Alyssa Scott, LMHC, CRC, CCC, QS
Alyssa Scott, LMHC, CRC, CCC, QS, is a mental health professional, consultant, and founder based in the Greater Tampa Bay Area. She is the Founder, Therapist, and Consultant of Peaceful Connections Counseling and Consulting Services, PLLC and also serves as an Adjunct Faculty Instructor at the University of South Florida. In addition, she works in federal project management within a corporate planning office, leading large-scale, enterprise-level initiatives focused on renovation and construction projects that support veteran care and staff safety. Her work reflects a multidisciplinary approach that bridges clinical mental health, organizational leadership, and systems-level project management.
Her professional background spans more than a decade in vocational rehabilitation and veterans’ services, beginning in state government and advancing into federal roles. Throughout her career, she has supported individuals with disabilities and veterans in achieving meaningful employment, independence, and improved quality of life. She has served in leadership positions, including clinical director overseeing teams of approximately 15 staff members serving over 1,000 veterans annually. Her expertise also includes career development and counseling, supported by credentials such as Certified Career Counselor through the National Career Development Association and Couples Therapy Level 1 training through The Gottman Institute.
Through her private practice, Alyssa integrates clinical counseling with holistic and systems-informed approaches to healing and leadership development. Her work centers on women, couples, and professionals navigating burnout, identity shifts, and relational challenges, often incorporating nature-based therapy, sound healing, and transformational workshops. She is the creator of Sunlit Leaders and facilitates intimate leadership roundtables designed to foster authentic dialogue and emotional intelligence in professional spaces. Guided by her philosophy of integrity, service, and human-centered systems thinking, she continues to expand her impact by merging clinical expertise with innovative consulting models that support sustainable personal and organizational growth.
• Couples Therapy - Level 1
• Certified Career Counselor
• Clinical Mental Health Counselor
• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)
• University of South Florida - MA
• International Complementary Therapist Organization
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success primarily to my daughter. Becoming pregnant shifted my entire sense of purpose and discipline, leading me to make significant lifestyle changes and fully commit to caring for something greater than myself. Although I experienced a high-risk pregnancy and emergent delivery, the experience deepened my resilience and gratitude. Today, she remains my greatest source of inspiration, and everything I pursue personally and professionally is grounded in my desire to provide for her and to model a life built on love, purpose, and growth.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to stay grounded in purpose and let challenges strengthen, not deter, my path forward. While I once looked to influential leaders, mentors, and academic theorists for guidance, I learned through experience—especially becoming a mother—that clarity and resilience come from responsibility and lived reality, not just theory. Motherhood, despite a high-risk pregnancy and a difficult emergency delivery, taught me to be intentional, disciplined, and focused on what truly matters. It reshaped how I define success, reinforcing that meaningful work is rooted in purpose, perseverance, and the example we set for those who look up to us.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Two pieces of advice I give to young women entering my field are “Reach Higher” and “Go With Your Gut.” “Reach Higher” is a reminder to push past self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and external limitations by consistently striving for the next level with confidence and purpose. “Go With Your Gut” emphasizes the importance of trusting your instincts, protecting your well-being, and taking action when opportunities or ideas arise without overthinking or waiting for perfect conditions.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field is supporting women in securing credibility within systems that often require them to constantly over-perform in order to be heard, which can easily lead to over-functioning and burnout. At the same time, there is a significant opportunity in the growing demand for more holistic, women-centered services and environments that prioritize well-being, balance, and authenticity. In addition, expanding platforms that amplify women’s voices are creating greater space for influence, visibility, and meaningful impact across industries.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are integrity, reciprocity, and purpose-driven impact. I lead with integrity in everything I do—if I commit to something, I follow through fully and show up with accountability and trustworthiness. I also value doing good and building success the right way, with discernment and a clear sense of alignment, even as I work toward ambitious financial goals. At my core, I am service- and people-oriented, and I believe in reciprocity—showing up for those who support and invest in me while also creating meaningful impact for others, especially women seeking greater visibility, credibility, and opportunity.
Locations
Peaceful Connections Counseling and Consulting Services, PLLC
32739 Windelstraw Dr., Wesley Chapel, FL 33545