All we really want from our partner is to be understood and loved. Yet the ways we go about this often push our partner away! Why does this happen? Why do we get stuck in these disconnecting patterns of interaction? Why can’t we get the love we want? I invite you to explore these issues with me and transform your relationship through a gentle and effective approach to couples counseling which incorporates mindfulness and experiential techniques. I invite you to uncover blocks to giving and receiving love, gain insight and compassion for yourself and your partner, and give yourselves and your relationship an opportunity for healing on many levels.
It may be that neither you nor your spouse feels much hope or energy to start traditional couples counseling. You may have tried that road before.
Discernment Counseling is specially designed for couples where one spouse is leaning towards divorce and the other wants to preserve the marriage. Couples like this don’t do well in traditional marriage counseling that aims at solving marital problems. They need a different approach.
The focus of Discernment Counseling is not on solving marital problems but on seeing if they could potentially be solved. Sessions involve separate conversations with each spouse, as well as time as a couple. Discernment Counseling is short term, just 1-5 sessions, and leads to a decision to either divorce or give the marriage a major last effort, with a clear agenda for change.
Who is Discernment Counseling for?
What will my partner and I gain by doing Discernment Counseling?
See my blog post, Marriage or divorce? The power of Discernment Counseling.
Are you feeling stressed, sad, or ungrounded? Perhaps you are experiencing a transition in life – a new baby, the end of a job, an empty nest. Perhaps you recently lost a loved one, or you are struggling with finding meaning in your life. Perhaps your family dynamics are affecting you negatively. Even if there is no overt stress on your life, you may be anxious or depressed and not be able to get a handle on it. I invite you to journey with me towards greater self-knowledge and an increased ability to cope with life stressors, and to shift towards how you want your life to be. A client recently told me that I had been “life-changing.” She was the one doing the work – I was simply at her side, asking questions to encourage her to look more deeply at herself and supporting her to be intentional and true to herself in her actions.
You and your partner are sitting on your couch at home, doing teletherapy with me. Like most couples, you have come to me for help with communication. I ask you this question as a check-in: “How’s your relationship been this past week?” “Disconnected,” you might say. “We had an argument a few days ago and…
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in couples and individual therapy. I maintain a private practice with offices in Bothell and downtown Seattle.
I received my BS in Biology from Stanford University and my MA in Couples and Family Therapy from Seattle University. In between my two degrees I worked in biomedicine, raised two daughters, and cofounded and taught at a progressive school. My career as a therapist integrates my strengths as a nurturer, a scientist, and a learner. I am above all compassionate and empathetic, accepting and non-judgmental. I seek out evidence- and research-based practices in therapy in order to best serve my clients. I am constantly honing my expertise, pursuing continuing education and advanced training in many forms of treatment, as well as ongoing supervision and consultation with other professionals.
Your goal in therapy is paramount to our work together. My goal is to provide an environment where you feel accepted and understood, yet challenged to engage in meaningful self-exploration.
My therapeutic orientation is based on a humanistic and family systems approach. I believe that all humans possess a deep desire for purpose and meaning, and that we are influenced by the people in our lives, including our family-of-origin. Understanding ourselves and how each of our relationships impacts us helps us to understand and modify our behaviors. I offer an individualized approach to meet the unique needs of your situation, drawing from evidence-based practices. I am a certified Hakomi therapist. In my work with couples, I utilize attachment-based and experiential approaches (EFT, Hakomi, and PACT) along with Gottman techniques to address patterns of conflict and promote stronger relationships. For those couples experiencing divorce ambivalence, I offer Discernment Counseling to support intentionality around the decision to work on the marriage or separate. I am a certified Discernment Counselor through the Doherty Relationship Institute.
Before opening my private practice, I provided therapy to individuals, couples, and families for 18 months in community mental health, and I worked with teens, children, and parents in the field of education for over 20 years. My education, training, and life experiences have prepared me to counsel individuals of all cultures, ethnicities, races, religious/spiritual backgrounds, gender identities, and sexual orientations. I welcome diversity to my practice.
I support adults, couples, and families facing stresses and challenges, including:
Relationships
Communication
Intimacy
Family Conflicts
Life Transitions
Grief & Loss
Sadness & Depression
Anxiety
Parenting
Family of Origin
Trauma & PTSD
Death & Dying
Sexuality
Spirituality
Finding Meaning
Individual or couples counseling – $205 per 55 minute session. Longer sessions are available upon request and prorated accordingly.
Discernment counseling – $250 per hour. First sessions are normally 2 hours and subsequent sessions 90 minutes.
Payment is due at session end. I accept cash, check, and debit/credit/HSA/FSA cards.
I do not bill insurance directly. I am an out-of-network provider and will give you a receipt to submit to your insurance company. Check with your insurance company to see what their reimbursement policy is for an out-of-network provider.
Call, text, or email if you’d like to schedule an appointment. I have offices in two locations, Bothell and Seattle, to better serve you.
Located near Northshore Senior Center
10516 E. Riverside Dr.
Bothell WA 98011
Located 4 blocks from Capitol Hill light rail station
226 Summit Ave. East
Seattle, WA 98102
