Therapists serving clients in Tukwila, WA

Hi there, It takes grit and fortitude to do what you’re doing. Searching for a therapist is a big decision and maybe you’ve reached the point where you realize you can’t do it alone, and need support to work through the frustrations, challenges and struggles you are facing in your life right now. As you read my profile, you’ll notice my professional experience spans over 20 years and my training background covers a wide range of diverse topics. My clinical approach combines psycho-dynamic as well as other modalities like DBT, and systems theory to insure you have access to the most update-to-date information available. While adhering to confidentiality, ethical and legal standards, the individualized treatment approach I employ draws from the latest evidence-based practices, emphasizing a supportive insight-oriented, practical and common sense, straightforward style. I am committed to building an honest, respectful and collaborative alliance with you, to develop a sustainable capacity for continued trust and effective skill building. I make every effort to balance ego and humility, and pride myself on being honest, direct, and non-judgmental so you know you are believed, taken seriously, feel valued, and know you matter. It entails establishing boundaries, and striking a balance between recognizing the impact of confusion, anguish, conflict, suffering and turmoil to acknowledging and benefiting from understanding, insight/education, advice and feedback. The bottom line is; you gain the tools and coping skills necessary to regulate emotions, become mindful and insure that you gain confidence and competence in your ability to achieve a sense of personal safety, security and stability. My areas of expertise include working with diverse, multicultural clients including both Native American and Native Alaskan populations. I have worked in private practice, created an outpatient clinic providing DBT groups for both men and women diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. I was the clinical director of a medical behavioral health setting focusing on chronic illness, a homeless shelter providing mental health, substance abuse and HIV+ AIDS treatment services, an all-men’s dual diagnosed residential program, a trauma informed treatment program in the 56 Yupik villages of Alaska, a recidivism re-entry program for ex-offenders from San Quentin and Folsom State Prisons. I also worked in the 1st hospice in the United States, providing death and dignity counseling services to terminally ill patients and bereavement counseling for families. Currently, my focus is on, although not limited to, working with individuals living with depression, anxiety stemming from trauma histories, recovering from traumatic bonding/narcissistic abuse, and adults on the autistic spectrum who desire a need to understand Asperger’s and the impact it has on their lives and relationships. Also, treatment services for the LGBTQIA community; individuals with a wide range of concerns about sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual fluidity, the coming- out stages, intimacy social stigma, family/relationship conflict, parenting issues, employment concerns and advocacy approaches for the human rights campaign for civil rights. Most importantly, I am passionate about addressing visible, and invisible disability issues, the neuro-diversity of ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, and the need to address the fundamental issues of disability rights, learning styles, inclusiveness, ableism, workplace bullying and the impact of internalized oppression. What does this all mean for you? I would like to think, it demonstrates my competence and gives you some degree of confidence in my ability to help you achieve greater resiliency, authenticity, and happiness in your life. Chances are you are doing the best you can and you can do better. That's where your ingenuity, willingness, motivation, and commitment come into play. There are lots of reasons for you to consider entertaining the thought of on-line therapy. It is an effective way to navigate through your problems on your timetable, and support really makes a difference. It gives you the opportunity to start an action plan, get the help you need to stay on track, follow through and meet your goals consistently. It's also an emotional tune-up, putting energy and enthusiasm back into your life, so you are empowered to face reality, generate options, problem-solve, let go of the past and take the risks necessary to move forward. Putting the brakes on wishing things were different, you can break through your fears, self-sabotage, addictions, anger issues and codependency in order to set healthy boundaries and discover what it takes to stand up for yourself, say no, protect your own self-interest and become mindful. Expand your capacity for recognizing the importance of TFK - thinking, feelings, and knowing, the pillars of EI, emotional intelligence. By increasing emotional self-regulation, interrupting escalating patterns of RUI, reactivity, urgency and intensity, you will be able to manage triggers which will help you respond more calmly, giving you the ability to take on and accomplish the daily challenges with poise while not allowing the past to dictate your responses. Just think of that, being grounded and thriving, instead of simply surviving. Sounds simple, it's not nor do I pretend it is. Practice makes progress, there is no perfection. Successes and setbacks are inevitable, so it's one step at a time. Call it an incremental manageable approach to deal with getting impatient, bored, or overwhelmed. It’s not unusual for clients, maybe you included, to feel emotionally vulnerable, fragile, stuck, discouraged, helpless, hopeless and struggling with life-defeating behaviors or suicidal ideation. Regardless of the reasons you seek therapy, it is imperative that you feel understood, supported and can speak freely in order to benefit from the therapeutic experience so you can connect, learn, share, grow and pay it forward. Everything is connected by chains of events, coupled with your vulnerabilities, temperament, and your life experiences while your identity is formed by both narratives, both internal and external. Perhaps it's time you learned to see yourself through kinder eyes, to look at the world from a more neutral stance, recognize that co-perspectives exist, repair and rebuild in some instances vs. re-enacting and repeating, that way, you can accept consequences gracefully, cultivate a willingness to wait, tread softly, play by the rules, make lemonade from lemons, advocate for living, confront and process guilt and shame and recognize that there is no point going to an empty well and expecting water. Accessing online therapy is safe, secure, convenient, confidential, and cost effective. Keep in mind, you can work on understanding your underlying core issues, the impact of trauma, connecting the historical dots of your life, develop a mental health recovery plan, increase focus, concentration, motivation, and simply live without the drama and recurring crisis. Dramatically improve your ability to think and feel more positive and hopeful. It's like a long awaited of breath of fresh air! Instead of being on automatic pilot, you take ownership of your choices by being accountable and responsible, both deliberate, and intentional. Benefit from a trusting relationship with me, built on a foundation of mutual respect that gives you the best chance at personal growth and enhancing your own functioning. Improve your physical, mental and emotional well-being by stepping outside your comfort zone. It's about living with hope, having both meaning and purpose, and identifying and living your own values. Instead of suffering in silence you can live, laugh, learn, lead, love and leave a legacy. It's your opportunity to build a life worth living. I invite you to reach out to me. EDUCATION AND TRAINING BA in Humanities/Social Justice MA in Social Clinical Psychology Dual Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Trained in EMDR Levels I and II Trained in Palliative Care and Hospice Care Trained in Aging, Grief & Loss, Transitions, Chronic Illness Trained and Nationally Certified in Dialectical Behavior Therapy Trained in Cinema ”Reel” to “Real” Film Group Therapy Trained in Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment/Recovery Trained in Trauma-informed Care and Trauma-specific Practices Trained in Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level I Trained in Multiculturalism, Disability Rights, Ethnic Minorities, Culturally Diverse Populations including Race, Gender, Class, Religion, Power/Privilege and LGBTQIA Orientation/Identity and Coming-Out stages.

