Find a Therapist in Vashon, Washington.

I help individuals and couples get what they want out of life. Great lives are possible, but somehow we're not always taught how to get them while growing up. The reason for that is that everyone's "great life" is different from everyone else's and it's achieved differently from everyone else. Focusing on you and your life is a direct route to figuring out what has been bothering you and why. And moving forward, we figure out how to effectively make happen what you want to happen.

My approach to Individual Counseling is really quite basic: We engage in honest and direct dialogue about life and relationships. During counseling sessions we examine the thoughts and feelings that create difficult circumstances and unsatisfying relationships. We begin to self-reflect. As our awareness deepens our worries and problems decrease and eventually dissolve completely. With greater focus and enthusiasm we channel our energy into realizing our heart's desires, allowing joyful experiences to naturally arise. A depth of meaning and satisfaction is seated within ourselves. We experience greater compassion and joy in all circumstances.

I employ a holistic approach that bridges the worlds of shamanic healing, contemporary psychotherapy, and life coaching. The blending of these modalities recognizes and works with the invisible energies, the non-ordinary realities (however we each individually perceive these forces), and the physical world experiences and choices influencing our wellbeing. I bring to this work deep integrity, compassion, fortitude, intuition, and over 3 decades of shamanic practice in support of mine and others' journeys of healing, personal mastery, and authenticity.

I started as an intern clinical mental health therapist in a psychiatric center in 2007, and continued to practice therapy in elementary and middle schools, and in a community mental health center. Together, we will find the strengths of you, learning new coping and relaxation skills, and re-organize past traumas emotions into a harmless and neutral position. It is possible for you to feel valuable and joyful.

Psychotherapy is an avenue for you to gain the skills and support you need to make the changes in your life that you want. My therapeutic focus is to get you some relief from your symptoms then address the underlying issues and trauma that at the root of those symptoms. We will tailor the mix of tools that we use to meet your particular goals. I often use elements of mindfulness, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, and trauma focused modalities such as Lifespan Integration and Trauma Resiliency Model with the ultimate goal of an integrated self.

Life can be hard. Help is here for you. Challenges and problems are part of life. It's good to reach out for help. You are the expert in your life, in your goals, values and aspirations. I am here to provide tools, accountability, support, encouragement and help in revealing to you all your inner awesomeness. I have unwavering confidence in your capabilities and potential, even when you find it hard to see them. Together we create a place to step back and gain perspective, test ideas, create solutions and move towards a life that is fulfilling, meaningful and connected.

Psychotherapy is relational. It's about feeling safe with your therapist where you can express your innermost thoughts and feelings. I provide a nurturing and structured space where you can get to the root of your issues in as short of time as possible. While I believe in the benefits of long-term therapy, I also know many of you want solutions. Consequently, my approach is solution-focused with cognitive behavioral techniques and even assignments for clients to help them reach their goals more quickly.

Therapy is a way to create your own support system and carve out time in your week that is just for you. I will help you to identify feelings and thought patterns living in the unconscious that are keeping you from moving toward your potential and living a truly authentic life. Our symptoms are like arrows that point to the wound. I follow your symptoms and work with and identify the underlying issues. If given the time and support, the psyche will always move toward healing.

Therapy with me is largely about dialogue and connection. I ask my clients to make themselves vulnerable in the process and I am willing to do the same. I try to stay with what the client is bringing to the conversation and really understand where they are coming from in relation to their larger context. I am curious and well-rounded and can connect with clients on many levels and on many topics. I ask insightful questions, connect seemingly disparate dots to find patterns, pose theories and suggest treatment plans. It's only through understanding where you are that you can then decide where you would like to go.

People change through relationships. Whether it is the relationship with a parent, a partner, or a therapist, our interactions with others provide the safety and security for our deepest growth -- or the context for our deepest pain. I offer an environment in which you can explore how your relationships have made you who you are and how to heal the wounds of the past in a warm, inviting space.

My approach to Psychotherapy is client-centered, collaborative, and individual to each client and the issues they are struggling to overcome. I use an attachment based, depth psychology focus with clients, including children and couples. Some of my clients may choose to use Sand Tray Therapy, which is a non-verbal form of expressive therapy. Sand Tray therapy can help to access and heal the deeper, non-conscious aspects of current life struggles.

"Those who look outside, dream; they who look inside, awake."-Carl Jung. Why seek therapy? Because, among other reasons, life sometimes has a way of telling us who we should be, instead of letting us be ourselves. A spouse, a family member, a job, an internal voice that will not quiet; it's tough to speak for ourselves when we're being told by so many. Happiness and confidence are not found in being what you are told to be, but in listening to the internal voice of your heart and finding the courage to follow it. The challenge lies in quieting the voices, the anxiety and the fear and allowing your heart to speak. Therapy provides the space to create the silence.

Psychotherapy is a dynamic collaboration! As I partner with you in your counseling, I bring a caring and compassionate presence to our work together as you gain greater self awareness. I understand your full experience and support you so that you can look at your options and make healthy enlivening choices. Because I am there for you, you may find the courage to look at something you've been avoiding, you may discover more of who you are and all of the wonderful qualities you posess. Partnering with me means that you will benefit from my training, experience and insights and since you are an expert on yourself and your life, you will have the optimum environment for growth.