Therapists in Seattle, WA

As a relationship and sex therapist, my background and training are in relationship treatment as well as sexuality therapy. I work with heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, asexual, and transgender individuals, couples, and partnerships to heal and find fulfillment. I see adults on a variety of discomforts that affect individuals, partnerships, and sexuality (e.g., orgasmic issues, erectile issues, desire issues, sexual pain). Additionally, I see couples for a myriad of relational issues. I am LGBTIQA, kink, and poly friendly and knowledgeable.

As a therapist that works with couples and individuals, with a focus on intimacy and sexuality, I often work with people seeking deeper and more nourishing connections in their relationships and lives. Connection requires the courage to move into vulnerability and honesty to live one's truth about what they really need from their relationships. This is where I can help! I serve as a guide for individuals and couples in stepping into their own lives, to ask for what they need and to be present in and for their relationships.

I have been counseling since 1981 and opened my private practice in 1988. I have expertise in working with individuals around their history of sexual victimization, people healing from trauma and LGBTQ life issues. I also specialize in working with couples whether poly, open, heterosexual and/or gay. Included within my expertise is the breadth of issues surrounding sexuality and attachment. I also specialize in helping people become aware of and channel their emotions in a healthy way. Moreover, people who are grappling with existential issues, developmental transitions or life changes find meaning in working with me as well.

As an individual, couples, and sex therapist, my passion lies in helping people to confront and tackle the challenges which deeply impact their personal and relational lives and leave them feeling stuck. Whether you are struggling to cope with anxiety, grief, or depression, navigating conflict or resentment in your relationship, or facing concerns about your sexual health or identity, I strive to create a non-judgmental and supportive space where clients can explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences without fear of rejection.

Relationships are hard work. Navigating what you want from life while considering what your partner/partners may wish to do can be daunting. Having questions about your relationship? How about your sex life? Has the excitement of your relationship and sex life turned into a mundane list of chores to cross off? Wait ... what about passion!? Or Intimacy!? Or heaven forbid you might ask, "What if I want to try that new thing ...?" You are far from being alone with these thoughts. Most people ask these questions when they are in a relationship with others. That's why I am here: to help answer these questions in a supportive space.

Do your sexual behaviors feel out of control? Are you concerned that you might be addicted to sex or porn? Has infidelity harmed your relationship? Perhaps you are struggling with sexual concerns like ED? If it's hard for you to stop problematic sexual behaviors on your own, it's time to see a specialist. I understand the impact compulsive sexual behavior can have on one's life and the toll of betrayal trauma on your relationship. I am committed to walking alongside my clients as they navigate their path to recovery. I am passionate about helping individuals achieve healthy intimacy, heal from trauma, and live a fulfilling life.

Are you overwhelmed by life’s struggles, trauma, relationship or attachment issues? Maybe you have been wondering about autism or ADHD as a something you are experiencing? Do you have questions about gender or sexuality, and a general need to examine where you exist within an increasingly challenging society and how you are impacted by it? These are the issues that I enjoy navigating with my clients as we find a new, securely attached, unmasked, and comfortable way of living freely. If you are hurting and do not know where to start I can help. If you feel that you are at the end, we can find a new beginning.

Therapy offers something unique: a space set aside for the sole purpose of getting to know your life. Many seek therapy out of the desire for change. As hopeless as a life or relationship can feel, the desire for change is enough to begin working towards something new. Therapy can be a great aid in this effort. Your struggles with anxiety, depression, sexuality, relationships, feeling lost and disconnected - are overwhelming to face alone. Through therapy, I believe these struggles can be bridges of connection, to life and those you love.

I believe that therapy can help us see the unconscious patterns of behavior that we unknowingly live our lives within; that it can help us find some distance from our up-close feelings, and see ourselves with kindness; that it can bring vitality to stagnation, and enliven our sense of creativity; that it can help us pursue our desires; that it can be a place where we wrestle with the things we thought were true, and find comfort in the midst of uncertainty; that it can reveal something about the relationships we seek; and that it can teach us how to grieve our yesterdays, find gratitude for today, and hope for tomorrow.

