Therapists in Seattle, WA
Finding the best therapist is all about finding the best fit. All the therapists at Seattle Anxiety Specialists have backgrounds and sub-specializations that uniquely position them to serve particular clients.
If you are not sure which therapist would be the best fit for you, there is no need to worry. Any of our providers can do a first session with you to help you get a better sense of what your therapeutic needs are - and you can switch therapists at any time.
Find a Provider
Start your search by selecting one or more areas of interest, then click a practitioner's photo to see their profile.
Note: As this is not an exhaustive list of all our team is trained in and has experience with, please feel free to reach out to our office if you do not see what you are looking for.
ANNE FARINA, LICSW
about Anne
Anne provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists.
Her clinical practice is focused on working with: anxiety disorders, performance (including sport-related performance) anxiety, trauma and developmental wounds (including trauma-related dissociation), attachment issues, intimate partner violence/abuse, relationship difficulties, chronic stress, depression, perinatal mental health (including pregnancy loss), and maladaptive daydreaming.
She has training in a wide range of therapies including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Narrative Therapy, and Internal Family Systems.
In addition to her work at Seattle Anxiety Specialists, Anne is also an Associate Professor at Seattle University where she teaches clinical coursework for graduate students, training them to become psychotherapists. She also provides clinical supervision for associate level counselors and social workers in Washington State as well as mental health evaluations for immigration and family court cases.
Anne’s academic research on the causes of emotional distress has looked at intergenerational trauma among families in Latin America, the impact of armed conflict on parenting and child outcomes, and trauma-focused interventions for adults impacted by war and armed conflict. Anne’s published research on clinical interventions spans a wide range including mindfulness based interventions, exposure therapy, and the importance of trauma informed care.
In recognition of her activism, Anne received the Exemplary Peace Activist Award from the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
Washington State License: LW61020228
Works with: Individuals, Families, and Couples
Sees clients: 5 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
Spanish
Blake Thompson, LMHC
about Blake
Blake provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists and serves as our Executive Director.
He has received extensive training in Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) through professional organizations such as the Beck Institute and the VA Medical Center. Blake utilizes CBT to help adults struggling with anxiety disorders, including GAD, OCD, PTSD, OCPD, agoraphobia, panic disorder, and social anxiety. He also has experience working with neurodivergent teens and adults (including those with ADHD and Autism).
Before he began practicing psychotherapy, he earned graduate degrees in both Psychology and Philosophy. This informs Blake’s other area of clinical focus, providing Existential Psychotherapy. This approach is often helpful for those facing existential crises, experiencing feelings of alienation or inauthenticity, navigating ethical dilemmas, coping with their mortality or fear of death, or struggling with issues of meaning, purpose, and identity.
Prior to founding Seattle Anxiety Specialists in 2016, Blake pursued a wide range of other professional interests. These include curating a lecture series for a group of art galleries in the Portland area, working as a writer for Max Baucus (U.S. ambassador to China under the Obama Administration), and presenting original research at academic conferences around the world.
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How do you tailor your approach to meet the unique needs of each client?
Rather than trying to fit the patient into a particular box, I like to try and put as many assumptions as I can to the side, and really sit with the details of their life and their experience.
Usually the theory that the patient and I come up with about what’s going on with them is nuanced and layered in a way that couldn’t have been effectively captured by a diagnostic category or existing term.
What do you think is most important in building a strong therapeutic relationship?
We are often self-monitoring, filtering, performing, not just to other people, but also to ourselves.
I think the most important part of therapy is building the emotional safety and intellectual honesty with your therapist that you need to stop self-monitoring, stop filtering, and stop performing.
That doesn’t happen in the first session, but it’s remarkable how free we feel when we are finally able speak without fear of judgment, without fear of embarrassment, without fear of rejection.
A great therapeutic relationship is one that creates a space where defense mechanisms can fall away and where true self-understanding can emerge.
What do you do for self-care or to recharge outside of work?
I’m a nerd. I love to read everything I can get my hands on. Literature, philosophy, history, economics, psychology… I really enjoy encountering new ideas and new ways of looking at things.
I also serve on the board of a local non-profit and that’s been a really meaningful, really rewarding experience.
What would you say to someone who’s nervous about starting therapy/medication?
I would say that being nervous is actually a good sign. It means you are about to confront something important. Anxiety often acts as a defense mechanism to keep us away from change, because change feels dangerous.
