Gestalt Therapists in First Hill, Seattle, WA

As a therapist, I believe first and foremost in the healing and growth that can happen in relationship. My therapeutic approach is about meeting people where they are, and engaging each individual in a healing dialogue that is appropriate and specific to his or her life. I am a process oriented therapist. This means that I am primarily interested in understanding the process through which my clients respond to the world and how they make meaning out of their experiences. My goal is to facilitate increased awareness in my clients and improve agency, choice, and connection in their lives.

Are you struggling to show up in the present? Do you ever feel 'haunted' by past experiences that foreclose your way toward the future you want? I have met such roadblocks myself and believe that building a healthy interpersonal relationship in therapy paves the road to unlocking your goals & desires. I have specialties working with queer women & femmes in addressing anxiety, t/Trauma processing & recovery, sexual assault, and identity exploration.

***Accepting New Clients*** Nobody knows you better than yourself. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression, loss, or adjustment to the pandemic, I am here to listen and help, without judgement. Together, we will work to understand you and how to make positive, lasting changes. The feedback my clients give me is they feel heard and understood in ways they have rarely experienced before.

I have been honored that people have felt comfortable and safe enough in sessions to discuss their most private experiences and thoughts. People often come to see me because they're struggling to keep up with their obligations between family, career, friends, and their own self care. The frustrations sour feelings toward work and relationships. Loved ones start to notice that your temperament is not the same - you're crankier or more aloof. You may feel lonely and disconnected. Sometimes you don't even know what got you upset in the first place.

Welcome. In your search for assistance, experience & effectiveness matter. With 50 years practice, mine is a motivational, well-researched method & interactive style. Respecting what is already working, we will focus both on what is going well in your life and where you would catalyze your efforts for desired change. The goals may vary; but sharpening perception, connecting more deeply with self & friends, and adjusting old messages that interrupt optimal living are usually involved. I have counseled clients since ‘74, 33 of those years in Seattle, mainly with couples & women who are attracted to a holistic, humanist approach.

Awareness is everything. How often do we ask ourselves: "How did I get back here again?" - repeating patterns of self-defeating behavior. Raising our awareness of these patterns can help free us from re-engaging in them. The rewards of this exploration are bountiful - as we watch new, healthier behaviors emerge. We get a glimpse of the gifts that life can offer us by simply getting out of our own way. In my practice, I have had the privilege of witnessing how the resultant emotional freedom can have a powerful healing effect on depression, anxiety and trauma.

Life is full of challenges and sometimes we just get stuck. Most of all, I want to help you feel better and enjoy life. My work with you is about finding a way to get unstuck and move forward. My goal is to help you work through challenges, find the meaning in life again, and ultimately, live life to its fullest! My approach is to connect with you in a way that allows you to freely discuss your challenges and struggles so that I can offer insight, suggestions, and resources that are uniquely helpful to you.

I am currently taking new clients on a limited basis. I work with teens and adult individuals. I specialize in trauma, which underlies many psycho-emotional problems such as anxiety and depression. However, I am chiefly interested in working with people experiencing important life transitions and challenges, especially when they feel stuck, confused, or lost. I am available for a short, no-cost phone interview to answer your questions about my practice.

I work with individuals and couples who are looking to get more out of their lives. Choosing the right therapist for you is important - email, text or call to set up a free consult to see if we're a good match to work through your issues. With couples, I help increase communication and understanding of each other using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Gottman. My areas of focus for individuals include work issues, depression and anxiety, grief, navigating American culture, and sexual issues that get in the way of committed relationships.

If there is any part of you who wants to feel empowered and in charge of your own life, learn more about yourself, your healthy and unhealthy patterns, your capabilities, and you want to claim and connect to your own power and BE authentic, then let's meet and decide whether we can work together. My commitment as a therapist is to facilitate the process of awareness, acceptance, choice, and letting go with deep respect for the personal pace, process and style of each client. I am a fully licensed Mental Health counselor with the state of Washington with over 20 years experience.

