Divorce Therapists in 98127

In my practice I provide individual, family, and couples therapy to help adolescents and adults grow and change into the person they want to be. I support my clients through healing from abuse, divorce, domestic violence, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and more. I am experienced in working with clients from the LGBTQ community, as well as those in non-traditional family/relationship structures. I have experience working with crisis intervention and assessments for hospitalizations. I currently do not take insurance but will provide a receipt for reimbursement from your insurance.

I have been in the behavioral health field for 35 years. I have experience as a counselor, case manager, supervisor in community mental health programs in Oregon, Missouri and Washington. I developed and taught a post-divorce and parenting program. I have spoken to thousands of individuals throughout my career via workshops and seminars on parenting, relationships, and crisis intervention. I have taught Mental Health First Aid courses in Washington and in Hawaii. I believe in the Japanese proverb “Fall seven times, Stand up eight” and strive to keep you standing through difficult situations.

Contrary to what movies show you about therapy, I won’t give you unwanted advice or simply nod solemnly the whole session. I bring curiosity, compassion, humor, free expression, and movement to join with my clients and help them explore what healing means to them. I hope to empower clients to access their natural abilities and to gently disrupt the unhealthy patterns we humans often get stuck in using more than traditional “talk therapy” approach. My goal is to facilitate somatic healing, so your whole body begins to feel better as you gain new awareness and get “unstuck” from the patterns you’re ready to release.

Seeking therapy can be a daunting process, while also being one step toward greater wholeness/healing. Relationship is where we are both wounded and healed. I work with individuals seeking relief from distressing symptoms such as; demanding too much of yourself, finding it hard to trust self, trust your own experience, self-soothing through addictive behaviors, pleasing others at your own expense, anxiety, depression, CPTSD. Our patterns of relating develop early within our first attachments, so our journey might include visiting some of those relationships to wonder how they impact you in the here and now.

Traditional psychotherapy works toward congruence in a persons thinking, emotions, actions, and life choices. Body-oriented therapy understands that the body is also profoundly affected by our life experiences. Identifying and releasing attitudes and old images held in our physical structure adds an important component to therapy. This promotes lasting change, allowing for free flow of life energy from within us so we can more fully realize our life, our joy. I am also founder of the Seattle School of Body-Psychotherapy, and enterprise of Body-Psychotherapy of Seattle.

Therapy is a place for you to name areas of pain, a place to feel without judgment, and a place to reclaim what is yours. Shame is the source of so much of this pain and judgment, convincing you that you are broken. Shame is often so intertwined with sexuality because of the societal silence around the topic. Perhaps sex is painful, perhaps you are more aware of others desires than your own, perhaps you feel empty from running on fumes and enjoyment is the last thing on your mind. Whatever the reason, engaging your sexual health can help overall wellness, and ultimately be the way back into relationship with yourself!

My scope of practice has included a wide range of clients. I have worked with children, families, and adults with diagnoses from Generalized Anxiety, Major Depression, PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia, Bipolar I and Bipolar II.