therapy is one way to get help with a mental health problem or get extra support if you are going through a tough time. therapy is a space where people can learn skills to cope, process challenging feelings, identify your values, and get help with a problem(s) you’re having. you absolutely can talk to a friend or community member, and i’d encourage you to do a mix of both! therapists are trained to listen without judgment and are skilled in identifying the way our biases may impact conversations and relationships. while your bestie may give excellent advice that helps you, your therapist may facilitate thought about changing your behaviors in a way that more closely aligns with your own values and the person you are or want to be.

this depends greatly on the person. since i began therapy in 2018, i have attended on and off (with different therapists), sometimes weekly or biweekly, sometimes quarterly. some people choose to go to therapy for one issue and when they feel they have received what they wanted/needed, they stop and some people continue on for years. The client gets to determine how long therapy lasts.

I graduated from Seattle University with a Masters in Education, focus on Clinical Mental Health Counseling, in 2022 and I am a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC, credential #LH61634313). I have been working in human services for over 10 years in a variety of settings; community based service, caregiving, foster care visitation and youth support, inpatient psychiatric treatment, and most recently - both hospital inpatient and community outpatient eating disorder treatment as a therapist.

• therapy is confidential within limits - no one except myself and my supervisor (who I consult with for guidance and insight) will be given any information about you or your treatment without your express written consent (which would be a specific release of information, including that you are being seen by me for therapy). the limits/exceptions to confidentiality: child, elder and dependent adult abuse will be reported, and any risk of harm to self (suicidal intent) or others (homicidal intent) will be escalated appropriately in alignment with the ethical mandate of “duty to warn”.

• if a client knows that their friend is being seen by me, I couldn’t disclose or confirm that without a release of information.

• if you are a client being seen for issues around leaving the church or queer identity and you’re based in seattle, we may know some of the same people, which will be addressed if it comes up as long as it does not break confidentiality.

if you find that you don’t have anything to talk about, it may be time to consider meeting less frequently with your therapist!

no! but i know excellent psychiatric providers who can and if that is something you choose to pursue, I’d be happy to provide a referral to you. I believe personally and professionally in the merits of using psychiatric medication with support from a psychiatric professional (aka if you want psych meds, your PCP can prescribe but I would recommend seeing someone who is specifically trained in psychiatric medication for the best outcomes).

I will never recommend weight loss to you in therapy nor will I discuss it as an intervention or solution. I come from a Health at Every Size (HAES) framework which means that I promote health equity, I support ending weight discrimination, and I want to improve access to quality healthcare regardless of size. I believe that no body is a problem to be solved and I encourage a stance of neutrality and acceptance when it comes to our bodies as they are. if the thought of neutrality or acceptance towards your body as it is brings up challenging emotions, that could be an excellent reason to pursue therapy with me. you may start by reading “The Body is Not An Apology” by Sonya Rene Taylor.

I welcome clients that have differing identities from myself! that being said, I also understand many POC prefer working with other non-white folks, especially in a space like therapy where there are many power dynamics present. I am committed to dismantling and unlearning my internalized white supremacy and have been engaged with examining the depths of my own biases for many years now. while I identify as an ally to POC (being an ally is defined as active support for the rights of a minority or marginalized group without being a member of it), I do not have lived experience of being marginalized for the color of my skin or my racial identity. for folks that hold identities different than my own, I will commit to educating myself about the ways i can support you without asking you to teach me or bridge the gap in understanding.

• I am actively working to de-center whiteness in my own life by prioritizing building a multiracial community above white community, by voting for and engaging with politicians and leaders of color, by inviting other white folks to read and engage with anti-racist literature as well as the call to examine the many ways we as white folks continue to perpetuate harm against POC.

• I am striving to be anti-racist, best defined by Ibram X Kendi. “whiteness relies on never having to speak its name, on never having to own up to the preferences and privileges it entails.” (George Lipsitz)
  further, my personal and professional values draw from the concept of intersectional feminism.