Parenting Therapists in Alki Beach, Seattle, WA

**CURRENTLY FULL---NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS** You may be feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stuck, full of shame or doubt, or fed up with old beliefs and patterns running your life. I'm here to help you. Together we can identify and help you meet your goals. I can help you: increase your sense of calm; decrease anxiety; reduce depressive symptoms; change lifelong belief and thought patterns that no longer help; process trauma, recent and old; cope with, process, and move through birth trauma and perinatal mood issues; and adjust to life as a new parent . I do this by using:

Life is hard (especially right now), Relationships are not always easy, and trying anything new can be scary. It takes tremendous courage to decide that you would like to begin working on yourself. While I can’t do this work for you, I will walk beside you and offer guidance and support as you learn how to examine your own behavior, choices, and relationships in a new, kinder-to-yourself, way. Let’s work together to find, care for, and celebrate you; as you are, have been, and would like to be. I so look forward to accompanying you on your journey.

I use play therapy, expressive arts, therapeutic games, and talk therapy techniques to provide a safe and accepting space for kids and teens to communicate their emotions and process their struggles in a healthy and developmentally appropriate way. In parent sessions we’ll practice new parenting and relationship skills and process your parenting experiences.

Seeking therapy can be a daunting process, while also being one step toward greater wholeness/healing. Relationship is where we are both wounded and healed. I work with individuals seeking relief from distressing symptoms such as; demanding too much of yourself, finding it hard to trust self, your experience, your mind, self-soothing through addictive behaviors, pleasing others at your own expense, anxiety, depression, PTSD. Our patterns of relating develop early within our first attachments, so our journey might include visiting some of those relationships to wonder how they impact you in the here and now.

I am continually inspired by the depth and breadth of the human experience. I have a passion for learning the internal and external workings of individuals, groups and systems across varied backgrounds. Along with constant learning, I seek to support individuals in being heard, understood and empowered. It is these core values that led me toward a bachelor’s degree in language studies, and later, to a master’s degree in social work. These two degrees allow me to consider carefully the emotional experience of an individual, while accounting for the unique ways in which we express, perceive and develop meaning.

I specialize in providing counseling services to children aged 3-12 & their families. Childhood is an extraordinary time of growth and change, and often it can be hard to know when extra support may be needed. Many times, the first step is in supporting parents in understanding the current challenge. I strive to witness each child/family uniquely while building a safe therapeutic relationship. My approach to therapy is warm, creative, and playful. I view caregivers as an important part of the treatment process and carve out space to meet with them routinely. To learn more about me & my practice, please visit: umbrellabaytherapy.com.