Specializations

I practice Non-Judgmental Cooperative Therapy.  This means that I believe that you are the expert on your life and on you.  It is not within my scope of practice to tell you how to live your life, to pretend that I know better than you or to

Some of the types of people who benefit from this approach to therapy are poly or nontraditional family groups. LGBTQ individuals young and old.  Anyone who has previously experience judgement or coercian from a medical professional.  If you have a non-typical body, are differently abled, chronically ill or a sex workers or someone engaged in an industry that need their therapist to listen to you and not have their own agenda, then you have come to the right place.

Children and Families

I am currently accepting clients that are age 5+.  We don’t live in isolation and when I work with children I generally seek to incorporate and support their families as much as possible in the journey

I have experience with the King County Crisis team for adolescents, children and families and providing mental health support to parents and children.  I have worked with foster children and their biological and foster families to help support everyone in a difficult and painful transition.

Autism and neurodifference

Autism is fastest becoming one of the leading and most confusing diagnosis for a family to receive.  Due to its newness it has mostly been treated cognitively and behaviorally (through ABA or other programs that seek to “fix” what is wrong.  Contrastly, my approach centers on relationship.  I support the person with neuro difference, not as they seek to become more like a neurotypical version of themselves, but as their beautiful wonderful autistic self.  I assist the child or adult as they seek to have deep and meaningful relationships with neurotypical people whom they love and vice versa. 

I’m happy to work in conjunction with your ABA or school based team to help streamline the process.

Also if you are an adult with neurodivergence struggling in your marriage or parenting, this approach might be especially helpful to you.

Identity- Cultural, Racial, Gender etc

I work to help you become more YOU.  Whether your seeking to explore your racial heritage or your gender expression, this is a kind space to grow.  I specialize in working with youth and adult aged TCKs, expatriates, repatriated expatriates, and the otherwise internationally mobile.  I grew up in West Africa and have lived on four continents before coming to find my home in the pacific northwest seven years ago.  Third Culture children and adults are often missed by a monocultural therapist who may try to ‘fix” the parts of them that don’t match the culture they are living in.    

A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parent’s culture. The TCK builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture are assimilated into the TCK’s life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar background.

– The Third Culture Kid Experience, David C. Pollock & Ruth E. Van Reken