My approach is collaborative; we don't do anything to you, we do this with you. We will start with concrete steps to help you feel safe, and we will only go as deep as you are ready to go. You are in the driver's seat; I'm just here to help read the map.
Washington State License: LH60884873
Works with: Individuals
Sees clients: 13 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
Brandon Aguillard, LICSW
Therapeutic Approach
Brandon provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists to individuals struggling with a wide range of anxiety disorders, primarily GAD, OCD, PTSD, agoraphobia, panic disorder, and social anxiety, but he also has extensive experience providing care for those struggling with a range of issues that sometimes underlie anxiety including substance and alcohol use disorders, bipolar spectrum disorders, and personality disorders.
Brandon emphasizes the need for therapy to provide meaningful results as quickly as possible. This is why he prioritizes the use of therapies that often work quickly and have extensive empirical support for their effectiveness. He has received rigorous training in therapies that are considered gold standard approaches, such as Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). He also provides a number of newer promising therapies such as Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), Attachment Based Therapy, and Somatic Therapy.
Prior to joining Seattle Anxiety Specialists, Brandon worked for years in Emergency Department settings, where he provided support to those experiencing panic symptoms and those who were deeply anxious about their health. He also has years of experience providing affirming therapy for LGBTQ+ individuals and addressing religious trauma, especially as it intersects with the queer community.
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Prior to his current roles, Brandon gained extensive experience in high-acuity medical settings, providing crisis assessments and coordinating care in the Emergency Departments and Behavioral Health Units at Providence Swedish, Seattle Children's Hospital, and the Seattle VA. He worked at the Gay Therapy Center helping patients heal from religious trauma. He has also managed mental health services for adolescents at the Providence Swedish Teen Health Center at Ballard High School and provided psychotherapy for healthcare workers and their families through the Providence Health EAP.
After earning his Master of Social Work from the University of Washington, he was one of only two MSWs selected nationally for an intensive, interdisciplinary post-graduate fellowship at the Seattle VA Addiction Treatment Center, a nationally recognized VA Center of Excellence with a focus on healing the complex PTSD that’s often at the core of substance use disorders. Through this fellowship, he received advanced training in evidence-based substance use disorder interventions, trauma treatment, and counseling for moral injury.
Brandon’s passion for his profession stems from his background in social work and a lifelong commitment to helping others. He finds fulfillment in contributing to the positive ripple effect that individual growth can create in the world, as well as “helping people understand their story on a deeper level.”
Washington State License: LW61438129
Works with: Individuals, couples, and families
Sees clients: 13 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
CASE LOVELL, LMHC
Therapeutic Approach
Case provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists. His approach offers a calm and collaborative space where clients can explore their challenges and find greater meaning. Much of his therapeutic work focuses on anxiety and depression, equipping individuals with tools to navigate life more effectively. Case finds the process of meaning-making particularly rewarding, helping clients explore fundamental questions like “Who am I?” and “How do I fit into the world?”
With extensive clinical experience, Case utilizes evidence-based methods such as Brief Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Narrative Therapy. He also has significant experience with the complex relationships between anxiety, depression, substance use, and diagnoses such as Autism Spectrum Disorders and ADHD.
Case views diagnosis as a guide to understanding what keeps a client from becoming their desired self, rather than a fixed label. He fosters a therapeutic partnership where he and the client are equal collaborators, guiding discovery through insightful questions rather than direct answers. His approach to therapy is deeply person-centered, and Case believes in accurately seeing and empowering each client within their unique subjective reality.
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Before joining Seattle Anxiety Specialists, Case worked for many years in a wide variety of settings, including psychiatric clinics and homeless shelters, as well as his own solo private practice, providing psychotherapy to clients struggling with severe mental health issues. These experiences provide him with crucial context for understanding varied life journeys.
Case’s lifelong curiosity about people and what motivates them led him to the field of psychotherapy, which offered a tangible way to make a difference in the world and people’s lives. He possesses a limitless curiosity for other people’s stories and experiences, valuing the nuances that make each individual unique.
As a Seattle native, Case shares the Pacific Northwest’s appreciation for the great outdoors.
Washington State License: LH60875123
Works with: Individuals
Sees clients: 18 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
CASSANDRA (Cassie) NICHOLS, PH.D.
