BRENDA VELISSARIS, NCC, LPC, CEDS-C
Clinical Director
As a licensed professional counselor Brenda Velissaris was introduced to eating disorder treatment earlier in her career. She has spent the last 19 years specifically focused on eating disorder treatment and advocacy. She founded Evolve in 2013, the first eating disorder treatment clinic in NE Wisconsin, which offers outpatient, intensive outpatient, and partial hospitalization services. Brenda left direct patient care to accept a corporate mental health position that oversaw seven eating disorder clinics at a national level, allowing her to work in residential treatment settings, operations management, and create programming and curriculum. She is a member of the national and local chapters of the international association of eating disorder professionals. She holds the esteemed credential of certified eating disorder professional supervisor, the highest credential offered to someone in the eating disorder field.
Brenda is passionate about equitable access to mental health care, particularly for those in underserved areas. She had lobbied with local senators to expand eating disorder insurance coverage for active and retired military persons and their families. She also provides supervision and consultation for those seeking further education in the eating disorder field and offers presentations.
She is a first-year doctoral student and, in her free time, enjoys family time, traveling, reading, and learning new things.