Premera Blue Cross Therapists in Mercer Island, WA

My approach to therapy is person-centered, holistic, and strengths-based. I believe clients are the experts of their own stories, and my role as a therapist is to create a safe space for individuals to explore intersecting aspects of their identities. Therapy is not about asking “what’s wrong” and instead about building upon existing client strengths in order to create a meaningful and rich life. My toolbox consists of a variety of counseling modalities. I am certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dreamwork and Dream Arts Therapy.

I approach therapy from a relational, psychodynamic model, meaning the relationship between client and therapist can be a healing vessel in your therapeutic process. I pull from attachment theory, neuroscience, somatic approaches, and utilize EMDR in my work. My therapeutic approach also draws from my personality, which integrates humor, playfulness, and authenticity. I am now licensed in both California and Washington and am accepting new CA clients virtually.

I come to the therapy room with extensive training and experience. I have worked in both top rated healthcare organizations with adults and their families as well treatment centers for children and adolescents. I truly enjoy working with people throughout the lifespan. In addition, I have extensive background working with physicians and nurses navigating the myriad of stressors that come with working in healthcare. I have a unique understanding of what it means to work on the front lines - whether we are the leader during a crisis, the primary emotional support person in our family or the head of an organization.

Kristen Newberry is a PsyD doctoral student at Antioch University - Seattle and holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology. Kristen has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and addicted populations. Her counseling style draws from a variety of strength based and humanistic approaches, promoting empowerment, growth, and self-actualization. She has worked with a variety of presenting problems, including but not limited to complex trauma; PTSD; anxiety; depression; anger management; grief and loss; and addiction.

Chris Costa, MA, PsyD(c) is a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate at Antioch University, Seattle, in his fourth year of doctoral training. Chris has been trained in a practitioner-scholar model that emphasizes generalist clinical training and evidence-based practice, and has primarily worked in community mental health, and inpatient psychiatric settings. His clinical experience includes using relational, strengths-based, and cognitive behavioral approaches to working with children and adults struggling with various mental health issues, including neurodevelopmental disorders, mood disorders, complex trauma, and anger management.

Hi! I use a very honest, warm and strength based approach with my clients. I invite my clients to build on both internal and external strengths. I also encourage open and honest conversations, to support my clients while tapping into those feelings both in the past and now. My approach is collaborative, and my goal is to play a part in helping you improve all aspects of your life whether in relationships or difficult circumstances.

I am a compassionate, culturally sensitive, solution-oriented mental health professional. I am dedicated to providing exceptional care and implementing effective treatment plans for individuals, couples and families. With an inherent ability to manage different types of personalities I am able to diffuse stressful situations to proactively resolve issues and meet challenging goals and objectives. As a client-oriented therapist I possess the innate ability to establish a genuine rapport and build the necessary trust for a solid client/therapist relationship. It is my belief that engaging communication and client advocacy can provide the motivation for growth and change.

I aim to support clients on their journey of greater understanding of themselves and their world. Together we will create a space for growth and find meaning in the trials and transitions that are inherent to life. I have a passion for working with women and couples as they prepare for pregnancy and parenthood. My training and experience includes areas of perinatal mood & anxiety disorders, preparation for parenthood, life transitions, teen mood & anxiety disorders, and attachment. I am available to work with adults and teens ages 14+. I enjoy working with diverse cultures and the LGBTQ+ community.

In the aftermath of traumatic experiences, life might feel like a bit of a dumpster fire. Weeks, months, or years afterwards, it can feel overwhelming and confusing to untangle the complex web of how trauma has affected your life, relationships, health, and wellbeing. Perhaps you're feeling disconnected from others or from yourself, struggling with trust, or finding it difficult to manage daily life. It may be the first time you're talking about it. These responses are normal reactions to abnormal situations, and you don't have to navigate them alone.

Welcome, I'm truly grateful you're here. Choosing to engage in therapy shows courage, care and curiosity. Therapy is about exploring the questions that keep you up at night: What do I want? What am I doing with my life? How do I make friends? Will I ever feel good enough? Why am I so uneasy at school? Why is parenting so difficult? How can we make this relationship work?

Life is a constant battle and we do what we can to power through every day. We can't control everything that comes our way but we can learn to control how to process our environment in a way that is more constructive and less overwhelming. Is stress permeating your days? Are the smallest things causing anxiety? Do you feel easily attacked, targeted, on the defensive? When something bad happens around you, do you usually believe you are partially to blame? Difficult jobs, heavy workload, relationship struggles, family issues, and more concerns can be eased with talking it out in a safe and judgment-free space.

My ideal client is one who is willing to be uncomfortable, as growth and change happen outside of our comfort zone. I enjoy working with clients who are willing to be curious about themselves and want to create a collaborative relationship with their therapist. I place a high value on working to understand where each person has come from, to validate their experiences, and then work next to them toward their goals. Change is difficult and I deeply honor the growing pains that can come with change. Therefore, I also enjoy empowering and supporting clients to find the correct tools that can help foster their wanted growth.

Life can be so overwhelming sometimes. In a safe & non-judgmental space, we can begin to identify and process your thoughts and emotions. We highlight your strengths, as well as looking at the way some of your lived experiences had an impact on your life. My therapeutic style is primarily a humanistic and person-centered.

Karen, MA, PsyD(c) is a dedicated doctoral student in clinical psychology at Antioch University, currently pursuing her Psy.D. She brings extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and adults across various settings, addressing a wide range of clinical needs. Her clinical training includes providing therapeutic services at Madigan Child and Family Behavioral Health Clinic and Antioch Community Counseling and Psychology Clinic.

Life is complicated and we are all products of our upbringing, life experiences, and personal coping mechanisms. We are aware of some of these mechanisms and others, we are not. Whether it is a temporary set-back or a chronic condition, helping to uncover what lays beyond our consciousness and how that affects our thoughts, feelings, and behavior is a process that will lead to greater well-being, increased self-awareness, and fulfilling personal potential. I will work to understand your worldview, current constraints, existing resources and strengths, and apply an integrative theoretical approach.

DO YOU FIND YOURSELF THINKING... "I wish I hadn't reacted that way. ​I feel like I am giving too much of myself to others. I feel burnt out. I wish I had a stronger sense of self. I've heard about intergenerational trauma, but I'm not sure what that might look like." If any of those statements sounded familiar, then you're in the right place. I'm here to help you explore those thoughts and behaviors in a trauma-informed, creative, and individualized way. Let's get curious together.

Specializing in neurodivergence, particularly in ADHD, giftedness/2E & creativity and additionally religious trauma, existential questioning and cultural or life transitions. I enjoy working with relationship concerns including couples, families and individuals. In counseling, a good fit between your therapist and you is of the utmost importance. I hold a supportive protected space for you to grow within, lending my tools and expertise. I am here to facilitate your journey, and to support your growth empathetically. Multicultural and diverse clientele are welcome and encouraged.

Avanti is a place where children, adolescents, young adults, couples and families can receive counseling and support. The foundation of therapy is the relationship with a trusted and trained therapist who can help teens and young adults deal with the causes of distress and help them acquire the skills to cope more successfully in the future. We are here to help you achieve healing, insight and growth in your life. We offer both in-person and telehealth services.

Whatever your situation that has led you to seek therapy, one thing for certain is that change is inevitable, and growth is optional. We may not always recognize our agency, but we can choose whether to lean into the changes around us, or resist them. If you are curious about how to lean in, talk therapy can help.