In Person Therapists in Poulsbo, WA

We were created for belonging, and each one of us has an innate desire to connect and feel seen. My experience as a therapist allows me to connect with a variety of people from all walks of life, including teenagers, athletes, couples, and families. Whether you’re dealing with trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or other concerns, I would be honored to help you. I am a former educator and coach (soccer) specializing in high performance and athletic coaching. I have additional experience working with first responders, collegiate athletes, military and veterans.

Providing quality, compassionate and confidential psychotherapeutic services for over 20 years. With a specialty in young children with developmental, emotional & behavior challenges, I also have extensive experience working with parents, individuals & families. You may be a parent concerned about your child, a family/couple with relationship challenges, or an individual in transition. We partner together in a process of exploration, discovery & solutions that support personal growth. I strive to provide the highest standards of professional practice - personable, respectful, non-judgmental & strength-based.

My goal is to create a safe and non-judgmental space to explore your needs. Healing is not a linear journey, my hope is for us to work collaboratively to find the path that works for you. I believe that building a strong therapeutic relationship is essential to the healing process. I am eclectic in my approach, utilizing evidence-based practices and our own curiosity to explore the challenges you are facing.

We have all faced storms in our lives. Yet, our shared humanity and God's unconditional love form the foundation of a counseling relationship built on respect, openness, and hope, regardless of background or beliefs. The degree to which faith influences our professional relationship depends on your thoughts and comfort zone, but you will always have an advocate in me. We will work together to develop a safe, honest, and healing environment that facilitates your growth and wholeness. Over the course of 40 years of walking with God, I have learned that I am no less broken than any other human being. See Gateway Counseling, Poulsbo.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist trained to provide psychological assessment and therapy for individuals struggling with chemical dependency, co-occurring disorders, mood disorders, neurocognitive impairment, learning disabilities, eating disorders, trauma, and adjustment disorders. I utilize empirically-supported testing and clinical interviewing techniques to provide thorough psychological assessments and differential diagnoses. My treatment approach is grounded in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. I use evidence-based mindfulness exercises, cognitive-behavior therapy, and biofeedback training to help clients gain increasing awareness of their vulnerabilities and strengths. Clients change by learning to monitor and redirect dysfunctional thoughts before they manifest into undesirable behavior.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist associate and art therapist, I treat children, adolescents, couples and families in a collaborative process to explore concerns and challenges that have arisen in their lives. I work from a strength-based, family oriented perspective. I utilize opportunities to reframe negative family dynamics and emphasize positive strengths to find the possibility of hope.

My focus in therapy is on helping you create a life that you want to be present for, whatever that means to you. If you don't know, that's ok too (and you're in good company). We can figure it out together. I emphasize a nonjudgmental approach, and we work to both understand and change unhelpful patterns and help you learn to accept yourself just as you are. I work from a feminist perspective with all clients, and then we decide together what other techniques it would be helpful to incorporate. These commonly include cognitive-behavioral skills, mindfulness, self-compassion, validation, somatic techniques, and informal parts work.

Therapy and Consultation for Professionals...Are you feeling burned out, having trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, or feeling like you are not helping your patients or clients as much as you would like to? Maybe you are having a difficult time enjoying the work that you once felt passionate about? Perhaps you are finding that your own unresolved trauma is being triggered in your work and you are having a tough time being fully present. Counter-transference may also be showing up in ways that are not always helpful to those you serve, which can happen when we are experiencing compassion fatigue.

My therapeutic perspective is broad and my approach is eclectic as to meet you where you are while supporting your unique therapeutic process. The basis of your process is a foundation of trust between you and myself that formulates over time. My goal is to provide you and others participating in therapy with the best possible care.

At Within Counseling, I offer holistic mental health care rooted in empirically supported treatment, client-centered care, and the recognition of the individual’s unique human experience. I encourage you to openly and freely express yourself, without judgment. We work collaboratively to identify your areas of needed growth and create a plan to help you obtain wellness in all areas of your life. Together we create knowledge, understanding, and awareness of who you are and who you want to be. Through conversation, skill development, and genuine, intentional listening, your therapeutic goals will come to fruition.

We all experience hurt, worry, and stressful experiences along our life journey. When you are most exhausted and vulnerable, therapy can provide hope and direction towards healing. Sometimes going at it alone isn’t enough, and we need someone to walk alongside us as we work through life. My aim in therapy is to help you with life's complexities by strengthening your hope and purpose and finding a pathway to meet that goal. There is no judgment, shame, or guilt but a safe place for vulnerable moments for everyone, regardless of background, political position, or belief system.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and/or stressed? Are you feeling anxious and/or depressed? Are you struggling with negative self talk? Whatever concern you might have, I will provide time and space to process challenges within a safe and supportive environment. We will work collaboratively on identifying what are your goals and the steps necessary for you to be successful. I drawn from several therapeutic modalities so therapy is tailored to each individual.

My job as a therapist is to help you find solutions to problems that are limiting your enjoyment of life. I utilize cognitive therapy which has a "here and now" focus and includes a skill-set which will help you examine and let go of negative self-concepts and achieve the goals that are important to you. My goal is to provide a supportive environment in which you will be able to come to terms with past and present problems and adopt strategies that will reduce feelings of anger, depression and anxiety.

The story of our life comes with a great deal of challenges, both large and small. Sometimes we know exactly what those challenges are but are unsure what to do about them. At other times we feel a general uneasiness but cannot comprehend the source of our difficulty. It is my understanding that the inner world of the self is vast, complex, and often mysterious, and that the places where we might feel knotted up inside are best untangled in the presence of another caring individual.

Feeling stuck? Do you want some help through transitions of life? Being seen and heard through life's challenges can make all the difference. Many things can trip us up: PTSD, difficult relationships, anxiety, stress, lack of confidence or low self-esteem. You may have been holding it together for a long time and need a break from the chaos that comes from living in our society.

I believe suffering revolves around burdensome ideals, fantasies, obsessions and problems in and of the world. These can stem from a mental, emotional, physical and/or spiritual tether. A disquieted heart requires a space to move in feeling and voice. The goal may be to get through the day or get through this trying season. I believe this is due to the will to live, breathe and be at peace within the unknown. Ultimately, a heart in mourning or fear desires to hope for a better day and tomorrow.

I currently have limited availability. Why get therapy? It's hard work and involves change. But for most people, it's worth it. Therapy is taking care of and investing in yourself. It means you are ready to look at the parts of your life that are not working well-the parts that are hurt, broken or in pain. As your therapist, I will listen with empathy and compassion. Together, we will establish goals and focus on what might make your life better by helping you build resilience and develop coping skills. Through this work, you can learn to be in healthy relationships with others and ultimately with yourself.

If you are an individual with more stress in your life than you can handle well, I can help you identify the best path forward. Whether your stress is a long-standing issue that needs to be resolved, or a short-term situation that you need support to navigated - getting to competent and confident is possible. When your life is out of balance it affects all aspects - home, work, social life and your future. I can help you move from uncertainty and overwhelm to confident and calm.

When we struggle with depression, anxiety, pain from the past, or traumatic stress, our relationships struggle too. Often the pain experienced in relationships with our loved ones is what drives us to find relief and solutions from the disconnect and disruption we are in the midst of. We don't just want to feel better, we want to be better: Better to ourselves, better to those we love. Engaging in therapy and neurofeedback is about looking for the solutions that will enable us to move beyond the obstacles and into the connections we really desire.