Substance Use Therapists in Yakima, WA

As free human beings we have the gift of making choices in our life. One big choice is taking the opportunity to reach out for support and guidance when we aren’t operating at our optimal level. We often minimize our mental health needs; however, it is of vital importance to our overall well-being. Whatever your mental health needs are, the key role of a therapist is establishing a good therapeutic relationship. They need to be willing to walk with you for a time on your own individual journey. I am honored to be a therapist and have that opportunity to work with you.

I believe that everyone has the capacity to create change and gain skills toward aligning their behavior with their values.

You've felt different your entire life. You've never felt like you fit in with what was expected of you. Because of this you never really got to learn who you really are. You never had a chance to create meaning, joy, and grow into your potential. You're exhausted and it feels like you have to fight every day just for others to see and recognize you for the person you are. You feel responsible for the demands of others. You feel like you're the only one in this world who feels the way you do. You want to be able to see yourself as who you truly are.

My professional life has been dedicated to the easing of psychological suffering, particularly the suffering caused by the ravages of depression, anxiety, trauma, personality disorders, and addiction. Our personalities can be badly damaged by early traumas and disrupted early attachments, and our emotional reactions, behaviors, and addictions, large and small, are typically our desperate methods of coping with the pain. By learning new ways of managing our feelings, responding to others, and healing our memories, we can grow and develop towards our best selves.

Currently Accepting Medicaid and Medicare! Therapy can feel intimidating to start, but if you’re ready and willing to begin I will provide a safe place for you to grow and heal. I will use holistic and evidence-based approaches to best fit your individual needs. I work effectively with adults who struggle with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, social anxiety, grief and relationship struggles. Currently I am in the process of obtaining my Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. All of my clinical work will be supervised by Dr. Derek Hatfield to help assure that you receive the best services possible.

I offer brief-solution and long-term insight-oriented depth psychotherapy for those feeling the angst of living in this complex 21st Century. I Utilize traditional/non-traditional therapies, providing a safe, stable and nurturing environment for my clients to explore the remotest areas of thought, emotion, memory, and dreams, toward a healthy relationship between the conscious and unconscious self. This relationship with the unconscious allows for healing, truth finding, meaning, balance, and joy in life. I embrace mind-body-spirit paradigm as a means to individuation and realized wholeness. My expertise/scope of practice

I am a mental health counselor offering a client centered approach and believe that all people can change. Have you been struggling to move past your trauma and feel stuck? Are you experiencing panic/anxiety attacks and depression? Do you feel like the walls are closing in around you, do you feel like running, your heart is racing, you start to feel warm, and maybe you think you’re going to die? Childhood trauma changes who we are, but it does get better. There can be healing so life does not have to be so hard.

Dr. Whitmer treats individuals, couples, and families. His doctoral training in clinical psychology has prepared him to treat many mental health disorders with various interventions. Dr. Whitmer is board certified as a Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator and a Forensic Vocational Expert. He is nationally certified as Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, and is International Psychometric Evaluation Certified. Dr. Whitmer is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington State.

Although I treat a variety of psychological conditions, I have three main specialty areas. First, I specialize in treating children and adolescents with emotional and/or behavior problems such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, poor school performance, non compliant behavior, substance abuse, and emotional trauma from domestic violence or sexual abuse. I also specialize in working with children, families, and adults who are struggling with issues related to divorce and re-marriage. My third specialty area is treating relationship and marital problems.

I have been a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist for 34 years and helping heal families in my private practice for 24. I specialize in many areas such as child abuse, domestic violence, adoption and infertility related issues, grief, anxiety, depression, addiction, communication training and fair fighting techniques. Many clients come for short, solution focused therapy. I welcome everyone, despite gender, age, ethnicity, religion or sexual preference. My goal is to make the client feel welcome from the moment they arrive, until the time they leave with information that can immediately make a difference in their life.

I am on maternity leave until July 1, 2024. Forging the nerve to come to counseling takes bravery. Life hands many individuals trying times that can bring us to the point of feeling nothing can ease the pain, hurt, or confusion.

Asking for help isn’t about a deficit or weakness you have, but because you want to be get stronger and healthier. Life can be a challenge. Even with the best efforts, everyone experiences setbacks, loss, trauma, and at times, a reduced sense of hope. I am especially passionate about increasing access and reducing the stigma of behavioral health. People go to the gym to build a stronger healthier body, you come here to build a better stronger mind and spirit. You can expect professional high-quality care, humor, and a compassionate yet challenging partnership to help you discover quality mental health strengthening & wellness.

As we encounter life's various problems, we occasionally find that professional help might be useful. I work with people who are looking for that additional professional assistance. Some of the most common reasons people come to work with me are depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem and anger management, among several others. I also work with couples. For the first 15 years of my career I also worked training doctoral students on how to be therapists while maintaining a private practice on the side. This has given me invaluable insight into the therapy work I do now in my full-time private practice.

Everyone has problems. Pretending to be fine when you're not is exhausting. When you meet with me, you don't have to keep up any pretenses. You can take your mask off. We can get into what is really underneath your suffering. If you're like most human beings, there's probably a lot of fear and shame related to trauma and troubled relationships. Chances are you are struggling with an addiction of some form or another. The path to greater mental and emotional health can often feel like a steep mountain trail that never ends. It can help to have an experienced guide to help you along the way!

I am licensed in Washington and use Headway Services for billing and scheduling, you will provide the necessary information and schedule with the website link under my picture. My approach to therapy is with mutual respect, positive regard, and focus on steps toward goal attainment with an interactive exchange, I will tailor a plan based on your individual needs which may include distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. I will provide assistance for you in recognizing your wants and needs ensuring that our communication is open and you are able to effectively express yourself.

My therapeutic method includes using a blend of the current proven treatment modalities including the Strengths Perspective, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in order to meet each clients needs as an individual and in order to empower clients to make changes in their lives. In the 20 years I have been in this field in Tri-Cities, Washington I have seen over 2000 children, adolescents, and adults having spent over 150,000 hours in psychotherapy sessions assisting clients in navigating through difficult situations resulting from divorce, relationship issues, sexual addiction, anger, depression, anxiety, and feelings of discontent.

We are an outpatient mental health practice that provides psychotherapy, assessment, dietetics, and medication management. We offer in-person and virtual appointments. Our staff includes psychologists, a psychiatric ARNP, licensed mental health counselors, social workers and a registered dietician. Our clinicians are experienced, utilize evidence-based techniques, and offer clinical specialties.

I'm a solution-focused, results-oriented counselor with a passion for helping people in the most efficient yet comprehensive manner possible. My clients and I identify opportunities for growth in all three aspects of mental health: behaviors, thoughts and emotions. I then suggest evidence-based treatment methods to match our specified goals. This often includes lifestyle change, healthy habit formation and cognitive therapy. Most often, I work with clients' present-day experiences, with less focus on the past. Many of my clients tell me that traditional talk therapy has not worked for them, and they want to try something different.

I believe you hold the answers to the challenges that bring you to counseling. It is my job to support you finding them. I aim to work with acceptance, respect, and trust - allowing our work to be guided by you. In session, I listen both for what is said, as well as process – the often unspoken patterns and strategies of relating. I see mental health and well-being as a sense of wholeness. In this state, the many parts of ourselves are in agreement. I firmly believe that even the most disturbing or distressing experiences are potentials for growth and learning.