a drama teacher and middle school principal, roles that allowed her to deeply connect with young people and families during times of growth and challenge. Having personally experienced the complexities of immigration and relocation, Eti brings a unique sensitivity to the cultural, emotional, and relational transitions that individuals, couples, and families often face. She understands firsthand the impact of adapting to new environments while trying to maintain stability, identity, and meaningful connections.

In the therapy room, Eti integrates her educational expertise with evidence-based therapeutic approaches to support clients navigating issues such as family conflict, life transitions, anxiety, and relational challenges. She works collaboratively, with warmth, creativity, and empathy, to help clients feel understood and empowered.

Her therapeutic philosophy resonates with the words of Salvador Minuchin: “The task of therapy is not to ‘fix’ people, but to create a context in which new ways of relating can emerge.”

Eti believes that every individual, couple, and family have the capacity for resilience and healing when given a safe and supportive space. Her commitment is to walk alongside her clients as they discover new ways of relating, growing, and thriving together.

Eti is fluent in English, Hebrew, and Georgian, which allows her to connect with clients from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

What Is A Master’s Level Graduate Student Intern?

Generally speaking, our interns are students at the Master’s level who are earning hours towards their desired graduate degree. They have completed most of all their required coursework or “book knowledge” and they are in the final stages of completing their degree. They are required to obtain 700 practice hours prior to being awarded their graduate degree. They are not employees of the practice; however, they work with us as affiliates. Family Therapy Group of Weston enters into a contract with NSU and offers them a clinical site to gain experience while also offering clinical supervision at no cost to the student or the university. In exchange, Family Therapy Group of Weston is able to set a lower rate for those counseling sessions, which benefits the public and also helps cover the overhead costs of having them on site and providing them with regular, scheduled clinical supervision as well as after hours or emergency supervision.

To be an intern with Family Therapy Group of Weston, they must have had prior experience working in the mental health field, some personal or professional experience with trauma, OR possess a skill set that sets them apart from the average intern. Our interns undergo a fairly rigorous process that includes a preliminary candidate questionnaire that requires some in-depth questions around their experience. If selected, they are required to spend the first 50 hours of their placement in sessions with our seasoned therapists. This allows them to observe a wide array of clients and therapeutic styles. It also helps them begin formulating their professional identity and allows our seasoned therapists to see them in action with clients.

Interns receive weekly supervision from their university supervisor. They are also required to have weekly on-site supervision with a site supervisor for the duration of their placement (4 hours a month). They may participate in several consult groups with our licensed staff and leadership team, depending on their clients and areas of specialty. In addition, several of our interns obtain training in other treatment modalities such as EMDR, Brainspotting, Trauma-Informed Hypnosis, Gottman Couples Counseling, etc. at some point during their internship to prepare them to launch into their role as a Master’s Level Counselor.

We see having interns as the key to keeping costs low without sacrificing the standard of care. It’s also a way to invest in the counseling profession through education and mentoring.