Washington State License: PY00002320
Works with: Individuals
Sees clients: 17 and up
about Cassie
Cassie provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists, as well as psychological testing & assessment.
Before joining Seattle Anxiety Specialists, she was the Director of Psychological & Wellness Services at The University of Washington Tacoma, the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Washington State University before that, and also ran her own solo private psychology practice for many years.
In addition to her clinical work as a psychologist, Cassie has provided supervision and training to many early career psychologists and has published nearly a dozen peer reviewed papers in venues such as The Encyclopedia of Counseling, The Counseling Psychologist, and The American Psychologist; she has also taught numerous courses on psychology, been nominated for outstanding faculty awards, and has spoken on her work and research as a psychologist at academic and professional conferences across the U.S. and internationally.
Provides therapy in:
English
CHRIS RUSSO, LICSW
Therapeutic Approach
Chris provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists and serves as our Director of Clinical Training and Education, overseeing all aspects of our Clinical Internship program as well as providing clinical supervision and support to our clinical intern team. Much of his clinical work focuses on supporting individuals experiencing anxiety, going through life transitions, or feeling like they’re “stuck” somewhere. Chris brings a flexible framework to his therapy sessions that works well with people across the spectrum of OCD and anxiety disorders. He enjoys working with teen clients, as well as those who have a background of trauma.
His therapeutic approach is collaborative, gentle, and goal-oriented – he is intentional about working with his patients on addressing what will lead to positive changes in their life. He sees himself as a guiding figure along the therapeutic journey, helping people to bring what they’ve learned in therapy into their day-to-day lives. Chris has a deep sense of compassion for the human experience, and finds value in supporting people as they navigate difficult chapters in life.
“I love people, and learning about people.”
Chris has also trained extensively in a number of evidence-based treatments, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). He is an active member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), and a graduate of their intensive Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI). Chris has also been a member of the outdoor therapy community for a long time.
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Prior to joining Seattle Anxiety Specialists, Chris worked in a variety of care settings designing and facilitating experiential-based therapy programs focused on stress management and resiliency building. Through non-profit community partnerships, he also developed and led LGBTQ+ youth support groups and previously worked for a wilderness therapy program in Hawai’i. He is passionate about organizations that work to create social change.
Chris has taught courses in mental health and ecopsychology for the University of Washington Tacoma and Lewis & Clark College, and he currently teaches at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work. He is active in research related to mental health prevention programming, nature’s impact on mental health, and addressing discriminatory policies within higher education.
Washington State License: LW61088963
Works with: Individuals
Sees clients: 12 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
JENNIFER YEH, LMHC
Therapeutic Approach
Jennifer provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists. One of her core areas of focus is working with people in periods of transition, whether that be marriage, parenthood, a career change, or cultural transitions. She greatly enjoys helping people in the process of finding their own voice and coming into their individual identity. Jennifer also loves working with parents on anxiety related to raising children and with Asian Americans on anxieties related to cultural identity. One of her strengths as a therapist lies in helping clients navigate internal uncertainty and unpack self-judgment.
The foundation of Jennifer’s relationship with her clients is compassion and understanding. She recognizes the importance of building genuine connections and attuning to each individual’s needs. Her therapeutic approach involves helping clients contact and connect with their feelings, in order to move through difficult emotions and experiences like shame, disconnection, avoidance, and judgment. Jennifer understands that reaching out for therapy is a big step to take, and she is ready to help guide you through the process of self-compassion and healing.
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Prior to joining Seattle Anxiety Specialists, Jennifer ran a solo private practice in the Bay Area specializing in treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). When utilizing CBT with her clients, she leans into the behavioral and emotional aspects of the modality. She has spent a substantial amount of time involved in research at UC Berkeley and Stanford University. She is also a graduate of the International OCD Foundation’s intensive Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI).
Jennifer was drawn to this line of work as someone who finds beauty in the diversity of each individual’s story and life experience. As the child of Asian American immigrants who did not learn her parents' native language, she grew up feeling somewhat disconnected from her own cultural heritage. Jennifer turned to books as a source of comfort and knowledge, and developed a deep interest in empathy and storytelling. She believes that every person has a story, and every story has weight. She feels lucky to be trusted with her clients’ precious stories and likens the therapeutic process to figuring out one’s personal narrative.
