Adult Mental Health 

 EMDR & Person Centered Therapy from a Bio/Psycho/Social/Spiritual Perspective

My therapeutic orientation is person centered and based on the Bio/Psycho/Social/Spiritual model, which explores how the internal workings of the body, one’s psychological state, one’s social environment, and spiritual beliefs interact to form an individual’s lived experience.  I apply this model to both past and present-day circumstances through EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Client Centered Therapy, and Play Therapy.  I look closely at how traumatic and unpleasant childhood events may have altered the nervous system and work in partnership with clients through a variety of tools to reset how the nervous system responds to changes and stimuli in the environment.

Intention

My intention as a clinician is to assist clients in gaining greater control over their nervous system's automatic reactions so they can put their energy into building meaningful relationships and developing mastery in areas of personal interest, rather than just surviving day to day.  My work is informed by my training as a nutritionist, therapeutic yoga instructor, and shamanic healing practitioner and reflects the values of Carl Roger's Client Centered Therapy and Ecopsychology.  It is my hope that by witnessing the inner wisdom and capacity for healing within my clients, they can find their place in world and bring their gifts forward to bless and inspire others to do the same.

EMDR

EMDR is a modality that works on a deep neurological level to re-establish feelings of safety, self worth, and the ability to positively steer one's life in a more beneficial direction.  It harnesses one's innate wisdom and brings it forward to heal and repair how the brain responds to past and present experiences so that old patterns and conditioning can be cleared away.  If you feel like there is something (or many things!) preventing you from enjoying and engaging with life in a way that brings joy and fulfillment, then EMDR may be able to help.   

Client Centered Therapy

Person Centered Therapy is founded on the principle that each human has an innate desire and capacity to grow towards self actualization.  Self actualization is a state of alignment between what your inner wisdom Self knows will bring satisfaction and joy into your life and your outward behaviors and lifestyle.  Often in our culture, we are forced to choose early on whether to follow our hearts or settle for what appears to be a logical, safe, or necessary choice before us.  This forced choice can lead to lots of fear, anger, or confusion later on when we feel like something is missing from our lives.  By looking at the whole person from a Bio/Psycho/Social/Spiritual perspective, my hope is to assist clients in removing the layers of conditioning and internalized messaging they have received so they can uncover who they truly are and feel more fulfilled in life.  This process unfolds at the client's pace and involves bringing conscious awareness of physical, mental, & emotional sensations during sessions so clients can learn how to listen and communicate with their inner wisdom Self.

Play Therapy

In addition to EMDR, talk therapy, and awareness exercises, I also offer play therapy for accessing inner wisdom.  Play therapy uses our first language, play, to work through whatever may be in the way of us experiencing the world in a fulfilling and adaptive way.  Although mostly known for its application with children, play therapy can also help adults access their felt experience in the present moment, allowing whatever is in the subconscious to come forward without the mental blocks of the mind getting in the way.  By allowing the inner feeling self to communicate freely, growth and transformation can unfold in a way that supports resiliency, personal responsibility, self awareness, and social connection. 

Rates

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) which enables me to be an Out of Network (OON) provider for many insurance plans. Please call your provider to see if you are eligible for reimbursement for our sessions together. For those without insurance or who do not have OON benefits, I offer a limited number of adjusted rate slots ranging from $65 t0 $115/60 min session.   Your rate will be set at our first session and will be revisited every 6 months to assure it remains a feasible amount for you.   If all adjusted rate slots are full, the fee is $130/60 min.  

Please contact me today to set up a free 20 minute in person or phone consultation to to find out if my services would be a good fit for you.  

More About my Clinical Experience

I enjoy working with individuals from all ages and backgrounds and specialize in treating anxiety, depression, PTSD, and attachment issues.  I have a bachelor's degree in Social Work from Indiana University, Bloomington, where I spent 4 years working in the field of domestic violence and in educational settings.  Upon moving to Seattle in 2005, I emerged myself in the field of developmental disabilities for 8 years, teaching vocational skills and supporting youth and families with the transition from school to work, post high school graduation.  Additionally, I have been a caregiver for children, ages birth to 12, for over 25 years, placing me in a variety of homes and settings prior to my career change to mental health.  As an intern and new graduate from Bastyr, I worked intensively for two years in people's homes as a Child and Family Therapist to help stabilize crisis situations, build communication skills, and increase caregiver understanding of child development and attachment needs.   This wide variety of work experience gives me a unique perspective on how to support children, teens, adults, and parents in their various roles and life stages.