I aim to support clients on their journey of greater understanding of themselves and their world. Together we will create a space for growth and find meaning in the trials and transitions that are inherent to life. I have a passion for working with women and couples as they prepare for pregnancy and parenthood. My training and experience includes areas of perinatal mood & anxiety disorders, preparation for parenthood, life transitions, teen mood & anxiety disorders, and attachment. I am available to work with adults and teens. I enjoy working with diverse cultures and the LGBTQ+ community.

I established my practice to provide sound therapy to those who are seeking to grow, heal, transition--to shift from established ways of coping that are no longer helpful and to heal from past pains that cause present distress. My approach is very engaging and practical and helps individuals and couples manage and experience their life and relationships in more stable and positive ways. I am able to help those with a myriad of life's stresses and complex emotions. For me, the client-therapist relationship is an honor and a privilege as we share this work together.

Ryan Couples Therapy specializes in Couples and Sex Therapy. We help clients address relationship challenges and heal past hurts, rebuild after infidelity, cultivate a satisfying and fulfilling sexual relationship, transform pain into deeper connection and resolve conflict. We also address sexual challenges such as mismatched desire, sexual pain, anorgasmia, erectile dysfunction, sex during pregnancy & the postpartum phase, & more. We help clients heal, envision what they want, and then transform their relationship into a thriving partnership. You can create a sexual relationship that is free of anxiety, pain and distress. Call now.

Are you ready to move towards finding a sense of well being that supports you to navigate the challenges you face in life? Are you contemplating making changes or healing past wounds? It can be so difficult to get started or to even know where to begin. My hope is to understand your hopes for healing and change to create a collaborative vision to move your life in the direction that you want. My focus is supporting adults and adolescents (15+) with a focus on trauma, anxiety, stress management, life transitions and healing attachment wounds.

**ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS** I believe we are all innately born with good intentions and infinite possibilities, and that sometimes life just knocks us off our tracks. Indeed, despite what tragic events occur during our lifetime, we are driven towards resiliency, although this can be where we get stuck. What we used to do, or are doing, doesn't work anymore; we need to find a different way. As a seasoned clinician, I believe we heal through our connectedness with other humans, as well as our own inner strengths, and I would be honored to provide you with a relationship and space that's specifically designed for your healing.

There are times in our lives where we may feel like we're struggling to move forward-- to sleep, to eat, to connect with others. You may be here because you haven't been feeling like yourself lately or are feeling like you're not "good enough." Adding to that, you might be at a crossroads in your life: experiencing pregnancy, entering college, picking a career path, having a child, or deciding who you want to be. All of this may leave you wondering what your first step should be to start to feel better.

I am currently accepting new clients for teletherapy. Sometimes you may feel shut down or overwhelmed. Relationship problems and old patterns can impact your ability to feel like your best self. Therapy can help you to draw on your inner strength, resiliency, and capacity for healing. Working through difficult past experiences and becoming more grounded and connected to your authentic self are some of the changes you can expect to see. We will work to balance your internal system to bring you increased connection, intimacy, and power to navigate the structures and demands of life.

CURRENTLY NOT TAKING NEW CLIENTS. Primarily, I see individual adults or teens (14+). LGBTQ+ friendly and experienced in working through unique challenges. I enjoy working with all genders, all sexual orientations, and mono- and polyamorous individuals. Over the past several years, I have gained an interest in working with Highly-Sensitive Persons (HSPs). Challenges with mood (depression, bi-polar, dysthymia), anxiety (panic attacks, general anxiety, PTSD, phobias, OCD), psychosis-related disorders (schizophrenia), grief and loss, relationship concerns, adjusting to life transitions, career, and personal development.

CHILD/ADOLESCENT THERAPIST Therapy does not have to be scary or mysterious - it is about learning skills and gaining insights that get you closer to feeling more you, feeling well and thriving. TEENS - Maybe you are not sure how someone you do not know yet can help you. I provide a respectful, transparent space in which you are better able to figure out what changes you want to make to improve your life. PARENTS & CAREGIVERS - if you are struggling with your child's behavior (age 4-7), I welcome the opportunity to partner with you to help get things back on track. Please do not hesitate to reach out and ask questions.