Jennifer is a person who is dedicated to personal growth and continuous learning, finding valuable insights in life's challenges. She enjoys immersing herself in movies, podcasts, and NPR, which she considers to be the soundtrack to her life. Jennifer finds joy in dancing, particularly in expressive styles like lyrical dance that she views as a unique form of storytelling through movement. She loves food, and expands her palate by trying out different cultures’ cuisines.
Washington State License: LH60793990
Works with: Individuals
Sees clients: 18 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
JEROME VEITH, LMHC
Therapeutic Approach
Jerome provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists. He has earned a PhD in Philosophy, and as a result is an exceptionally good fit for clients struggling with issues of purpose, meaning, self-worth, and personal identity. One of Jerome’s strengths lies in helping clients to allow more of themselves to come forward, to feel more put together, and “to have a sense of belonging with one’s self again.” His background in philosophy informs his therapeutic work in the sense that he is attentive to ways that people think in ways they may not notice themselves, and he makes note of influences that have led people to become who they are.
People who are feeling stuck, scattered, or fragmented in some way may also benefit from a therapeutic alliance with Jerome, as he enjoys helping these clients to find their footing again and pinpoint where their confusion or external pressure is coming from. Some of his other areas of focus include anxiety, trauma, adjustment disorder, and life transitions.
Jerome’s therapeutic style is relational, influenced by an existential humanistic approach, and informed by the psychodynamic movement. He has always held a reverence for questions, using questionability to help clients gain insights into themselves, and framing therapy as an open space for joint curiosity and shared attention. Jerome encourages mindfulness in and between sessions, and invites clients to notice the power that comes from being present with one’s self.
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Before joining Seattle Anxiety Specialists, Jerome ran a solo private practice in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood. In addition to his work as a therapist, he also teaches part-time at Seattle University. He designs interdisciplinary courses across undergraduate and graduate programs, focusing especially on themes of historical inheritance and its cultural-psychological impacts. Jerome has also published numerous articles, a number of literary and philosophical translations, and a book focused on understanding our relationship to our past.
For the longest time, Jerome succumbed to the ethos that people who were struggling had to “figure it out themselves.” He was pleased to discover that as a therapist, he could help people be heard, seen, and valued in ways they haven’t experienced or are close to giving up on. Over the years, Jerome has learned how important it is for people to be noticed and respected, so he feels grateful to work in a space where he gets to “learn from and alongside people.”
Outside of work, Jerome loves to read – literature, poetry, essays, or, in his own words:
“All the ways people capture or are captured by language.”
As a reprieve from words, he also enjoys cooking, music, and time outdoors with his dog.
Washington State License: LH61225463
Works with: Individuals
Sees clients: 16 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
German
JIM MCDONNELL, LMFT
Therapeutic Approach
Jim provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists. He fosters a collaborative, goal-oriented environment where clients can explore their experiences with compassion and develop effective coping mechanisms to navigate life's uncertainties. Much of Jim’s work focuses on anxiety – including workplace, relationship, existential, and health anxiety – as well as helping clients down-regulate their nervous systems. He finds working with a wide range of clients fulfilling, and he excels at assisting high-functioning individuals in fine-tuning their anxieties.
His therapeutic approach draws upon evidence-based practices like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), relational theories, and somatic interventions. This integrated blend equips him to address a wide range of concerns, including: anxiety, depression, relationship and attachment issues, and stress management. Jim’s therapeutic style is solution-oriented and places a lot of value on skill-building so clients can get back to living fulfilling lives. He views his role as akin to a coach, teaching clients to restructure how they experience things.
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Before embarking on his career in mental health, Jim traversed diverse landscapes—from honing his interpersonal skills and resilience in the fast-paced environment of the restaurant industry, to conducting research at NASA, and navigating the intricacies of the tech world at Microsoft and T-Mobile. This unique tapestry of experience allows him to connect deeply with individuals facing a wide range of challenges, especially those who are familiar with the culture of the tech industry.
Prior to joining Seattle Anxiety Specialists, Jim ran a solo private practice in Seattle’s West Seattle neighborhood.
Washington State License: LF61251315
Works with: Individuals
Sees clients: 18 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
KAILEE EECKHOUDT, LMHC
Therapeutic Approach
Kailee provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists, and also teaches classes and workshops to the public on how to use mindfulness as an effective stress management approach. As a therapist, she really enjoys helping clients with OCD, as well as a wide range of anxiety-related disorders. Some of her core competencies include body-focused repetitive behaviors, specific phobias, people pleasing, and health anxiety. Kailee’s goal as a therapist is to equip people with tools and strategies that will allow them to work through their difficulties and apply positive changes to other aspects of their life outside of therapy. She is fond of supporting individuals who are feeling ‘stuck,’ and helping them work towards creating a meaningful life.
