Therapists in 97239

Sexual Addictions & Trauma affects everyone in the Family. Betrayal Trauma is a natural response to secrets & lying. It must be treated as primary for the relationship to heal. Many families experience Multiple Generations of Addictions, Abuse & Neglect. Family participation is strongly encouraged but not required. Couples & Families are often in crisis from a lack of support during discovery & disclosure of Sexual Addictions. Full Disclosure is encouraged in a safe, structured process with support. Accountability is the Cornerstone of Restoring Trust & Intimacy for couples & families recovering from Sexual Addictions. Recovery from Sexual Addictions involves restoration of Healthy Sexual Balance.

My style is engaged, compassionate, and collaborative. I genuinely care for my clients and desire to get to know you personally, to support you through whatever has brought you to therapy at this point in your life. I help clients work through issues that range from stressful and uncertain life circumstances you are navigating to generalized anxiety, OCD, depression, traumatic stress, and more. I believe in every person’s natural ability to be resilient, and also recognize how difficult the path can be when we encounter roadblocks and are feeling stuck.

Most folks can handle the ups and downs of life unless their closest relationships are in trouble. That's what brings people to me. With over two decades as facilitator of personal and relational growth in individuals, couples and families, I am psycho-dynamic (seek to 'peel back the layers') with individuals, helping them to become free from the emotional baggage of childhood. I offer a systems-oriention with couples and families along with some Gottman tools and Prepare and Enrich. I developed a therapeutic program for a children's home in CA and served as their therapist and staff trainer for 5 years.

I believe people have within themselves the ability to make positive changes in their lives. I provide a comfortable, supportive atmosphere and build a trusting relationship that allows people to explore personal struggles, honestly address issues, build a new sense of autonomy and encourages constructive life choices. The skills and knowledge learned in therapy empower my clients to manage stressful life events, improve their relationships, and foster self- esteem. Some of the treatment modalities may include cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, solution focused therapy, play therapy, narrative therapy, family-systems theory, psychosocial education, skills training, parent training and client-centered approaches.

Please visit my website at www.sooniekim.com to learn more about me and my practice.

As a family therapist, I believe that each family, couple and individual has the ability to heal using their own internal strengths. My focus is on restoring balance and building communication within families as they are integral in increasing the overall well-being of individuals, couples and families. I identify symptoms such as marital discord, addiction, behavioral issues among children and adolescents, mental and medical health issues as becoming an unhelpful part of the family system. My approach to reduce the impact of these symptoms and break harmful patterns is collaborative, encouraging members to be open and honest throughout the progression of therapy.

I believe all people have within themselves the ability to move towards positive change. By creating a safe and trusting relationship and environment, I begin to facilitate my clients' abilities to accept personal responsibility for their behavior, develop autonomy, and to make positive and constructive choices in their lives. I hope to empower my clients to successfully overcome traumatic and/or stressful life events and to find positive solutions to problems they may face currently or in the future.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Holistic Nutritionist. With my background in both disciplines, I believe strongly in looking at both the physical and mental factors that might be impacting a person's life. I worked for over ten years in community mental health settings helping kids and their families address divorce, ADHD, anxiety, stress, life- balance, depression, parenting, behavioral issues and attachment. I feel the therapy room should be a safe, non-judgmental place to explore everything that is impacting your life.

I AM NOT PRESENTLY TAKING NEW CLIENTS. In therapy, I work to develop a relationship where you can both specifically explore the issues that have brought you to therapy- depression, anxiety, relationship struggles, lack of purpose, trauma, drug and alcohol issues-- and your life, in general. This atmosphere allows you to gain more self-knowledge and self-acceptance as well as to see fresh perspectives on your troubles and desires. You can then begin to find a way through some necessary changes. An important aspect of my therapy approach is encouraging clients to take steps to live life in more alignment with who they are.

Why do people go to therapy? Most often, it is because we are in a crisis of some kind. Although we all find crises painful, they are also opportunities for growth. In fact growth does not occur without discomfort, maybe even pain. Without that challenge, we will not grow. But we must also have support. That’s where therapy comes in. Through support and challenge, something new emerges. We don’t just get through. We grow. We come out the other side greater than we were.