Hello there and welcome to BetterHelp! Thank you for reading about me and the work that I do. I am Dr. Lusa Hung and I am a licensed Clinical Psychologist serving clients who reside in California, Washington, and New York. I received my Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree at Argosy University/Honolulu in 2005, with a specialization in Diversity. I have been a licensed psychologist since 2008. Psychology has always been a passion of mine in some shape or form. Helping people live their most vibrant and fulfilling lives with meaning and purpose is my aim. I have 12 years of clinical experience working with culturally diverse populations in international and domestic settings. I would describe my approach to be mindfulness-based with a blend of cognitive behavioral strategies, a person-centered stance, and Motivational Interviewing techniques. I have expertise treating a wide range of psychological and life challenges spanning the spectrum of depression, trauma, anxiety, life adjustments, grief and loss, relationship challenges, and improving health behaviors, serving people across the lifespan and in different clinical settings. I have served individuals in the U.S., China and Germany and have come to understand how universal and connected all human experiences are.  At the same time, I also appreciate how each person has a unique way of living these shared experiences. I am mindful about any contributions from the individual's social-cultural background, taking time to see from that person's perspective and not my own assumptions. My clients are my biggest therapy teachers, helping me balance theory with what really works in real life. Not only do my clients learn from me, I also learn from them, both as my clients and as fellow human beings. Therapy is a dance between the client and the therapist, sometimes the client leads, sometimes they follow. The journey is not always pleasant or easy but with openness and courage, you will find that things will become more clear and you can then set your intention and take purposeful steps to live life in the way you actually want. I believe that the therapist can provide guidance, support and expertise within a unique and safe relationship and can shape the conversations to promote the changes that the client wants to make. I help people reframe challenging and often painful events in their lives so that not only does the frame change, so does the picture. Turning pain and loss into wisdom, guilt into gratitude, and shifting from avoidance to awareness are ways that can be helpful. I wish you luck on your journey of well-being. I hope I can be of help to you. Be well!

My name is Dave Wolthausen, I am 54 years old, and have 26 years old counseling experience. I have extensive Alcohol and Drug related counseling experience, and have mainly focused on Mental Health counseling over the last 10 years. My approach to therapy, is client Centered, with unconditional positive regard for my clients. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, which includes Mindfulness, Emotional regulation, Distress Tolerance, and Interpersonal Effectiveness skills. I believe therapy to be a process, not a one time event. It is important that there is a good match between therapist and client, so the client can get the most out of their therapy. Goal setting and bonding happen in the first couple of sessions. I know when therapy begins, it works best when the client and therapist spend some time together, building rapport. Rapport is very important in therapeutic relationship, and it's that feeling being connected, tends to lend itself to honesty, truth, and mutual respect. Goal setting happens in the first couple of sessions. When the client is able to set some small goals, they tend to make the best progress, and are open to new ideas, and new coping skills. When the Client applies those new skills to their lives, change will occur. I will look forward to helping any and all new clients I am working with, and with devote my knowledge and skills to help them better their lives, in whatever way they see fit. I often use metaphors to help clients understand the messages I am trying to get across. Metaphorically speaking, in the therapeutic process, the Client is the driver, I myself, am the navigator, I help the client navigate their life, in order to reach their desired destination. I hope to be working with you soon!