I strive to always bring my own sense of authenticity to every session as I believe that therapy at its core is successful due to the relationship between clinician and client. As your therapist I will promise to be consistently present, challenge you gently but firmly when you need me to, and to empathetically and truly care about what you have to say. I have fourteen years of experience in the mental health field addressing issues ranging from depression and anxiety to substance use to feelings around gender and sexuality. I work with individuals and families but also have a strong passion working with couples and relationships

UPDATE: I have room for 2-3 new clients that can pay out of pocket (I hate writing this, but it's the reality for therapists in the world of managed care).However, I am also diversifying my career and and am open to many clients as a trauma writing mentor/editor and more. Writing through healing is at least of equal value to psychotherapy. If you are interested in these services, visit me at www.elihastings.com) - I would be so delighted to work in tandem with other therapists, so please do consider if your clients might benefit!

The Only Cure Is Strength. Our work together will focus on your needs. Psychoanalytic Therapy, integrated with other perspectives, is a powerful and effective way to help individuals and couples address life's most urgent issues. Together we can work through, overcome, or improve: Depression, stress and anxiety, Love and intimate relationships, Family conflict resolution, Sexuality and body image, Parent-child conflicts, Drug abuse and eating disorders, Balancing work and personal life, Managing emotions effectively, Strengthening the will/ego, Artistic and athletic creativity, and Creation of meaning. Every effort in therapy should be focused on achieving an aesthetic self-creation.

I am a passionate and dedicated queer therapist with a specialization in LGBTQ-related issues, substance use disorders, trauma, chemsex, sex, and men with sexual dysfunction. My focus is on providing tailored support and guidance to individuals, including gay and bisexual men, MSM (men who have sex with men), and straight men, in their journey towards achieving their mental health goals.

Caleb is Certified in the Treatment of Sexual Addiction, is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Ordained Minister, Certified Life Coach, with a Masters of Psychology in Counseling and a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology. Caleb specializes in helping men work through sex addiction but provides counseling services for all kinds of addictions. He also works with clients that are struggling with anxiety, addictive behaviors, depression, PTSD, emotional abuse, mental abuse and trauma of various kinds. His passion is to provide a safe space for his clients and to walk hand-in-hand with them, guiding them through the healing process.

Everything from the anxieties of imposter syndrome, the unknowns of new relationships, to struggles understanding gender/sexual identity; life can be so difficult to navigate while staying true to oneself. It can be even more difficult to find spaces that don't stigmatize and shame. Inside us all, we carry a capacity for change and a unspoken need for growth. Therapy is a journey to develop a greater sense of self to move foward in more meaningful directions.

This may not be the time or place you thought or wanted to be in your life right now, and that can be a sad, frustrating and heartbreaking reality. In that reality, you need someone who can listen, understand and help you sift through the problems of a sexual/porn compulsion/addiction and/or the betrayal trauma from the reveal of your partner’s hidden sexual life, and I offer that service. I've worked for the past 8 years with men in their recovery from active sex/porn addiction, and for the past 5 years I've been working with partners/spouses who've been traumatized by such hidden behavior, and its relational damage.

I work with those who struggle with anger. Often times the anger is brought on by unmet expectations and merely a symptom of deeper issues under the surface. It's my job to metaphorically stand in a place you can not see, and point you in the right direction as to the cause of what is contributing to the anger. By doing so, you can receive insight that will enrich your life and change it for the better.

We will explore your own “inner dialogue” and/or “parts,” as well as important narratives (aka the stories you tell yourself about yourself and the world around you). I encourage your evaluation, adaptation and/or complete overhaul of these sometimes unhelpful thoughts and stories in favor of newer, healthier, and more useful ones that we develop together!

Are you experiencing difficulty managing emotions? Do you notice increasing problems within areas of your life that used to be more manageable? Especially with today's world events it can be difficult to keep up with each passing day. If you are looking to gain more control over your life and learn new skills to master areas of your world we might be a match to work together.