psychotherapy
Trauma/PTSD/CPTSD
Lifespan Integration (LI)
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Psychodynamic psychotherapy
Narrative therapy
Attachment theory
what is...?
frequently asked questions:
What is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate?
How often should I come to therapy? How long does therapy last?
What is therapy with you like?
How much does therapy cost? Do you take my insurance?
Where are you located?
What if I can’t make it to my session?
What if I don’t think we’re a good fit?
“Sadness does not sink a person; it is the energy a person spends trying to avoid sadness that does that.”
barbara brown taylor
psychotherapy
Counseling, therapy, and psychotherapy are all interchangeable terms for “talk therapy,” which is a method of helping people with a variety of mental and emotional issues by talking with a trained professional. Psychotherapy can help with things like anxiety, depression, stress, relationship problems, and more. It’s useful for people of all ages and provides a safe space to explore difficult emotions and challenges, while also assisting in developing tools to deal with life's problems more effectively.
Trauma/PTSD/CPTSD
A traumatic event refers to a specific, shocking, or dangerous experience that could potentially cause trauma - think car accident, natural disaster, or violent assault. For some people, their body is able to easily “metabolize” such an event and after a short time they feel back to their normal self. For others, these events can get “stuck” in the body and cause flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety or panic attacks, or uncontrolled thoughts about the event. When this happens, it is called trauma; it is the lasting emotional response to which can harm someone’s sense of safety, self, and ability to regulate emotions. PTSD is when the emotional response is connected to a singular event. C-PTSD (complex trauma) refers to repeated or prolonged exposure to traumatic events, often during childhood, such as abuse, neglect, or living in a chaotic environment. Unlike a single traumatic event, complex trauma can deeply affect a person’s sense of self, relationships, and emotional regulation. It often leads to long-lasting challenges like difficulty trusting others, intense emotions, and feeling disconnected from oneself or the world.
Lifespan Integration (LI)
Lifespan Integration (LI) is a therapy that helps heal from difficult or traumatic experiences by revisiting and connecting past memories to the present in a safe way. It uses neuroscience to rewire the brain, moving trauma from the fight, flight, or freeze response to the distant-memory area. This process reduces the emotional impact of the trauma, helping you feel more stable and allowing you to experience the memories differently.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a type of therapy that looks at your mind as if it’s made up of different "parts," kind of like characters in a movie. Each part has its own feelings, thoughts, and role in your life. In IFS, you work on getting to know these different parts. The idea is that all parts have good intentions, even if their behavior seems unhelpful at times. For example, a part that makes you anxious might actually be trying to protect you from danger. The goal of IFS is to help you understand and heal these parts, especially the ones that are hurt or stuck in the past. By doing this, you can bring balance to your inner world and feel more like your true self.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy
Psychodynamic psychotherapy helps you explore how past experiences, especially from childhood, shape your current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It focuses on uncovering unconscious patterns and hidden influences that affect your life today. By bringing these unconscious thoughts to the surface, you can better understand them, feel less stuck, and make healthier choices.
Narrative therapy
Narrative therapy looks at your life as a series of stories you tell about yourself. These stories can shape how you see yourself and influence your actions and feelings. In therapy, we work on rewriting these stories to highlight your strengths and create a more positive, empowering narrative.
Washington State has a two-tier licensing system. A licensed mental health counselor associate (LMHCA) is someone who has finished their graduate program and met the requirements to be granted an associate license from the state of Washington. An associate is under the supervision of a fully licensed mental health counselor and must complete a total of 1200 direct client hours before they can apply for full licensure. This process typically takes 2-4 years for most clinicians.
What is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate?
I have found that weekly therapy allows for clients to experience the most consistent progress. Therefore, I only schedule clients on a weekly basis. I recommend committing to a minimum of six months of weekly therapy. However, therapy can be as long, or as short, as you determine. Some clients continue therapy indefinitely and others feel that they have achieved their goals after six months. Individual therapy is unique for each person and timelines can be a topic of continuing conversation in our work together.
How often should I come to therapy? How long does therapy last?
I currently charge $150 for a 50-minute session. Short consultation calls to determine if you’d like to work with me are always free of charge. I offer limited sliding scale options. If you believe you would benefit from one of these spots, please review the Green Bottles to determine where you fall on the sliding scale before making your request. I do not work with insurance companies, but I have partnered with Mentaya, a service that streamlines getting reimbursed for your therapy sessions through out-of-network benefits.
