Therapists in Olympia, WA

Victor L. Steffens, Jr., Ph.D., LMHC, CDP: My interests in psychotherapy and healing are broad and much of my training as a psychotherapist is as well: significant training in Psychodynamic/Psychoanalysis, EMDR, Gestalt Psychotherapy, Psychodrama/Sociometry/Group psychotherapy and a number of different modalities that include a cognitive behavioral perspective. My areas of focus in treatment include: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other anxiety disorders; Drug and Alcohol use disorders including Co-occurring disorders (Dual Diagnosis); Mood disorders (Depression, Bi-Polar), Personality Disorders, and Adjustment Disorders, I primarily treat adults ages 18-75 and adolescents, in addition to couples.

Your high levels of distraction and lack of motivation are causing you to have an unaccomplished and unfulfilled life. You want your life to change but you don’t know where to start. I help adults and teens struggling with inattention and inaction to create a life with greater focus and a clearer sense of purpose. What could you accomplish if you had the ability to focus on your goals and steadily work on them until they were “all the way finished”? How might your life change? I can help you uncover what is keeping you distracted and unmotivated and offer strategies to help you have a life of accomplishment, clarity and fulfillment.

Almost everyone at times needs some support or coaching on their life journey. As a seasoned therapist I'd be happy to sit down with you and compasionately listen to your story and lend some hope and support. I see "crisis" as an opportunity to face and overcome the dangers around and in us and a time to open up to the radiance and mysteries of Life.

All I care about is that the people I work with are sincerely looking for some kind of change. It's my responsibility to help that happen.

I have been a practicing psychotherapist/counselor for over 30 years and have worked with the whole spectrum of life stressors and emotional troubles. I see people with anger and anxiety problems as well as grief and relationship issues. I establish an empathic connection with my clients which provides a safe basis from which we can explore your needs and determine what may be standing in the way of your on going growth and well being. I have studied somatic psychotherapy, gestalt therapy,cognitive behavioral therapy and deep feeling psychotherapy.

Do you feel like an outsider? Do you want to feel secure letting someone else help carry your worries? Are you ready for help with organizing the slurry of overwhelm, burnout, shame, trauma, bullying, stress overload, or anger? Many of us - myself included - aren't inherently good at knowing "how to human," and many of us weren't taught how to feel safe with our emotions - big or small. Let's work together to tackle the hard stuff in a validating and warm environment with no judgement.

**Currently accepting new clients.** **Stress from politics.** I offer a safe space for you to talk about the things that are most important to you. Therapy is a place for you to figure out problems, vent, be vulnerable, bring your questions, and learn. I help people who feel stuck, conflicted, unsupported, lost, or overwhelmed. I work with couples, adults, and teens. From a foundation of examining and working with feelings, I help people with problems including grief, stress about the world, anxiety, depression, shame, relationships, communication skills, low self-esteem, and life transitions.

It often starts with the unexpected. Unexpected news, unanticipated turns, unforeseen circumstances, and sometimes the unimaginable. It is at these times we can often feel powerless, afraid, confused, and uncertain. Change for some can be unwelcomed and for other’s change doesn’t seem to come soon enough. We cannot always choose what we go through, but we can choose how we go through it. Many seek therapy due to hard-fought battles with a variety of life issues, such as depression, trauma, anxiety, relationship problems, parenting challenges, and experiences from the past that keep them from moving forward.

Anyone who truly wants help with their mental health or daily living problems. I have had the privilege of working with people of multiple cultures, races, and ages. I have been licensed in 5 states. This has given me exposure to many cultures and regions. As a result, I tend to get along with most clients. I work with brief problems in daily living to issues that include complex medical issues/trauma. I connect with moth people. I work with both adults and relationships. I don't expect people to change their "personality". I strive to help people find what works best for them, not what works for me.

I love to help people grow!  This has been a central theme in the different chapters of my life. I am a seasoned counselor with over 30 years of experience helping individuals, couples, families and churches. I am a Christian counselor with an MA in Biblical Counseling from Grace Theological Seminary, a BS in Mathematics from the US Air Force Academy, studied Family Systems at Texas Woman’s University. I served as a pilot in the US Air Force, I served as a field representative for the Navigators, a worldwide Christian organization. I served as a staff counselor at Dallas Theological Seminary before coming to the NW in 1990.

Current openings for outdoor and online therapy sessions! Is the toxic stress you are experiencing showing up as anxiety, dread or avoidance? Does the gap between what you want out of life and where you are at currently leave you feeling symptoms of burnout or depression? When stress is overwhelming it can impact our self esteem and ability to move forward. Whether it's finding a sense of calm and being more present, building a better relationship with yourself, or figuring out the changes you want to work towards therapy can restore hope. Together we can explore what you want for the road ahead-it's time to rediscover you!

As a mental health counselor, I believe that every individual has the capacity to grow, adapt, and thrive, regardless of their circumstances. I use a holistic approach to counseling, pulling from a variety of therapeutic theories tailored to your unique needs, values, and goals. I offer individual counseling, as well as couples counseling for those in neurodiverse relationships/friendships.

I am currently not taking new clients as I slowly retire as a mental health counselor.