Mental Health Counselor

I am a provider at our Edmonds clinic who provides therapy services!

I look forward to working with queer and disabled clients who have experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, and other disorders as they work through transitional stages in their lives. My ideal client relationship would focus on setting small achievable goals, increasing a sense of autonomy, and providing them with the tools to build a life that supports them in a world that can be hard on those populations. I believe this set of clients would want to regain a sense of control they may feel they’ve lost through discrimination, trauma, family of origin experiences, and other life circumstances. These experiences can feel very isolating, so I would like to help them build a team of support including myself and other people in their lives. I would also like to work with their families and other support systems to build and strengthen that supportive network of people so that once they feel comfortable leaving therapy, they have the network and tools in place to support themselves further increasing their own personal sense of autonomy.
Aside from the above group of clients, I would also love to work with families and couples including those who may or may not have loved ones who are queer or disabled. Learning to grow and cope in either of these circumstances can sometimes require a new set of skills and perspectives, and I feel that I can guide clients through that journey and help them discover the tools that best suit their family group. I would also love to explore methods for treating trauma, and using tabletop role-playing games as a tool in therapy with groups and individuals. Narrative tools can offer a sense of strength and confidence and build connection with others in a safer environment.

My specialty currently comes from my personal experience as a queer person with a disability. I spent most of my life in an area where those two identities were unwelcome, and I’ve seen how important a support network can be for individuals like myself! My working experience is with inpatients, addiction, and child and family advocacy. Those experiences paired with my interests in empowering families and individuals with both traditional and creative tools will allow me to be flexible in my treatment approach. My focus is on cognitive behavioral therapy, person-centered approaches, positive psychology, and narrative elements that will all work together to find the most appropriate set of tools to meet the current needs of each person or group. I will begin by helping my clients learn about their current needs, strengths, areas to work on, and prospective goals. Then, together we will find the best ways to support them, build their confidence, and meet those goals. My ultimate goal is to have a client leave my care with the tools and support they need to live the life they want.
One of my most important goals is to learn about my clients and meet them wherever they are in life, and I plan to do that by creating a safe open environment in which they can share with me at their own pace and in their own ways. Together we will take a journey of healing and growth so that my clients can be their best selves.

My journey has not always been a straight forward one, and it has been filled with successes as much as failures just like anyone else’s life.
If you’re looking for someone to join your team and help you discover how you can live your best life, I’d love to be that person. I’m a queer, visually impaired person who understands first-hand the challenges of those intersecting experiences. We are all beautifully complex, and I will take the time to learn about you and all you have to offer this world. This includes your own unique identities, your past experiences, your hopes and dreams, your family and friends, and your struggles. We’ll take a look at each of those parts of your life and figure out where you need to go from there. Let me join your team and help you learn how to build the life you want.