EMDR Therapists in Vancouver, WA

I am a licensed mental health counseling associate in Washington State. I enjoy the outdoors, spending time with my family, and finding meaning in helping others thrive and accomplish their goals. I am an optimist at heart, I approach life with warmth and curiosity. My kids are what motivate me to do my best and grow every day. I am also an Activated Guardsman in the Oregon Air National Guard. I have been serving for nine years and intend to retire from the Air Force. I have deployed several times, worked in multiple roles, and have a deep place in my heart for serving other veterans.

You may have been dealing with anxious or distressing thoughts and feelings for a while now, but are finally noticing that they are unmanageable. This may look like loops in your thoughts and feelings, reliving past trauma, broken relationships, or feeling like your needs are never met. Rather than participating in life, it may feel like you’re just going through the motions. This can feel hopeless and exhausting. Through safety built on honesty and openness, I will work with you to become attuned to your internal world, identify your values, develop healthy relationships, and heal from past trauma. I am an EMDR certified therapist.

Counseling works best when there is an understanding of your concern and a plan of action for making positive change. I see counseling as a collaborative process; I will work with you to find ways of dealing with challenges that result in improvement for you, your partner, and for your family. My ideal client is curious about how they could live a more fulfilling life. I also enjoy working with reluctant or skeptical clients who may have had a bad experience in counseling before.

Life can be difficult and painful for us all. If you're struggling with anxiety or depression, or you're simply feeling run down by the complexities of life, I can help you. My therapeutic approach is very direct. Therapy with me can feel intense but my clients often tell me that they needed the push I gave them. Too often, people go to counselors who are very nice, but who don't have the courage to challenge people in a compassionate but direct way. If you are ready for a wonderful life change, please contact me.

I enjoy working collaboratively with clients to engage in a client-centered care plan with attainable goals. Maybe you haven't had therapy before or maybe you have; now offers a unique opportunity to build on your strengths and wants to make changes in your life. I want to work with you to help understand past experiences and traumas to grow towards a more desirable future.

You have come to the right place if you are looking for an experienced professional who takes your well being very seriously. I have worked in the mental health field since 1994 and have been licensed since 2003. I specialize in working with veterans, medical personnel, civil servants and educators, among others. I have served my community as a crisis responder, and as a medical and forensic social worker helping people struggling with medical challenges, anxiety and depression. I invite you to send an email if you are interested in a 15 minute consultation.

Are you stuck in survival mode and don't know how to get out? Living with overwhelm, depression, or struggling to move past old wounds can drain your energy and make it hard to find joy in life. If you've tried to make changes, but just can't seem to find your way out of the stuck places, I would love to offer you hope.

Welcome to Blue Leaf: Your Path to Healing, Growth, and Thriving. We now have current openings for in-person or telehealth appointments. Our specialized psychotherapy services cater to adults, couples, and families 18 and older. Located in the beautiful Officers Row area of Vancouver, our experienced therapists provide compassionate and effective care, trained in EMDR and other evidence-based treatments.

Worn out from hiding how you really feel, feeling misunderstood, or constantly putting others' needs before your own? Perhaps you’re battling an inner conflict, unsure of who you are or what you stand for. These struggles have roots, and together we can uncover them, helping you break free from pain. I specialize in helping you understand how past trauma has shaped your self-perception and impacted your relationships. Together, we can transform old coping mechanisms into new ways of living, filled with connection, love, and joy.

Your past is invading your present. Your emotions overwhelm you at times. Many of your relationships are unfulfilling - or outright painful. Your self-esteem is low to non-existent, and you often feel you aren’t good enough. Celebrating your successes is hard for you because you feel like you don’t deserve them. Your inner critic is your constant companion. And the worst part is: overcoming these obstacles seems like a huge mountain to climb. You don’t know where or who to go to for help. We all need connection more than ever right now. I’d love to help!

Whether it shows up in how we view ourselves, how we respond and react in relationships or the ways we behave in our communities, our stories impact us in ways that we are often unaware. From our families of origin to our experiences of trauma, we learn and adapt ways to keep ourselves safe. When we are unable to process our experiences and stories, we often find that what we have adapted for our safety becomes the source of our conflict and discomfort. When we have the courage to re-enter and re-learn our stories, we grow in our compassion and understanding of ourselves in a way that leads to healing and freedom.

In life, we learn to do what we have to in order to survive. Sometimes that means finding skills to escape trauma that don't end up serving us in the long run. I am passionate about helping individuals nourish their mind, body and spirit to overcome trauma, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, addictive behaviors, poor self-image and other mental health struggles. I believe in helping my clients feel empowered to trust their instincts and create coping skills, self love, and a life they don't want to escape from.

If you feel blocked in traditional therapy, suffered a trauma such as an accident, physical or sexual abuse, child abuse, the death of a loved one, a pattern of unsuccessful relationships, if you suffer from anxiety, depression, brooding or worry, addiction, or a phobia then I believe that we can find you the power to heal through the use of EMDR and other therapeutic practices.

Overwhelmed, frustrated, easily emotional or numb? Sometimes what you need is a guide to help you explore those triggers and find the touchstone event that lingers under the surface. Perhaps you already know what that past event is and just need help processing it so you can feel better about living your life. Trauma processing and EMDR can greatly enhance your life experience by addressing the past so you can live more fully in the present.

Are you ready to find a safe place to explore what is leading to the pain and concerns in your life, while feeling more connected to yourself along the way? Do you want real effective ways to transform depression, anxiety, and other experiences into internal spaciousness, calm, and joy? Do you feel that your past continues to affect your present feelings and beliefs about yourself and the world? Do you feel that something within you is getting in the way of having the relationships you desire? Do you simply feel alone in your suffering? I would love to join you on your journey to finding greater healing and wellness.

I believe we are all born with good intentions and infinite possibilities, but sometimes, life knocks us off our path. Our past experiences may have shaped who we are today, as well as what our relationships look like with ourselves and others, but despite whatever tragic events that occured during our life, we are driven towards resiliency. Except this is where we can get stuck: what we used to do, what we've always done, isn't working anymore; we need to find another way. When we allow ourselves to feel connected to others and focus on our strengths, rather than weaknesses, we are able to heal.

Overwhelmed? Feeling like your mind is spinning and it won't slow down? Traumatized by an event/person? Sad more than not? As a therapist, I have a long history of working with women, children and adults. I specialize in abuse issues, domestic violence, trauma, depression, anxiety, parenting, ADHD, and family issues. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) which is the standard and most effective treatment for psychological trauma. Having support is key to a healthy and balanced life.

I believe that there is tremendous opportunity and potential for physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational healing and growth that can be achieved through counseling. Many struggle with depression, anxiety, self-doubt, trauma, self-image distortion, spiritual issues, communication difficulties, and lack of tools necessary to live in this ever-changing world. My role as a counselor is to come alongside and assist individuals, families, and groups that are motivated, to change at least one aspect of their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.

Client motivation focused;,believing personal change is possible for anyone who desires it. The human spirit is powerful and will persevere if nurtured, empowered & supported. My therapeutic approach: teaching, empower, intervene &support for the therapeutic change process with clients. Combining education + professional & personal experience I provide a safe, non-judgmental therapeutic approach conducive to healthy changes. Perspective of personal strengths vs the medical model of "sickness" clients are empowered with hope and skills for positive change.