During the therapeutic process, Kailee responds to each client’s personality and needs, and plays an active role in identifying areas of potential growth and development. She uses her understanding of a client’s life to equip them with the right tools to succeed based on who they are, what they care about, and what kind of life they want to live.
Kailee has training in a wide range of evidence based therapies, including broadly applicable approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as well as a number of disorder specific exposure therapies, such as Written Exposure Therapy (WET) for PTSD and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD. She is very passionate about utilizing ACT, and views it as a transdiagnostic modality that can be incredibly helpful to clients in many aspects of their lives. Kailee is also actively working to become more trauma-informed, and has started using experiential therapy practices to encourage an awareness of the present and one’s emotions.
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A keen interest in how the mind works and a passion for mindfulness are what inspired Kailee’s interest in this field. In her eyes, mental health counseling is a perfect blend of understanding the human mind, being interested in connecting with people, and truly appreciating each person as an individual. Prior to heading to graduate school to study clinical mental health counseling, Kailee earned a degree in History, and was a barista for many years. She still loves coffee, is very fond of cats, and loves listening to music. As someone who grew up in Seattle and spent a fair amount of time living in California, Kailee finds herself to be very appreciative of nature.
Washington State License: LH61643395
Works with: Individuals
Sees clients: 18 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
PRIYANKA SHOKEEN, PH.D.
Washington State License: PY61191379
Works with: Individuals
Sees clients: 18 and up
Therapeutic Approach
Priyanka provides counseling, psychotherapy, and psychological testing and assessments at Seattle Anxiety Specialists, and serves as our Clinical Director. She provides clinical supervision to our staff, clinical consultations to other professionals in the area, and care coordination for patients with complex or refractory symptoms.
Her clinical work centers on providing both short-term and long-term psychotherapy for adults. Priyanka has a long history of working with clients on issues of trauma, and recognizes its subjective impact on people’s lives regardless of presenting issues. Her other areas of focus include anxiety, mood dysregulation, identity issues, and cultural or immigration-related challenges. She also has lots of experience working with treatment resistant conditions like personality disorders, and offers in-depth, long-term psychodynamic work to address accompanying challenges.
Priyanka’s integrative therapeutic style builds upon EMDR, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic/psychoanalytical approaches, allowing them to complement one another. She also incorporates attachment-based approaches and interventions. As a therapist, Priyanka supports clients through slow, hard work that leads to sustainable changes, and she consistently provides a safe space where challenges can feel uncomfortable, but never threatening.
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Priyanka has had a lifelong passion for psychology, leading her to earn four degrees in the field. She possesses a deep curiosity for stories, believes there is something to learn from each person who enters her office, and views each client as an expert in their own experiences. Beyond her clinical practice, Priyanka has been a dedicated volunteer with Physicians for Human Rights for many years, advocating for asylum seekers and collaborating with lawyers on asylum cases.
Before joining Seattle Anxiety Specialists, Priyanka was a clinical fellow at Columbia University.
Provides therapy in:
English
Hindi
Urdu/Punjabi
RACHAEL SOFIAN, LMFT
Therapeutic Approach
Rachael provides counseling and psychotherapy at Seattle Anxiety Specialists and serves as our Staff Wellness Director. She provides support for a wide range of people, including those struggling with anxiety, complex or systemic trauma, depression, significant life transitions, relationship issues, parenting, burnout, imposter syndrome, loss and grief, gender and personal identity, and women’s health. Rachael's therapeutic work emphasizes building clients' self-esteem and self-worth. She guides individuals in understanding how trauma or anxiety can contribute to feelings of worthlessness, and together they explore these experiences to develop empowering new perspectives and ways of navigating life.
Rachael’s therapeutic approach centers on building deep rapport with clients using a blend of Art Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) models. As a therapist, she is highly supportive, compassionate, and takes a collaborative approach-encouraging clients to be invested in their own journey:
“I’m an expert in therapy, and the client is an expert in themselves. Working together is how we can find the path foward.”
