Therapists in Seattle, WA

Are you struggling with a life transition, feelings of insecurity or other emotional pain? Do you desire less conflict or more connection in your relationship? Often, my clients arrive with anxiety, feelings of shame, or are suffering from challenging relationship dynamics. Others, arrive unsure of the exact source of their problem, but know they want more fulfillment. Perhaps you have awareness regarding your issues, but still struggle to interrupt negative patterns or grow beyond reoccurring challenges. If you long to improve your relationship with yourself or others, I would love to work with you.

I believe in the importance of helping individuals seeking to show up authentically in all parts of their lives. Through compassion, non-judgmental guidance, and by challenging patterns where you find yourself stuck, we are able to promote personal growth and change. I work with individuals to better understand their boundaries and how to strengthen their ability to communicate them. My approach to counseling is informed by CBT, ACT, Psychodynamic, and EMDR. EMDR therapy is an effective research based therapy method that supports healing from trauma, ingrained negative core beliefs, and other distressing life experiences.

Therapy involves getting to know ourselves better - our beliefs, our feelings and reactions, our relationships, and the patterns we live by. I work with people who want to understand themselves better and make more positive life decisions. Many of my clients find themselves continually falling into negative patterns with friends, family, partners, academics, and career choices. Others struggle with confidence, self-worth, and an incessant inner critic. My work with couples and families focuses on increasing effective communication, and finding alternatives to negative patterns of interaction.

Do you feel alone, lost, or broken? Maybe it's been a long time since you truly felt seen and heard by the friends, family, and partners most important to you. Is this how you prefer to live? How much longer can you pretend it's sustainable? It's my belief that you are not broken and you are not the problem. You are a whole person whose relationships are being robbed by the problem. You deserve to find a new way of living that honors your best hopes and truest self. Whether you are a couple, family, or individual, Other Spaces therapy can help you find your voice so you can live more authentically.

My clinical approach is largely psychodynamic with existential and humanistic elements. Some of my clinical interests include: adult developmental life transitions, the impact of chronic illness (on both the person with chronic illness and those caring for someone with chronic illness/ongoing health needs), and men's issues.

My therapeutic orientation is best described as a holistic and comprehensive approach to counseling. I find that developing insight about the nature of one's problems within the context of an empathetic and collaborative therapeutic relationship, can lead to healthier relationships and a more satisfying life. I tailor my treatment approach to best fit the needs and desires of my clients. Some of these approaches may include: Cognitive-Behavioral, Solution-Focused, Client-Centered, Mindfulness practices, and Strength-based interventions. My hope is to help people recognize that life is a continual balance between stability and growth through acceptance and actualization.

I am a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst with 29 years of direct experience. I have worked with diverse populations and Washington State endorses me as a Child Mental Health Specialist and Ethnic Minority Mental Health Specialist (Native and African American populations). I hold licenses in multiple states in both mental health as well as chemical dependency. I am the author of multiple Amazon best-sellers including 'Elements of Self-Destruction', 'Borderline Personality Disorder' (co-authored with Jacquie Gunn), and 'Elements of Reparation'. Above all, I am a proud father of two and a husband.

As the partner affected by the addictive behavior of a loved one, you often find yourself asking what you can do to help them? You have tried many approaches, but none have been long-lasting. Your loved one's addictive behavior is unpredictable, and you are fearful it might get worse. You love your partner, but not their addictive behavior. Reaching out for help can be scary, as you want to be sure that you find a counselor that you can connect with and one that understands addictive behavior.

I work collaboratively with you to identify stories or obstacles posing problems in your life so you can move through them. Whether you are a teen, an adult, a couple, or a family system, I utilize an integrative approach that is holistic and strength-based, supporting you in making peace with the past & the present, and live in a healthy balance of mind, body, & spirit. I work from a multicultural & justice-oriented context; am LGQBT+ friendly, & support you in your individual belief system, exploring the way dominant narratives have impacted you. I have experience working with complex trauma & grief.

My therapeutic orientation is psychodynamic in nature, based on the observation that people are often unaware of unconscious influences that determine their perceptions and actions.  Lack of awareness can often lead to behavior that often constrains their abilities to fully comprehend or work through the difficulties they are facing.  My hope is to help remove problematic symptoms that prohibit individuals from participating in meaningful relationships and leading full and productive lives as an active and positive contributor to their community.

Welcoming couples clients! Relationship problems are common & you have taken a courageous step by seeking therapy. As one of the few psychologists specializing in couple therapy, I've supported hundreds of couples by providing effective, evidence-based treatments that scientific research has shown to bring significant & lasting improvement. My own research on relationships has been published in peer-reviewed journals, & featured here in Psychology Today, international media outlets such as Business Insider Germany, & New York Times Best Seller Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown.

You never seem to fit in. No matter how hard you try it feels as though those around you have some sort of secret code that they all use to communicate with and as much as you have tried you just can’t crack it. There are people in your life but you worry they only tolerate you and that they will eventually get burned out and leave. You are a passionate person you love theater, anime, video games, fantasy books, among other things. Yet, no one seems as interested in those things as you are. You can find communities on the internet but you still feel lonely.

My goal is to assist you in recognizing your inherent strengths that have been developed as a result of your unique experiences. Everyone comes to this moment with their own set of beliefs, values, morals, and expectations. You are stronger than you think. You are more capable than you think. Oftentimes individuals, couples, and families may not recognize their own resilience and their ability to break toxic cycles that may exist within relationships. Sometimes experiences can overwhelm us, and make us feel that we don’t know the way forward. The process of therapy is turning those overwhelming feelings into a road map.

Even the most talkative child may not have the words to accurately and effectively communicate his/her/their emotions, experiences and needs. This can make a child feel frustrated, sad and misunderstood. As a result, some children may express themselves through aggressive behavior, impulsivity and defiance. Other children might direct their feelings inward and withdraw from social activities, become fearful or experience hopelessness and loneliness. Both externalizing and internalizing behaviors may lead to trouble concentrating, academic difficulties, somatic concerns (stomach aches and headaches) or changes in sleeping or eating.

I have over 25 years experience working with clients to address a variety of issues. I find it deeply rewarding to work with people who are seeking help to deal with issues of grief and loss, depression, anxiety, stress, relationships, life transitions, and/or mental illness. I will provide a secure, confidential, non judgmental atmosphere in which we can work together to develop a plan depending on each persons needs and goals.

Undergoing intensive psychodynamic psychotherapy is deeply personal. For many individuals, this adventure into unknown recesses of their psyches reveals personal vistas previously unimagined. Such exploration frequently involves painful disclosures, frightening discoveries, an extraordinary development of self-understanding, an increase in capacity for intimate sharing, and an integration of strengths and aspirations. Such a journey, with phases of both pain and exhilaration, usually takes place over an extended period.