Taking the first step to get help and support can be confusing and hard to navigate. This is particularly difficult when we are struggling. I understand this and want to support you in feeling better and getting more out of your life. I believe that the most important way I can support you in counseling is by helping us build a trusting connection. Together we will create a safe space for you to be vulnerable and explore your story.

Impossible is temporary. As a relational psychologist specializing in issues like trauma and addictions, I have learned this time and time again. The combination of a supportive relationship, motivation to change well-worn patterns, and clear, concrete guidance can lead to changes far beyond what people believe is possible. Sometimes it seems "impossible" to live a deeper, more connected existence. We may carry scars of rejection and betrayal that keep us from being our truest selves. We heal in the context of genuine, warm, accepting relationships that also encourage us to take risks. I so enjoy building these relationships.

Our human spirit is geared toward resiliency and we have an incredible amount of personal resources available to us that can help us to overcome hardships, we just need to discover them. It is my goal, to help you discover these resources and to improve your quality of life as a result. I seek to create a safe space for my clients, free from judgement where you are able to explore your deepest values and goals. Together we can help you determine what aspects of your life are working well for you and which areas in your life you would like to fine tune in order to bring an increased sense of well-being and peace.

**Currently full and not accepting new clients**. I specialize in treating college-age and young professional adults with personal, spiritual, and relational concerns, from a Christian worldview. I am passionate about helping you move from a place of difficulty into one of health, confidence, and emotional wholeness, so that you can thrive in your life and in your relationships, and succeed in the goals you've set for yourself. Particular issues I work with include depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma, shame, guilt, abuse recovery, suicidal thoughts, conflict, forgiveness, body image issues, and family issues.

Intimacy, creativity, and feelings are essential aspects of nourishment when we are experiencing troubling times in our lives. The symptoms we experience such as depression, anxiety, or relationship challenges are often directing our attention to deeper meaning and understanding of ourselves. In my work with individuals and couples, we are often engaged in relationship and intimacy concerns and exploring ways to heal and experience self-love and self-trust. We all have survival, coping, and healing abilities that can help us grow and thrive under many circumstances. Sometimes assistance is needed to help these abilities develop.

Therapy can offer hope in the midst of depression, anxiety, trauma, stressful challenges in work, relationships, health, or other arenas of life. It can also help us respond thoughtfully and creatively rather than anxiously or destructively. I am a firm believer in learning to be open towards yourself, your relationships, and life transitions. This is a more powerful motivator than mentally beating yourself up. We'll work together to identify strengths you can use towards making important life changes, and to build coping skills to deal with difficult emotions, trust, relationship issues, and negative thoughts you might have about yourself.

Seeking therapy is a courageous act. In the context of a safe, therapeutic relationship, I work to assist you in developing a greater sense of self-awareness and a clear internal sense of what is right for you as a unique individual. I assist you in discovering constructive ways to cope with challenges and to manage difficult feelings. I may also be proactive in respectfully challenging perceptions and behaviors that may contribute to your suffering.

Counseling that is supportive, conversational, respectful, and of lasting benefit can be expected in my office. I work with the full range of issues clients bring, having had extensive training and experience that has lead to a useful meld of emotion, thought, and physical processing approaches, both western and Eastern.

Nobody likes feeling like they're being told what to do. Often times with addiction, anxiety, depression, and other issues this is often what loved ones may do to try to help. Most of the time this only leads to the people who are just trying to help being frustrated and putting in more effort than the individual. I have worked in the helping field for 15 years and in that time I have walked with people through immense pain, sadness, anxiety, and loss. My hope is to always be able to help someone in their process of finding their own path.

Hello! I know that looking for a therapist can be daunting. Opening up to another person is inherently scary--and yet trying to go it alone is exhausting. Humans need connection to thrive, and therapy is a place to safely explore your patterns of thinking and behaving in partnership with another human. If you are ready to ask for help, I encourage you to send me a message.