My approach to Mental Health Counseling is to view the client as expert in their own life. I do not play the role of expert in my client's lives. I do, however act as a guide, advocate, educator, and support person. What I will do is attempt to see your issues from your perspective and your view of the world. I work within the framework of Person-Centered Therapy, which focuses on the client being the expert, Existential Therapy, which focuses on behavior and looks at how the client thinks, feels, and behaves and the impact they have on others.

Mindfulness and self-awareness are the key elements of the work I do. I work with adults and teens. We determine together the treatment modalities that would best serve. I am well-versed in holistic and more medical approaches and use a broad range of therapeutic models to help clients experience more health and well-being in their lives. Cognitive-behavioral, emotion-focused, narrative, solution-focused and existential therapies are some of the clinical techniques used in my practice.

You are ready for more-fulfilling relationships and a rewarding life; you're ready for change. If you are looking for a caring, private and confidential environment where you can identify and explore the topics that may be getting in the way of what you want, we might be a great match for one another to complete your therapeutic services. Together, we can begin developing insight and the tools you need to implement life changes and achieve your goals using methods proven to work, called evidence-based practices. While I am not accepting new clients, the clinicians in my practice have openings!

For over 30 years I've been helping folks to have better relationships with themselves and others. I'm guided by the belief that most of the time we have our own answers, but sometimes we may need help uncovering or trusting our own judgment. Depending on your needs, we may: 1. work psychodynamically (explore your history and its impact on current life), 2. work cognitive- behaviorally (explore how distorted beliefs affect your feelings & behavior) or, 3. work to resolve abuse by weaving back and forth between the "here & now" and the past.

As a dual diagnosis/co-occurring psychotherapist, (licensed mental health counselor and licensed substance use disorder professional) my goal is to help you uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. While we can't change difficult situations of the past, we can work together to better understand and resolve challenges. By applying specific therapeutic approaches and techniques, we will unearth long-standing behavior patterns or negative perceptions that may be holding you back from experiencing a more fulfilling and meaningful life and incorporate healthy coping skills.

We all have unique backgrounds, stories, and life experiences that contribute to who we are in our relationships, as individuals, and shape the way we experience the world. Accordingly, my work focuses on building an understanding of family history and relationship dynamics to uncover different ways the past is impacting our present.

As a board-certified Couple and Family Psychologist, I focus on relationships and the big picture. If you’re someone who has spent many hours learning about yourself and why you are the way you are, you might be shouldering shame and doubt that seem to drain the color out of your life. You have the insight and skill to move toward commitment and self-respect, but are sometimes too overwhelmed. Instead of just problem-solving, let’s move toward the big picture – the place where you can thrive instead of survive, have nurturing and nourishing relationships, and realize the profound potential in your own/family/romantic/work life.

Let's face it. Life has its wonderful moments, but it also has its fair share of hardships. In these less-than-awesome times we need another person who just 'gets it.' We need someone who can sit with us just as we are, listen non-judgmentally, and allow us to put the pieces together on our own time. Sound like a philosophy you hold too? If so, I invite you to read on.

If you are hurting: sad, depressed, stressed, anxious, scared, then please know that you don't have to go through your current life challenges alone. As a psychotherapist for 35+ years and a master certified grief coach, I've helped thousands of people move out of emotional pain and toward happier lives. If you're ready for growth and transformation, I can help you create the kind of life you want. LGBTQ experienced. Office and telehealth appointments for Washington residents. Phone coaching / Zoom for people outside of WA. (03/15/20: (My temporary response to COVID-19 in Pierce County is to offer virtual appointments only)

Sometimes feelings and behaviors become obstacles to accessing your strength. If you don't accept yourself as you are, you can't change--a paradox, but true. Self-acceptance can be difficult, especially with history of abuse, trauma, or opression in which shame/guilt become integral to your sense of self. Destructive behavior, in whatever form, has its own logic, but is understandable given your history. We cope in ways that serve to protect ourselves in childhood--serving a useful purpose back then. But now, they prevent you from having stable, close relationships and feeling an empowered sense of self.

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and Licensed Social Worker in Mukilteo, WA. I work extensively with problems related to stress, anxiety, and depression. I will collaborate with you to identify and create achievable and meaningful goals to improve your quality of life. I believe in the power of a strong therapeutic relationship. I am flexible and able to work with individuals at their own pace.