Therapists in Auburn, WA

I am committed to helping people get the results they want quickly and effectively. Toward that end, I have studied a broad range of therapeutic approaches, and I endeavor to tailor my work with you to meet your specific needs and temperament. Through my studies and experience, I have learned that the Unconscious Mind is a great resource, full of all our life's learnings, experiences, and wisdom, and that it can be enlisted in the quest for emotional healing, personal growth, and creating lasting changes in one's life.

I can help you find solutions to persistent problems like: panic attacks, not being able to say no, struggling with your children,, excessive worrying or unresolved grief & loss. I am committed to working with children & teens as well as adults. I am told that I am easy to talk to, warm, validating & practical. You are tired of banging up against the same wall, the same problem. Working with me is collaborative. WE work as a team. We focus on your strengths and needs. You are ready to put in the effort and take action to change.

My preferred method of practice and my professional strengths involve a combination of our work together, identification and change of negative thougt patterns, and an exploration of sensations and moods that are assoicated with these thoughts. From this and from the experience of understanding and connection, new and healthy patterns of relating to yourself and others in your life can begin to be established and can continue to grow. You can begin to feel a sense of well-being, meaning, and purpose in your personal and professional life.

You can heal by recognizing how important your thoughts and feelings are in navigating this world. We often use our minds to solve everything and sometimes we "solve" ourselves into trouble. We become fragmented when we problem solve without taking the time to tend to our whole self. Use all of you to integrate what has been fragmented by trauma, be it divorce, depression, anxiety, family issues, grief, etc. In a Christian setting I will be guide you to access your thoughts, feelings, and spirituality to help you become more authentically yourself, allowing you to use your strengths and create more peace in your life.

My philosophy is to help people move through difficult periods of their lives, find hidden strengths, new skills, and happiness. I hope to identify with you what patterns of behaviors, life choices, and beliefs that may not be supporting the life you want to live and work towards designing new patterns, beliefs, and choices. The goal of counseling is to create lasting changes, that allows you to live according to your own values, hopes and dreams.  I utilize a strengths based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Existential Therapy approach. I prefer to use methods and techniques that best fit the client’s unique needs.

I love what I do for a living! I have the privilege of walking with people through chaos, change, uncertainty, ambiguity, joy, sadness, anxiety or any other time of discovery life might bring. My greatest joy is seeing people find hope, make meaningful changes in their lives, and simply live a better life. I have worked in many different settings as a therapist including hospitals, community mental health centers, a homeless shelter, and in private practice.

I believe that everyone has to cope with life changes, relationship struggles, substance abuse, and other mental health issues and sometimes, finding a successful way to cope with these changes can be hard. I strive to work collaboratively with people who want help to understand the life changes and develop strategies to cope. Therapeutically, I work with clients from a humanistic, client-centered ideology. However, I do not believe there is only one approach to working with someone and instead prefer to collaborate with clients to find an approach that works for them to make counseling a successful experience.

We will not try to make you do what somebody else wants you to do. We start with your goals & find ways to help you develop the necessary skills. We have found that, if a person's individual wishes are not represented in the solution, it will not work in the long run. So there is a strong emphasis on helping each person take responsibility and control over their own happiness. Some things are better handled individually, and some things are better handled with both people in the room. Our unique blend of individual & couples therapy is quite effective.

In my practice, I emphasize both change and acceptance, seeking to help you build the life you want to be living. Sometimes when individuals are in therapy, they begin to understand the causes of the problems they are experiencing while continuing to feel stuck. I focus on balancing an understanding of these external influences while supporting you with specific tools to help you to react differently. Often this work begins by focusing on dismantling the disproportionate levels of guilt individuals have internalized which blocks their ability to change.

Hi, I'm Wendy and I provide counseling to children, adolescents, adults, and Seniors. I use a strength based integrative approach that sees each person as unique. I pull from a variety of models including but not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Mindfulness, Humanistic, Sports, and Positive Psychology. I work with many challenges individuals face addressing emotional, behavioral, and social needs; such as anxiety, depression, domestic violence, attachment disorders, ADHD, and more. I want to help you become empowered by further discovering your inner strength, beauty, purpose, and passion.

**I am unable to take new clients at this time** I believe in the inner capacity of all humans to grow and heal in mind, body, and spirit from trauma or challenges faced in life. Due to our interconnected nature, this healing capacity is deepened and broadened through the assistance and support of others. I seek to hold a safe space through the therapeutic relationship to allow for the development of greater understanding and appreciation of self. Through this process, people begin to make meaningful changes and courageously act in ways that reflect their values and wholeness.

Life is hard; no one said it would be easy. Nothing that has value comes easily. It seems the things that can bring us lasting joy are the things we have to work to achieve. We are all unique in history. Where we come from, which family, which culture, impacted who we are and who we will or have become. Yet, all of us are the same in that we need human interaction. We come into this world seeking others, touch, interaction. We are neither meant to be or have to be completely alone. *(I am an approved WA State Supervisor and am currently taking on LMHCA supervisees).

Are you ready to make positive changes in your life? I specialize in nurturing personal growth and inner peace by fostering connection between the body, mind and spirit. My approach involves working to transform negative thinking patterns, increase bodily and emotional awareness, and improve communication with others. I listen carefully to discover how to build upon your strengths and design an action plan that fits your personality and your current challenges. For example, depending on your needs, written exercises, psychological tests, values clarification, or yoga-based anxiety reduction techniques may be used.

I am a mental health counselor who believes therapy is a process in which you will gain greater self-awareness, that can change how you live in the world and relate to others. We all have issues from our past, big and small traumas, being triggered by our current situations that prevent us from living a more meaningful life. Creating healthy connections with the parts of you that are challenging, builds the resources for you to be more authentic and comfortable in your own skin. By doing this, you find your strengths and face your fears.

Life can be complicated and there are times when outside support is exactly what you need. Therapy offers a safe, supportive environment to address life's challenges. As a Marriage and Family therapist, I work with individuals, couples and families. Therapy involves a commitment of time and energy, choosing the right therapist for you is an important first step in seeking the support you need.

Fastest way to our wait list is the request for service on our website. Anxiety is awful. Most people just do not understand how difficult it is to live with chronic worry, panic attacks, or obsessive thoughts and unwanted behavior. Gladly, most people will never have to know how horrible it is to have nagging obsessive thoughts, or fear panicking in public places. The variety of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies (CBT) like Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) are quite effective in increasing distress tolerance, reducing anxiety, and eliminating the dysfunctional behaviors that accompany it.

As a clinical psychologist, I am specialized in both psychotherapy and psychological/neuropsychological assessments and worked with a wide range of mental health related issues for people of all ages in multiple treatment settings. However, I currently only offer psychotherapy for adults through telehealth. My areas of focus include but are not limited to working with persons experiencing life transitions, issues of self-esteem, and learning how to cope with stress, trauma, grief, and loss.  My theoretic approach is psychodynamic and is tailored to the unique needs of the patients I work with.

Life is hard sometimes. Sometimes things happen to us that are beyond our control. Sometimes we just have thoughts and feelings that won't go away. Sometimes we end up hurting those around us because we don't know what else to do or how not to react to our thoughts and feelings. Whether your goals are to reduce anxiety, depression, process trauma, strengthen your relationships all to live your best life.

I have worked with families, adolescents, couples and individuals since 2010. My experience includes working with divorce, single parenting, blended families, adolescent developmental stages, school related issues, anxiety/depression, grief and loss, personal growth, and trauma. My goal is to provide an environment of safety and trust for exploring issues and learning new skills, centered on your needs and disposition.