Hey there! My name is Salina Mecham. I attended the University of Utah and received a bachelor's and master's degree in Social Work and a certification in substance use treatment. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Master Addiction Counselor (MAC), and Domestic Violence Intervention Treatment Counselor (DVP). I am fully licensed in the states of Utah, Washington, and New Jersey. I have worked with adults and adolescents and enjoy all ages. I got my start in group homes for troubled youth, and I can truly say that I have never felt more fulfillment in my life than when I was getting chairs thrown at my head, and called names that I can never repeat, because in those moments, I was present and doing what I could to help a person in pain. I eventually moved on to work in a behavioral health hospital where people came when they hit their limit and could no longer cope with living, or their mental health was affecting their ability to function in their lives. I am currently the CEO of Willapa Behavioral Health & Wellness, a community behavioral health agency. I continue to offer treatment at the agency for mental health, substance use disorders, domestic violence intervention treatment, and couples counseling. I also serve clients on BetterHelp because I love providing therapy and don't get to do it nearly enough as a CEO. I am working on getting trained in the Gottman method (couples counseling). My preference is to utilize video sessions so that I can read the situation more clearly. I can, and do, use the phone, but will not use the live chat option because I have found that concepts and meanings tend to get lost because so many nonverbal queues are not seen. I also utilize the email option often, and return all emails sent to me within 48 hours. When time permits, I can open up special times for sessions if there is an emergency. I feel it is important for my clients to spend their week being aware of the things that happen around them, and how those things affect them, and to be prepared with those and other things they would like to address in their session. I also value honest feed back said to me in the moment. I can make adjustments in my approach if I know it isn't hitting where you need it to. Honesty and openness is so important in therapy and can add so much to the quality of your experience. I tend to take an eclectic approach to counseling because one size does not fit all. I pull from CBT, ACT, DBT, REBT, and I am trained in, and use EMDR for trauma treatment. It is very important to me that I create a safe place for all my clients. Judgement has no place in my practice. I believe strongly in the golden rule and kindness, curiosity, validation, comfort, and safety are very important to me. No matter the issue, I am open and ready to help you navigate it in a way that can help keep you intact and moving forward.

I am licensed in Ohio with 7 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, & coping with life changes. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

I am licensed in Washington with at least seven years of professional work experience. You are the expert of your story and possess many strengths to enhance your mental health and improve your quality of life. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process. Emberlene Cossette, is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LISCW) here in the state of Washington. She has been working in the mental health field for 10 years, with seven as a social worker. Ember believes mental health, similar to physical health, is a right rather than a privilege and recognizes the importance in living a life of quality. In addition to formal education, she has worked with immigrants, detainees, those who are disabled, and those of distinct ages, genders, ethnicities, and cultures. Emberlene has a Master of Social Work from University of Washington, Tacoma. She also graduated from Saint Martin’s University and earned the Bachelors of Psychology with a focus on ethics and war trauma. She is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy. I practice believing that heart and soul precedes individual existence and that despite our perception of aloneness, the cosmos is inherent in all humans. Our being lies not only within ourselves and others, it is found in the natural world. The author Amie Kaufman expresses this more clearly, “The way [we] are all made of the same pieces; the same fragments of stardust and yet you are all so different.”

I am licensed in Washington with 20 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, family conflicts, parenting issues, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I love helping people see their strengths and encouraging them to utilize them to get through challenging times. I have experience working with both adults and teens. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

I am licensed in Washington with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

I am a licensed social worker in Washington State. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, family conflicts, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & depression. Starting therapy is a big step, and I'm happy you're here. I use a variety of therapy modalities, depending on the client and situation, but I most often use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which has a focus on the future, taking action and finding peace with our emotions. I look forward to hearing your unique story and working with you.

Hi my name is Tasheena, I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC and am licensed in both West Virginia and South Carolina. I have a BA in Psychology from the University of Charleston and an MS in Professional Counseling from Grand Canyon University. I have experience providing individual and group therapy sessions to at-risk youth and their families within the court and corrections settings regarding substance use, behavioral issues, emotion regulation, relationships, communication, process addictions, and a variety of other issues depending on the client's needs. I am certified to treat anxiety disorders, body-focused repetitive behaviors, worry, and panic. I have professional experience with anxiety disorders, depression, young adult issues, relationship issues, as well as domestic violence issues. I'm an advocate for healthy relationships, boundaries, and am passionate about self-care, personal and family growth, managing anxiety, and helping others grow in multiple areas of their lives. My therapeutic approach is eclectic but generally utilize solution-focused, CBT, and motivational interviewing. I value having sessions that include establishing rapport in an environment where clients can feel safe to be themselves without fear of judgment.