Teletherapy for Washington

We all face challenges in our lives. Most of us have been lost or afraid or stuck or confused in one way or another. No matter how well we plan, still the moment to moment tasks of our lives are improvisation. When we can access the creative, spontaneous, perceptive parts of ourselves we have more freedom to choose how we behave in difficult circumstances.

Everyone needs hope. We despair and turn to alcohol, food, shopping, sex and the infinite screen to fill our void. We think we know what we want: intimacy, confidence, inner peace and a sense of achievement. We want to matter. We are tortured at times by self doubt implanted by past traumas. I offer a secure place to be yourself to unravel your secrets, fears, shame and guilt. I have 26 years post-doctoral clinical experience counseling individuals, couples and families. I view human problems from a social systemic perspective addressing the individual and their social context.

Welcome! It takes courage to step toward difficult aspects of life. I think we often get stuck and suffer alone in the areas where we need connection the most. I view therapy as a collaborative process where we look at the root of what is causing pain/suffering from our past stories. Often, patterns are cyclical and repeat in the present. Society often neglects what afflicts one's internal world, and we then learn that the norm in life is to be alone in emotional pain. Unprocessed shame is internalized, which in turn shapes how we view ourselves, relationships, and life experiences.

As a specialist in Rehabilitation Psychology, I most often work closely with patients who are managing complex social and medical situations. I build trust and connect with patients about their concerns, fears, and hopes. Most clients are striving to feel more connected to their community and building meaning in their lives. We can all improve in these areas and the science of psychology offers wonderful tools to accomplish these goals. I believe strongly in the power of human resilience in the face of adversity.

Almost everyone at times needs some support or coaching on their life journey. As a seasoned therapist I'd be happy to sit down with you and compasionately listen to your story and lend some hope and support. I see "crisis" as an opportunity to face and overcome the dangers around and in us and a time to open up to the radiance and mysteries of Life.

Since 1983, in a variety of settings, I have enjoyed working with diverse individuals and couples to overcome their personal, relational, emotional and perceptual problems and build on their strengths for a new and brighter future. Whether their problem is a mood disorder or a relational issue, conflict management or PTSD, compulsive eating or a communication problem, I never tire watching people emerge and transform. Believers and non-believers, almost-believers and other-believers, almost everyone agrees that personal problems arise because of the disconnection we all feel that resides in this world. So what is the solution?

We all get stuck at times and it can be quite difficult to navigate overwhelming circumstances and stressors alone. I work with all demographics but place greater focus on on men's issues. My approach is to build a comfortable and relational environment where each person can be real, regardless of their unique struggle.

Working with individuals and families is a collaborative process. I hope to use my many clinical experiences to help guide clients through a path toward more satisfaction in life. Therapy is not a process of simple "change," but rather a process of finding and developing aspects of satisfaction in careers, families, leisure, and relationships that likely exist when we weed through the days' challenges. Through my years as a clinician, I know how to challenge that process. Through my years of teaching, I know when I can simply step aside and admire the strengths that each of us have inside.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist trained to provide psychological assessment and therapy for individuals struggling with chemical dependency, co-occurring disorders, mood disorders, neurocognitive impairment, learning disabilities, eating disorders, trauma, and adjustment disorders. I utilize empirically-supported testing and clinical interviewing techniques to provide thorough psychological assessments and differential diagnoses. My treatment approach is grounded in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. I use evidence-based mindfulness exercises, cognitive-behavior therapy, and biofeedback training to help clients gain increasing awareness of their vulnerabilities and strengths. Clients change by learning to monitor and redirect dysfunctional thoughts before they manifest into undesirable behavior.

I am a direct, warm, engaged and interactive therapist. I love working with couples and families seeking deeper intimacy and with individuals who approach their life challenges as opportunities for personal growth. I encourage clients to trust themselves, follow the wisdom of their bodies, and do what they truly love. My best work is with clients who not only seek immediate relief but also want to empower themselves emotionally, creatively, and spiritually.

People generally do not seek me out until they're feeling overwhelmed, confused, or have run out of answers and resources. I semi-retired on July 1, 2021, and now provide primarily tele-health services (phone, FaceTime or Zoom) Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Our reaction to stressors that feel out of our control can vary widely. This is largely based upon our already established internal resources or our sense of psychological safety, the quality of habitual attention we show up with, the quality of communication in our relationships, the clarity of our personal values and the physiological setpoint of our nervous system. Each of these factors are pieces of your experience that I am happy to assess with you.

The goal of psychotherapy is to understand, manage and resolve problems of related to stress, anxiety, depression & anger, and also to achieve important positive changes in your life. Mindfulness based psychotherapy can successfully reduce stress, by learning how your Moods/emotions, Thoughts/beliefs, Behavior/lifestyle, and Physical body interact and influence each other. Psychotherapy teaches skills to successfully manage your emotions and daily behavior while feeling better, and improving the quality of your life. Psychotherapy focused on healthy behaviors increases optimism by adding positive activities and people to your life.

Come as you are... Leave Different. It is a privilege to come alongside individuals as they challenge themselves to overcome anxieties, self-doubt and old habits that are limiting and discouraging. Are you stuck in entrenched patterns of thinking or behaviors? As a cognitive behavioral clinical psychologist, I offer a wide array of proven Tools for Change. For both individuals and couples, I will equip, encourage and support. Together, we will focus on challenging unhelpful habits; creating forward motion into increased integrity and vibrancy. You have the capacity the change stagnant behaviors and patterns of thinking. I can help.

I have a deep passion for helping trauma survivors, combat veterans, and people who are struggling with addiction to accomplish and sustain meaningful recoveries in their lives. I provide a non-judgmental, compassionate, and safe therapeutic space to help them achieve their goals. The most rewarding thing for me as a therapist is helping a client work through and heal from the trauma and shame that is so commonly the underlying cause of their substance use, addiction, or mental health challenges.

I follow a strengths-based, client-centered approach that seeks to walk along and support your life journey. In the therapeutic space, I act as a reflective lens to build insight by helping to make connections between present and past issues and experiences. I will work with you to identify, understand, and possibly change coping mechanisms and patterns as they exist in your environment.

I have been in practice of psychiatry for 15 years. I work with patients 13 and older and I offer medication management services in coordination with psychotherapy.

Aloha e. Aaron adapts evidence-based therapy to your culture, religion/spirituality so, therapy makes sense. This is commonly known as, Cultural Psychology. He has over a decade of experience working across cultures with a focus, but not limited to trauma, depression, anxiety, racism, and healing from abuse. I have worked with numerous cultures from Indigenous cultures to cultures from nearly every continent.

I graduated from a M.S. mental health counseling program at Eastern Washington University in 1995, got certified and ran a private practice in Seattle from 1995 through 2003. I worked in an outpatient community clinic, an inpatient psychiatric hospital, at retreat centers, and at a college counseling center until starting work on a PhD in Religious Studies and Psychology. I worked, studied, and lived in Europe, East Asia, and Africa before teaching 10 years at San Jose State University, so I am comfortable and confident working with very different sorts of people and I want everyone and anyone to feel welcome and at ease in my care.