See if you qualify: https://mentaya.co/checkbenefits/moneyback
Mentaya is perfect if you:
• Have out-of-network benefits
• Feel overwhelmed by superbills and insurance
• Have submitted superbills but failed to get any reimbursement
• Simply want to skip the hassle of paperwork!
Here's how it works:
1. Sign up for Mentaya: https://mentaya.co/inviteclient/moneyback
2. Our practice will enter your sessions into the platform.
3. Mentaya submits the claim and handles any insurance follow-up.
4. You get reimbursed by insurance!
Mentaya charges a 5% fee per claim, which includes handling any paperwork required, dealing with denials, and calling insurance companies.It's risk-free: They guarantee claims are successfully submitted, or a full refund of their fees.
How much does therapy cost? Do you take my insurance?
non-judgment
I consider myself a non-directive therapist, which means I do not come into our sessions with an agenda or expectations for you. I often leave my clients with thoughts to consider, or perhaps a tool or skill to practice, but I do not give homework and I don’t hand out worksheets. You are the expert of your life, and my aim is to join you where you are and meet the needs you have for our time together. I come to our sessions with:
What is therapy with you like?
Each person has a unique and powerful story. No matter how “off” or terrible you feel or believe life is right now, I believe your experiences. Your feelings make sense given what life has brought you. I am committed to taking the time to gently explore your story and get to know you with positive regard and without judgment.
genuine empathy
For me, genuine empathy means that I will take the time to fully understand you and walk alongside you on your healing journey. You are not alone, and I will demonstrate this by bearing witness to your story.
What is therapy with you like?
I consider myself a non-directive therapist, which means I do not come into our sessions with an agenda or expectations for you. I often leave my clients with thoughts to consider, or perhaps a tool or skill to practice, but I do not give homework and I don’t hand out worksheets. You are the expert of your life, and my aim is to join you where you are and meet the needs you have for our time together. I come to our sessions with:
hope
I believe that everyone has the capacity for change, and I hold hope that through our time together, you will discover the insight and skills you need to find your own hope, joy, peace, and strength.
What is therapy with you like?
I consider myself a non-directive therapist, which means I do not come into our sessions with an agenda or expectations for you. I often leave my clients with thoughts to consider, or perhaps a tool or skill to practice, but I do not give homework and I don’t hand out worksheets. You are the expert of your life, and my aim is to join you where you are and meet the needs you have for our time together. I come to our sessions with:
dedication
I value our work together and am dedicated to you. Because I place such a high value on our therapeutic relationship, I make our time together a high priority, so that you feel safe enough to fully engage your story.
What is therapy with you like?
I consider myself a non-directive therapist, which means I do not come into our sessions with an agenda or expectations for you. I often leave my clients with thoughts to consider, or perhaps a tool or skill to practice, but I do not give homework and I don’t hand out worksheets. You are the expert of your life, and my aim is to join you where you are and meet the needs you have for our time together. I come to our sessions with:
authenticity
I am committed to showing up to our sessions as the most authentic version of myself and to creating a space where you feel free to do the same.
What is therapy with you like?
I consider myself a non-directive therapist, which means I do not come into our sessions with an agenda or expectations for you. I often leave my clients with thoughts to consider, or perhaps a tool or skill to practice, but I do not give homework and I don’t hand out worksheets. You are the expert of your life, and my aim is to join you where you are and meet the needs you have for our time together. I come to our sessions with:
I am located in historic downtown Everett, just a few minutes from I-5. There is ample free street parking and lots of shops and restaurants within walking distance. My office is located above a Taco Del Mar, so if you’ve been craving a Mondo Burrito, you’ll be coming to the right place!
Where are you located?
Life happens and sometimes making it to therapy isn’t in the cards. I have a 48-hour cancellation policy which means, as long as you cancel your appointment more than 48 hours in advance, there is no charge for your session. I allow for up to 4 cancellations in a 12-month period for no charge as long as they are cancelled before the 48 hour mark. After 4 cancellations, you will be charged for the missed session, even if you cancel 48 hours in advance.
What if I can’t make it to my session?
Studies have demonstrated that one of the best indicators of successful therapy is how you feel about your therapist. It is so important that you feel like we are a good fit. Your growth and healing are of the utmost importance to me, even if that means it needs to happen with someone else. If you would like to discuss what isn’t working, I welcome it! But I am also happy to help you look for someone else, even if you don’t want to share why.