Meet Elizabeth “Lisa” Caprioli
LCSW, LISW
Relationship Specialist and Practice Owner
Telehealth appointments throughout North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia
In-person appointments in Cary, NC
Hi, I’m Lisa.
I have vowed to never go on another roller coaster (I prefer my feet firmly planted on the ground). I have a 4.5 pound black and white Chihuahua named Suzy Q. I live in a neurodivergent household. As a late-diagnosed ADHDer who always believed I had anxiety alone, I understand the complexities of ADHD-impacted relationships. I'm inexplicably drawn to black and white striped sweaters, shirts, etc. My business partner Elizabeth pointed this out to me and now I hear her voice each time I pick one up.
Why I Love This Work
I love watching couples reconnect and remember why they fell in love with each other. There's nothing more rewarding than witnessing that 'aha moment' when a partner finally understands why their loved one does that thing that drives them crazy. It's not about hurting them—it's their partner's way of reacting when they feel hurt, defensive, or unloved. I find it amazing to watch defensiveness melt away and reconnection occur right before my eyes.
The transformation when couples stop sitting far apart with arms crossed on my therapy couch and start sitting side by side, laughing together again—that's why I do this work.
What to Expect in a Session
In our sessions, you'll have my undivided attention. I think of myself as a detective of sorts—working alongside you to unravel the mystery of how you arrived at this place in your relationship.
I bring humor when it feels right, and I'm transparent about my own imperfections. I've been married for eighteen years and practice as a couples therapist, yet my husband and I still sometimes get stuck in our own EFT cycle. Despite expertise in relationships, I, too, along with my partner, have a cycle that we get 'stuck' in—it's not broken.
I won't take sides. Instead, I'll listen deeply to both of you and help each partner understand why their own responses make sense—and crucially, why their partner's approach makes sense too. Together, we'll explore the vulnerable emotions beneath your behaviors and patterns.
Ultimately, my goal is to help you find what you're both desperately seeking: the assurance that you are loved and seen by your partner. That they will be there for you when you need them. That reassurance—that secure connection—is what we're working toward.
My Approach to Therapy
At the core of my practice is the belief that everyone deserves to be heard with undivided attention. There is profound power in having someone reflect back to you: What you're doing is normal. You have good reasons for doing it. This behavior likely helped you—maybe even protected you—at some point in your life.
This is especially transformative in couples work. I love helping partners understand their Emotionally Focused Therapy cycle—the patterns that feel so frustrating but actually make complete sense when we look beneath the surface. When I can say to someone, "When you feel anxious, you ask a lot of questions. That makes sense. Your body and mind are trying to keep you safe," something shifts. Suddenly, behaviors that felt like attacks or criticisms are revealed as protective strategies. That reframe opens the door to compassion, both for oneself and for one's partner.
Healing happens when we stop pathologizing our responses and start understanding them—when we can see the logic in our own stories.
I work best with couples who feel like this is their last hope—the ones who know something needs to change and are ready to do the work. These are couples who've realized their relationship has been on the back-burner for too long and are ready to recommit to one another. I thrive working with couples who don't hold back. Partners who understand that to get the relationship they want, they'll need to be vulnerable—perhaps more vulnerable than they've been in a long time. I appreciate couples who bring insight to the process and can find moments of humor even in difficult conversations.
If you're at that point where you know you need help and you're willing to show up fully, I'd be honored to work with you.
I know it's scary to be vulnerable, especially in front of a therapist you've never met.
But if you're reading this, you've already reached the point where you know you need help—and you're considering taking that next step. That takes courage, and I commend you for it. I've been told I put clients at ease quickly. Yes, I have a love for a good cardigan and a striped sweater (some therapist habits are hard to break), but you might be surprised by a well-placed curse word during our work together. Sometimes "darn it" just doesn't cut it.
My hope is that you'll find our sessions to be a place where you can be honest, be yourself, and feel genuinely heard. Taking that first step is often the hardest part—and you're already here.
My Journey to Becoming a Therapist
My path to becoming a therapist has been anything but linear, shaped by meaningful experiences that deepened my commitment to this work.
I began my journey as a psychology undergraduate, drawn to the idea of supporting parents and children. After graduation, I spent several years working with children on the Autism spectrum and their families. These families left a lasting impression on me. Despite the challenges of parenting children on the Autism Spectrum, the extraordinary resilience displayed by these families and their relationships of love and emotional support were impactful.
Realizing that advancing my career would require a masters degree, I returned to graduate school. With the intention of continuing my work with families with special needs, I obtained supervision through a part time 'side gig' as an outpatient therapist. What I didn't expect was to fall in LOVE with this work. The faster pace and emotional intensity of outpatient therapy hit home as WHERE I BELONG. What began as a practical step toward licensure, became my calling.
My Training & Experience
Education & Credentials
B.A, Psychology, West Virginia University
Master of Social Work, West Virginia University
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, North Carolina & Virginia
Licensed Independent Social Worker, Ohio
Trainings
Maternal Mental Health Certificate Training for Mental Health and Clinical professionals.
EMDR, Basic Training with perinatal focus
Gottman, level 1, 2 and 3
EFT, Core Skills 1 and 2
Working with affairs in stage one of EFT
A couple in crisis, creating rapid change with EFT
EFIT, Level 1
ADHD and EFT
Broken Bonds: Repairing Attachment Injuries
Working with the Sexual Cycle in EFT
Success in Vulnerability: Mastering the art of pivoting in EFT