Therapists in Port Orchard, WA

Therapy is about learning how to tell our stories. It is deepening our courage to look ourselves in the face and tell the truth of what we find. It is taking in the bountiful love in the world though it sometimes seems impossible to find. It is learning to savor the taste of a good meal and laughter with others. It is knowing the name of our sadness whether or not we can find our tears. It is being. Just as we are with hope for more to come.

Life Guide Northwest was founded in 2010 in Portland Oregon by my late father Stevie B. Hoggans. His sole purpose in establishing Life Guide Northwest was to create a treatment agency to support the specific needs of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) community. This level of support was not available in his community, which dealt with socio-economic challenges which manifested into issues such as behavioral health conditions, crime, substance abuse, poverty, and homelessness. Like my father, I am passionate about helping ALL individuals who are struggling to navigate interpersonal challenges.

Have you reached a point where your own will has sabotaged your life? Either recognizing how small you are in the grand scheme of things, lack of ability to transcend stagnancy or break free from bad habits or symptoms that rob you of joy? I have found the difference between being alive and living is rooted in transcending your identity (or sense of self ) beyond one dimensional perspectives, and I utilize the medium of color (and archetypes) to create a bridge between the conscious and unconscious world that exists within, among, and around you.

Every person is unique and amazing in their own way. We come together to share your deepest self and at times there can seem to be few words to connect. We are accustomed to putting on our armor, presenting our inauthentic self and carrying this self into our relationships. We have a loud, blaming inner voice that we listen to and allow to minimize our wholeness. But each of us has the innate ability to heal ourselves.

Psychotherapy can be a prime opportunity to make changes related to a number of life's troubles, and I am interested in supporting you in finding personally meaningful change. This looks different for everyone, which is why I will be committed to getting to know you and being with you along the way.

I'm not sure that I have an "ideal client". I am someone who is immensely curious about the human mind, who loves a challenge, and who always wants to help. I work with anyone and everyone and I'm always looking to experience something new! I am experienced in areas such as criminal justice issues, anger management, self-harm, suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, trauma, addictions, mood disorders, personality disorders, anxiety, maternal issues, family issues, and more. I have worked in crisis stabilization, corrections, and residential trauma treatment, allowing me to develop a very well-rounded and diverse clinical background.

Discover the path to inner strength and well-being! If you're battling depression, anxiety, or a sense of being adrift, there's hope for a brighter future. With my expertise in mental health, I offer an enticing approach that fosters personal growth and collaboration. Drawing from extensive clinical training, I empower individuals to overcome mood and psychological challenges.

Welcome! You have done the first (and most important) step of reaching out for help. Together we will keep taking one step at a time, in a pace that you feel comfortable with. Whatever brings you here, my hope is to treat every client with respect and provide guidance in a non-judgmental manner by focusing on your particular needs and strengths.

You need to feel like you can be fully yourself. To be able to set boundaries, thrive, and be healthy in your relationships. Therapy is for someone like you - a regular person, struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder... who sometimes doesn’t like how you feel about yourself or your relationships. Given the social pressures and systemic influences in your life, these feelings become more complex and painful with time. You don’t need someone to solve everything, fix you, or expect you to be happy, but you long to be authentic and vulnerable with yourself and for others to feel they can be the same with you.

My approach is tailored to meet your goals and may include helping you solve your problems, develop your strengths, and provide skills to increase your daily life effectiveness. Often, this process involves giving attention to the thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and experiences that hinder living a balanced and meaningful life. My deliverance when working with clients is client-centered, collaborative, and non-judgmental.

Change does not happen overnight. It is a process that happens by taking small steps towards a goal everyday. My goal is to help individual's & families to become stronger & have a healthier outlook on the future/present, so they can develop accepting & loving relationship with themselves & others without judgement. This is done by improving communication, learning & understanding an individual’s past, beliefs or culture can affect one’s behavior, views & emotions, building up self worth, being validated when family members address issues from the past or present.

No matter the reason a person seeks counseling, a listening ear and safe place to share can foster healing and allow progress toward wholeness. As your counselor, I hope to provide a space for you, free of judgement, where we address your concerns and help you work toward a fulfilled and free life. I work with a variety of different issues, including anxiety, depression, relationships, low self-esteem, grief, family systems, anger management and parenting concerns. I see women, men, adolescents, couples and families. My experience and education has given me knowledge on diverse approaches and orientations to use in counseling.

My experience is heavily rooted in Forensic Mental Health. I've spent a total of 8 years working between the court and jail. The last 5 years were spent in King County Correctional Facility as a Psychiatric Evaluation Specialist. I was the primary clinician responsible for the treatment of the incarcerated women on the psych unit. I did a significant amount of work with our suicidal unit and was responsible for conducting the 4 hour suicide trainings assigned to all new staff and officers in the jail. I value the complexity of the human experience and strive to provide a safe non judgmental space for clients to heal.

I possess extensive experience working with community members who have difficulty feeling safe and heard in therapeutic environments. I take pride in creating a safe and nonjudgmental spaces to process complex experiences and feelings openly and tap into their inherent strengths to make positive changes that lead to lasting transformation. We will use a broad range of evidence-based modalities, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, and solution-focused brief therapy delivered with a person-centered and strengths-based approach tailored to your unique needs.

To say that life is hard is an understatement; what a time to be alive and to be human! Life has an interesting way of "just" happening when we least expect it. Everyone has a story or a burden to bear, some heavier than others. Regardless, seeking a therapist midst those things can add another layer of hardness or stress. My goal as your therapist is to help you find healing. Whether I am the right fit or not, you will leave our consultation one or two ways; ready to dive in together and do the work or help with finding the right therapist.

I specialize in comprehensive neuropsychological and psychological evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults up to age 30. I collaborate with clients and families to explore questions and concerns related to attention/focus, executive functioning, learning/school difficulties, social-emotional and behavioral challenges, sensory differences, and giftedness. These evaluations can help identify strengths and vulnerabilities to provide guidance and recommendations for the home and school settings (IEP/504 supports) and treatment goals for therapists. I also specialize in assessing for autism in children, adolescents, and adults.

With several years of counseling experience in mental health clinics, rehabilitation centers, and K-12 schools, I've supported individuals of all ages, from kindergartners to elderly. I believe in accompanying individuals on their healing journey, whether they're adjusting to a new school or navigating challenges later in life. Let's embark on this journey together.

You matter. Your story matters. What's bringing you to this page right now matters. I care deeply about helping my clients feel seen and heard. I consider it an honor to come alongside someone and to be let into their world. As part of the therapeutic process, we can help uncover lies you might be believing, identify counterproductive thinking, explore relationship dynamics, process trauma, and troubleshoot life stressors.