Alisen is a Vancouver-based published author with Norwegian, English, and Irish ancestry. 

Before pursuing a writing career, she worked in mental health as a registered clinical counsellor which was a sacred and rewarding time. Alisen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, and her writing often draws from both fields, exploring themes of trauma, attachment, belonging, existentialism, feminism, and empathy.
 
Alisen has a copywriting certificate from the University of British Columbia’s Extended Learning and is a graduate of The Writer’s Studio Creative Writing Certificate and Graduate Intensive Workshop programs at Simon Fraser University. Recently, Alisen completed a mentorship with Betsy Warland through the Vancouver Manuscript Intensive to further develop her memoir.
 
She enjoys writing poems, and is a member of a poetry collective with other BC poets who encourage and inspire experimenting using new forms. Alisen participates in a monthly manuscript exchange group that is comprised of authors who share their work for peer editorial critique and collaborative mentorship.

When Alisen is not writing poems, short stories, or new pages for her memoir, she loves writing songs for Ghost Shepherd—a music project she began with her partner in 2006.
 
Alisen offers commission-based editing and proofreading services.