Somatic Therapists in Seattle, WA

Mental health shouldn’t be a privilege. So much of how we feel in our minds and bodies has to do with the identities we inhabit in the world and how our environments do or do not support us. Counseling is a tool that can be helpful when dealing with the natural anxiety, depression, and grief that can arise as a result of living in a culture that refuses to see you or value you. I work with folks through an anti-oppression and somatic (body-based) lens. As a Non-Binary and Queer therapist, I am passionate about the decolonization of the therapy space. The personal is political.

We are shaped by our life experiences, and most deeply in our early years by our loved ones. Much of our longing stems from three simple but profound needs: We want to be seen, chosen, and understood. There comes a time when it is worth developing insight into ourselves, from a stable standpoint in the here and now. Maybe you are spending a lot of time in self-doubt or self-criticism, or notice that you are often too frenzied or too tired? Maybe you are recovering from difficult life circumstances or oppressive social systems. It is possible to create healthier and more fulfilling ways of relating to yourself and others.

My role is to be a lighthouse. I am here to help you through the storm. Lighthouses do not judge why the storm is happening, instead, they are a beacon to help find the way through the roaring waves. I can’t steer the boat for you, but I can shine some light. Healing through therapy is one of collaboration, communication, and trust. Healing is an individual process, and it is not a linear one. A hard day does not mean failure. My hope is together, and we can discover tools that help the hard days have less of an impact. I believe you are the expert in your own story.

*****COVID-19 update: I am currently seeing clients via telehealth. I am a Somatic Psychotherapist who works with individuals and partnerships. I provide a consistent client-centered environment. I work hard to see clients in their intersecting identities and experiences; this includes clients' unique selves, family histories, cultural identities, and experiences with power and privilege. I look for coping strategies that may or not be outdated, rather than pathology. I seek to listen well, to learn who you are, and collaborate with you to find what it is that you most need.

Three decades in private practice has reinforced my belief that much of our struggles are rooted in some of our earliest formative experiences. Our thoughts, emotions, perceptions and behaviors are largely shaped by impactful conditions and experiences. Patterns and strategies often become unconscious, automatic and at times destructive. This is often what brings us to therapy. My goal is to create a therapeutic relationship that allows doors to open through connection and compassion. My approach draws on many years of experience in the art of somatic based psychotherapies and depth oriented psychology.

We are in the midst of a transition that holds enormous potential for us to shift and become conscious of how we will emerge in a new reality. There is a greater awareness among us all about what is not working both personally and collectively. I am here as a guide to walk with you through this portal of change. I am a trauma-informed therapist and my approach to therapy acknowledges the impact that stressful experiences can have on our mind, body, and spirit. I can support you in releasing any deeply embedded patterns that limit your ability to feel connected.

As a therapist, I bring a somatic perspective to sessions: highlighting the nervous system, locating feelings in the body, and developing skills for increased pleasure and embodiment. My primary focus is relationships, including relationships with partners, community, self, the body, and the natural world. I believe that connecting with ourselves leads to a deeper connection with others, and I practice both individual and relational therapy. In session, I invite deeper conversations around sexuality and gender, which are foundational aspects of who we are and how we express ourselves.

At the core of my work as a therapist is the relationship we create between us. My style is empathic, strengths-based and direct. I will assist you in understanding your emotional patterns, help you find your way through life transitions, to strengthen and repair your boundaries and relationships, and learn new ways of coping and thinking about your life story.

I believe in the importance of feeling connected in relationships, to our environment, and to ourselves. Addressing the “here and now” that arises during therapy allows our sessions to adapt and work with the difficult emotions or thoughts that come up, in an environment that is judgment free and safe. I specialize in working with those who are experiencing anxiety, depression, agoraphobia, trauma, life transitions, self-esteem issues, grief and chronic pain, among other issues. I am LGBTQIA+, gender-affirming and enjoy working with clients along the spectrum of neurodiversity and disability.

I help women entrepreneurs and healers who struggle with co-dependency and an over developed sense of responsibility for others. Codependency is often linked to fear which influences how we speak and respond to business as well as personal decisions. I use reflective inquiry, somatic approach and mindfulness to explore and move out of anxiety and fear informed thinking and responding. We can collaborate to find a routine in responding, noticing and expressing your truest self that positively protects your energy and over time brings peace and abundance to your entire life.

I am a complex trauma specialist, an EMDR Certified Therapist & am trained in IFS. I help trauma survivors to increase safety and regulation and feel at home in their bodies. My healing style is somatic & some of my work looks like helping folx to breathe, to listen deeply to their whole selves & to develop more fluency with their hearts & bodies. I believe the best therapy will always invite your fullness into the room & that by working in the body & attuning toward our full selves we step into our healing. My approach is trauma-informed, anti-racist, queer/trans-affirming, neurodivergent affirming, fat/body positive & liberatory.

Deeper presence, ease, and connection are possible. Together we can explore ways you may have developed patterns and stories in your life that have taught you to disconnect, shutdown, and constrict your vitality and passion. My work with you will help you remember and connect to your most wise and compassionate self in order to observe and unravel habits and behaviors that may be getting in the way of living according to your deepest goals and values. I am grounded in a holistic framework, which means we will integrate thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in the moment.

I believe that each of us has the power within us to heal ourselves, my job is to help my clients to access that power and to support them in achieving their goals through therapy. I utilize a strengths-based perspective to help clients to see what they have been doing right in their lives, acknowledge their current coping skills, and empower them to develop more skills so that their personal goals align with their actions, thoughts, and feelings. I welcome clients from all backgrounds and want to assist them in engaging with their own identities, belief systems, and finding meaning in their lives.

I offer you a safe and compassionate environment to explore what you are struggling with. Through our therapeutic relationship I will work collaboratively with you to move toward a greater sense of wellness, balance and meaning in your life and in your relationships. My approach is integrated, and trauma informed. I incorporate the exploration of family systems and culture with your personal narrative, listen to your emotional landscape, and use a variety of somatic , mindfulness approaches to supported embodied change.

My hope for our work together is that you can begin to process and engage the pain that we so often don’t want to make space for. Instead of ignoring or pathologizing whatever has gotten you stuck, we will explore ways to honor and grow from these realities.

When you are ready to work through unresolved trauma that holds you back from the life you want, I am a guide to help you get to where you want to be. I help women heal from trauma, childhood abuse and neglect, depression, anxiety, transitions, addiction, grief, and loss. I address internal and external systems of oppression while also unraveling shadow aspects of the self to connect you with your true self on a deeper level. I incorporate dreamwork, spirituality, and nature therapy to help you connect the dots and move through energetic blocks.