I believe that life is beautiful, strange, painful, often dull, potentially sweet, marred by abuse and injustice, hopeful, and filled with the desire to love and be loved. I also believe that none of us should be alone in life, and that all of us need help. I believe in the process of counseling, that sitting for fifty minutes a week with someone who listens, responds, and remembers can be healing and redemptive and life-giving. I have seen many people engage in the counseling process and come through it with brighter faces, more robust dreams, deeper compassion, and a more kind and encouraging voice inside their minds. And in my opinion, that is a big deal. I believe that all of us deserve to be supported and cared for, especially when facing hard situations or realities, and I believe counseling is one great way to be supported. I am a Masters Level Therapist, and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LH61043136). I am engaged in on-going learning, always curious to learn more and grow in my skills.

I am interested in stories, and I believe that how we tell the stories of our lives--both to others and to ourselves--impacts how we experience and choose our lives. I studied Creative Writing for my undergraduate degree, receiving a BA from Western Washington University. I spent the next years saving up for graduate school, intending to further my studies in writing. However, my life took a different turn when I followed a childhood dream of working with orphans. I spent time living in Sri Lanka at a children's home, where I both fell in love with the kids and realized how much more I wanted to know about how to really care for them. My desire to know more led to enrolling at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, where I pursued my MA in Counseling Psychology. It was a joy to continue caring for orphans, and see them adopted into families, when I took on the role of Adoptions Case Worker at Antioch Adoptions, training and supporting families through the foster-to-adopt program. While I loved that role, I felt drawn to working as a therapist. I first opened a private counseling practice in 2009. I am also a part of the Training and Pastoral Care Team at The Allender Center, where I facilitate small groups for The Story Workshop and teach and train for the Narrative Focused Trauma Care trainings. 

photo by Jeni Nelson