I support clients with a wide variety of concerns including relationship issues, grief and loss, anxiety disorders, LGBTQ sexual identity and orientation, self-esteem, PTSD, depression, family concerns, and other life changes and stressors. I utilize various modalities of therapy including psychodynamic, CBT and solution-focused/skill building therapies. I work with individual adults, children, teens, families, and couples, as well as adults with developmental disabilities and delays.

Experience counts! For over 35 years We have been serving the individuals, couples & groups of greater Seattle & the Puget Sound. We offer sensible, sensitive & caring help with: Improving relationships at home & work; Managing your life's transitions & stresses; Handling problems of thinking, feeling, mood & behavior; Finding your purpose & life direction. We are committed to working from an integrated, multi-lens viewpoint. We believe responsible care includes the biological, psychological, social, and environmental perspectives. Please call or visit us at grouptherapyseattle.com for more information.

We all struggle in life at one point or another. However, reaching out for support can take a lot of strength and courage. For this reason, I strive to provide a safe, accepting, non-judgmental environment where you can openly explore your struggles and receive the support and guidance you need. Many times our past experiences have left us with wounds that become aggravated, causing difficulites in our relationships and daily lives. Together, we will reflect upon your emotional states and sources of distress to gain deeper awareness and skills for change, relief and healing in these areas.

Traditional psychotherapy works toward congruence in a persons thinking, emotions, actions, and life choices. Body-oriented therapy understands that the body is also profoundly affected by our life experiences. Identifying and releasing attitudes and old images held in our physical structure adds an important component to therapy. This promotes lasting change, allowing for free flow of life energy from within us so we can more fully realize our life, our joy. I am also founder of the Seattle School of Body-Psychotherapy, and enterprise of Body-Psychotherapy of Seattle.

Therapy is a place for you to name areas of pain, a place to feel without judgment, and a place to reclaim what is yours. Shame is the source of so much of this pain and judgment, convincing you that you are broken. Shame is often so intertwined with sexuality because of the societal silence around the topic. Perhaps sex is painful, perhaps you are more aware of others desires than your own, perhaps you feel empty from running on fumes and enjoyment is the last thing on your mind. Whatever the reason, engaging your sexual health can help overall wellness, and ultimately be the way back into relationship with yourself!

I currently have had to pause on accepting new patients. I will update my profile when that changes. Everyone experiences difficult times in their lives. Whether it's struggling with a difficult relationship, work or school, anxiety, depression, or problems in your family or social life, you're making an effort now to change. We will work together on ways to resolve the thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that have prevented you from being who you want and attaining the things in life you really want for yourself. I offer a warm, safe, and confidential setting where we determine what your therapy needs are and how to achieve them.

I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Child, Adolescent, and Family treatment from Seattle Pacific University (2008) and my M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Gonzaga University (2001). I have been a Licensed Psychologist in WA since 2010, and I am paneled with most insurance carriers. I have practiced in a variety of settings, including university counseling centers, public school systems, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and mental health agencies. I view my primary role as providing a safe and contained environment where individuals can gain stability, increase insights into themselves, and develop more positive coping strategies.

This time has been isolating and life alternating to say the least. Many of us are left with a feeling of overwhelm as we are separated from one another and cannot participate in the lifestyle routines that once helped us to feel grounded. I have been working with many clients this year to find a source of balance and inner peace when so much of the world has shut down and become unavailable to us. From anxiety, depression and Pandemic PTSD to low motivation and deflation. Feelings of isolation, loneliness and despondency are a few of the many issues I work with in my clients at the moment. Let me help you build your new world!

I specialize in the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, relationship problems and life transitions. I have extensive experience working with Veterans, adolescents, adults, and older adults, as well as members of the LGBTQ community. I am a provider with Lyra Health and Wellspring EAP. My practice hours include evenings and Saturdays. More information is available at my website: evergreenmoodtherapy.com.