Additionally, her experience as a boxing coach offers a distinctive element to her practice, as she guides clients in developing self-awareness and confidence in their ability to overcome challenges. Seeing therapy as a two-way street, Rachael seeks to build a collaborative relationship with each of her clients, and values feedback and open communication. While direct in her approach, she respects and incorporates each individual's unique pace of learning and growth.
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Rachael has partnered with the Seattle Children’s Hospital Gender Clinic to provide gender-affirming therapeutic and medical care for trans and non-binary youth, and she is actively involved in supporting the transgender community. In addition, she serves Seattle Public Schools and King County in an advisory capacity to improve the quality of healthcare of trans youth in Seattle schools. Earning a BFA in mixed media before going to graduate school to become a therapist, Rachael has exhibited her work in local art galleries and has created album art for local PNW bands. She brings these worlds together in her therapeutic work, helping her clients confidently express themselves.
Genuine curiosity about people and their stories is what inspires Rachael as a professional in the mental health field. She is fascinated with what makes each person an individual, and believes that therapy allows for an insight into humanity that you don’t get elsewhere. Creativity, playful engagement, and authenticity are driving forces behind Rachael’s life and work.
Washington State License: LF60914997
Works with: Individuals, couples, and Families
Sees clients: 10 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
RACHEL KURAS, Psy.D.
Therapeutic Approach
Rachel provides psychotherapy and assessment services at Seattle Anxiety Specialists. She has extensive training and experience with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Existential Psychotherapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Systemic Therapy, Person-Centered Psychotherapy, and Attachment-Based Psychotherapy. Rachel pulls from many theoretical approaches in order to provide flexibility to her client population as an integrated therapist.
Her therapeutic approach fosters growth and healing via connection, compassion, and unwavering reverence for the human condition. Rachel believes that the only thing in life that is permanent is change, and that our reactions to change can be deeply impacted by early formative experiences and challenges throughout our lives. She seeks to support clients through processes of fostering psychological flexibility, building awareness of their patterns, and “deconstructing what we’ve learned that doesn’t serve us.” Rachel collaborates with clients to build a space that allows for moments of humility, mistake-making, and practice. She provides both brief and long-term therapy dependent upon each client’s expressed needs.
Rachel’s clinical work focuses on anxiety disorders and complex trauma. She is also skilled in providing therapeutic support for people experiencing obsessions and compulsions, grief and loss, life transitions, gender and sexual identity exploration, and neurodiversity. Rachel works with clients of all ages and has a broad range of experience working with members of the LGBTQIA+ community and individuals identifying as neurodiverse. Her early clinical experiences involved providing trauma-informed psychotherapy and comprehensive diagnostic assessment services to children and adolescents in rural and underserved communities.
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Before beginning graduate school for clinical psychology, Rachel completed her Bachelor’s in Psychology at the University of Washington Tacoma, graduating with Global Honors. She also obtained a minor in global engagement, which solidified her integrated and systemic approach to psychotherapy with emphasis on understanding systemic harm and specific interactions between individuals and larger systems in our lives. During her undergraduate experience, Rachel served as a volunteer sexual assault survivor advocate for Rebuilding Hope in Tacoma, handling a 24/7 crisis hotline for survivors of sexual assault, and providing in-action advocacy services to survivors in court, hospital, and forensic interview settings.
Rachel is also passionate about deconstructing societal mental health stigma via honest conversations, compassion, and practices of mindful awareness. Her undergraduate thesis focused on utilizing higher education to support practices in psychotherapy that reduce harm caused by institutional prejudice and discrimination. While earning her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Pacific University, Rachel worked on dissertation research related to trauma-informed care in public schools.
Having herself faced challenges navigating mental health and medical systems, Rachel strives to contribute to the accessibility and personalization of these services, and helps clients build systems and communities that encourage sustainable living. Her drive as a therapist comes from a place of compassion and wanting the best for her clients:
“[I am] inspired by people cultivating a loving relationship with life.”
Rachel also enjoys connecting with nature, and is intrigued by the concept of biomimicry. She also has a dog named Daisy, and a polydactyl cat named Pickle. In her free time she enjoys gardening, singing, hiking, live music, video games, practicing piano, and experimenting with polyphonic synthesizers.
Washington State License: PY61500000
Works with: Individuals and families
Sees clients: 3 and up
Provides therapy in:
English
“When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.” — Audre Lorde