Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Lombardo.
Hi Elizabeth, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born to a south carolinian mother and an italian-born father in 1996. I grew up in Chester, SC and went to local public schools. In first grade, I received an award for “classroom mediator”-or at least that’s what my mother told me. While I don’t remember this, I do remember knowing that I was going to help people when I grew up though I didn’t have the language to communicate how until much later. Not unlike my peers growing up, I experienced various challenges of my own that drove me to want to understand the brain, why and how humans struggle, and how to help others navigate their own issues. It wasn’t until I got to college that I began to envision myself one day owning my own mental health practice.
I completed a bachelor’s degree in Experimental Psychology (2017) and a master’s degree in Applied Clinical Psychology (2020), both from the University of South Carolina. I began my clinical work in 2019 and had around 9 months of experience when COVID-19 shut down the world. At the time of COVID, I was working in case management at an inpatient psychiatric hospital in Aiken, SC. It was an invaluable time to be working in the community as anyone can probably imagine. Mental health at an all-time low and isolation at an all-time high, a recipe for mental health crises. I began working in the hospital’s outpatient program where I was a group therapy facilitator for both the Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient programs. My time at this hospital exposed me to more than I bargained for on many occasions; and yet, every day that I was there talking with patients from various backgrounds, listening to stories of how they came to be at this hospital, and getting a front-row seat to the less-than-adequate mental health system in our country (but that’s for a different article), I continued to be fueled by my desire to provide quality mental health care to my own future patients. I came to be of the opinion that many people frequenting mental health inpatient hospitals were traumatized–in one way or another, by events in their past. My passion for working with these individuals grew–those who weren’t responding to medication regimens and weren’t reaping long-term benefits from established, empirically-supported treatments such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Somehow, they still held deeply rooted beliefs about themselves that led to continued struggles and inhibited their growth. It became clear that working in inpatient and/or intensive outpatient care wasn’t the place to make true headway with patients significantly impacted by trauma. So, I knew I had to find a different care setting where I felt more fulfilled. I moved home in 2021, got licensed as a clinical mental health therapist in NC, and found myself working in an outpatient mental health office specializing in trauma.
The three years that I worked at this practice was full of learning and honing my newfound specialty. It was truly an amazing experience; however, I still felt I was missing something in my personal practice and felt called to explore alternate methods of treating trauma other than top-down, cognitive based approaches. I started to explore and learn about the benefit of body-based, bottom-up interventions such as Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Somatic Therapy, Trauma Informed Yoga, Mindfulness, and the simple power of the breath in regulating a traumatized nervous system. The stars seemed to finally align and I decided it was time to launch my own private practice rooted in healing the mind and body connection. Luna Psychotherapy and Wellness, LLC was born and went live June 1, 2025. The rationale behind the name “Luna” (latin for Moon) is based in a metaphor for understanding the cycle of living with and healing from trauma. Just like the moon cycles through phases and may appear only partially illuminated, it is always whole–and so are we. All of us cycle through challenging phases and yet we always have the ability to access our truest, wisest, most compassionate and centered, whole self.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Starting my own business as a single woman, single-income household was a major struggle! Also, it’s only me at Luna right now so I find that I wear many many hats (i.e., therapist, medical biller, janitorial crew, yoga instructor, social media marketer, etc). I also find that my own personal (very human) issues such as anxiety, perfectionism, and ADHD make dealing with the natural challenges of business ownership somewhat colorful! Despite having administrative experience in my past, the entrepreneurial learning curve has been steep at times!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
See first entry.
What sets me apart is my hybrid specialization as a trauma psychotherapist and trauma-sensitive Yoga teacher. What sets my business apart is that it’s a holistic mental health practice prioritizing trauma healing through the mind-body connection via Trauma Informed Yoga (not to mention being nestled in a small, southern town where holistic methods might not be very popular!)
Trauma sensitive yoga is for EVERYONE, not only those who have experienced trauma! This may be new to most people in the community who tend to view Yoga as fitness or for flexibility, or even those who are used to practicing westernized yoga. My practice of Yoga and the version of Yoga I bring to my community is accessible, gentle, and for EVERYONE (all bodies, all abilities, and all humans). Trauma Informed Yoga is an approach to facilitating Yoga that:
1. Acknowledges the impact of trauma on the physiological body and that at first, focused introspection may not be “relaxing” or “calming” to all.
2. Utilizes alternative language to promote a physical practice that encourages exploration of your internal reactions/cues (i.e., thoughts, feelings, physical sensations) in real time.
3. Helps you regain a sense of autonomy and empowerment by encouraging you to internally explore what movement is accessible/available to you, make an intentional choice, and create your own desired relationship with your body.
What are your plans for the future?
In the future, I hope to hold more community events and partner with local wellness businesses. In Spring 2026, I’m planning to co-host a wellness event for faculty / staff at the University of South Carolina at Lancaster, SC!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lunapsychandwellness.com/website
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunapsychandwellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574931596428
