Therapists in Seattle, WA

"The best way out is always through" - Robert Frost. I believe in individualized, client centered care, designed to fit your life and empower you to live your best life. I have over 18 years of experience with a variety of modalities and clinical techniques. I am passionate about providing counseling that best suits the needs of the client. I have experience with diverse populations and persons from every walk of life.

In my work, I support hope and self-determination as my clients apply their abilities in pursuit of their therapeutic goals and well being. Therapy is a collaborative process in which I use a compassionate person-centered approach and various evidence-based methods to address each individual's needs. These include Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Trauma-Focused CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, Mindfulness, Somatic Therapy, Gestalt Therapy and Narrative Therapy.

Two Chairs was founded in 2017 with a mission to build a world where everyone has access to exceptional mental healthcare. We're creating a better experience for both patients and clinicians by starting with an in-depth, research-backed matching process to ensure the ideal patient-therapist fit, offering hybrid care that gives patients and clinicians flexibility between in-person and virtual sessions, and measuring outcomes to ensure patients get better faster.

At times in life we all get stuck and come to places where change is necessary. I aim to create with my clients a space where we listen to what your thoughts, feelings and symptoms are telling you about your story. I believe that we are built for relationship, that both our greatest wounds and deepest healing occur within relationship. Together we will explore the patterns that emerge in therapy, and how old ways of relating are being recreated in present day. I believe therapy in a mutual work and that the answers to your healing are within you and the relationship we build.

I am a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst with 30 years of direct experience. I have worked with diverse populations and Washington State endorses me as a Child Mental Health Specialist and Ethnic Minority Mental Health Specialist (Native and African American populations). I hold licenses in multiple states in both mental health as well as chemical dependency. I am the author of multiple Amazon best-sellers including 'Elements of Self-Destruction', 'Borderline Personality Disorder' (co-authored with Jacquie Gunn), and 'Elements of Reparation'. Above all, I am a proud father of two and a husband.

My therapy practice is centered in helping people discover the strength they already have, but have been struggling to use. Therapy can be useful for anyone, but sometimes finding the strength to seek out help can be the hardest part. I use a non-judgemental, empathetic, and casual approach with my clients to meet them wherever they are in their lives. Together, we establish goals and solutions. I work with those who are struggling with self-expression and effective communication as well as those who are having difficulty with identity exploration within and outside of relationships.

For many, reaching out for support can feel vulnerable and overwhelming at times. I have enormous compassion for people going through life’s challenges and transitions and strive to create an inclusive and non-judgemental space where all parts of you are welcome. I've been working therapeutically with adults for a decade struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, grief/loss, trauma/PTSD, life transitions, self-esteem, relationship difficulties, boundaries, spirituality, and/or working toward personal growth. I'd be happy to guide you through the process of finding the right support.

You're struggling with past traumas. Maybe you don't even realize that a lot of your frustration, anxiety and depression and current struggles are linked to past traumas. It can be overwhelming dealing with intense emotions and identify the why behind it to change your life. I would love to work with you and address some of the emotions and struggles that you have been dealing with. Have there been some past events in your life that have fundamentally changed you as a person?

As a practitioner with over 9 years experience, I do my best to present as honest, straight forward, trustworthy and safe right away. I enjoy working with adults who are bravely working through past trauma in order to better understand ourselves, our responses, and the world around us. As a witness and guide, I will help you learn to process grief and loss, access self-worth, boundaries, and inner wisdom so you can go forward feeling safe and with trust. I have worked with many different struggles, the most important thing for our relationship is that you show up willing to be open.

My patients are usually hard working adults who have run into some tough times or are experiencing difficult emotional issues such as anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and addictions. I focus on using a strengths-based and harm reduction approach, which views each person as an individual with unique strengths and challenges. Using this approach values the person and facilitates a customized treatment plan for the individual. My role is not to judge you or your behaviors, but to act as an independent consultant for improving your mental well-being and quality of life.

I believe that everyone can explore internally and foster potential to create a brighter outlook of life. Through open-minded and non-judgmental collaboration, I work with many individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, interpersonal, family dynamic issues, career concerns, trauma, grief, parenting, and body image issues. Almost 20 years of experience, I assist children, adults, families, and couples exploring self-understanding, identifying emotional and behavioral patterns, develop new perspectives and emotion and stress management skills, making meaningful interpersonal connections, and making career decisions.

You’re tired of being on autopilot, pretending that everything’s fine because you know it’s not. You feel like you’re sinking into quicksand with no way out. You’re overwhelmed, worried, and exhausted. You know that what you’re currently doing isn’t working, but you feel helpless and unsure of what to do differently.

I offer individual and group Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Skills Training for adults ages 18 and up. New group members are accepted each week, and the commitment is for one month of treatment. This is an ideal space to learn effective coping skills and practice applying them with like-minded individuals.

Feeling like you try to do all the “right” things but can’t seem to get where you want to be in life? Are you tired of doing the same things over and over and getting nowhere? Do you feel stressed, frustrated, defeated, hurt, scared, and are not sure what to do next? You are courageous and wise to take the first step to freedom and consider counseling ! Sometimes, hope and a little guidance in a safe, judgement free atmosphere is all you need to get back on your desired path and I would be honored to help you on this journey! I am a Christian Counselor and can help to offer guidance and encouragement in the healing process.

I practice psychodynamic psychotherapy. While I can help you handle the difficulties you are facing, my intention is also to help you know yourself better. As we come to understand and accept ourselves, the easier it gets to handle the difficulties and stress life brings.

Are you at a crossroads? Throughout life, we experience "little deaths" that change our life’s course. Loss of a dream, health, family, the earth we stand on, job, marriage, relationship, country or beliefs can suddenly take us over a threshold, chosen or not into a new world where life no longer makes any sense. Our old tools and ways of coping or understanding our self or our world are no longer enough to pilot us to the other side of what can feel like a vast, deep and turbulent river. While often terrifying, these are the golden opportunities in which our true nature, our soul or purpose in life can be revealed.

As a therapist, I am dedicated to helping couples, families, and individuals navigate a variety of challenges and struggles, including anxiety, OCD, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. I am an ally and member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and poly friendly. My therapeutic approach is grounded in humanistic principles, and I utilize a range of evidence-based techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and experiential techniques to help my clients achieve their goals. I am also informed by the latest research from the Gottman Institute, which focuses on the health and longevity of relationships.

I am specialized in: eating disorders, substance abuse, addiction, codependency, anger, ADHD, PTSD, OCD, autism, sensory processing disorder, depression, anxiety, trauma, parent/child conflict, mood disorders, self-injury, self-harm, suicidal ideation. I have worked in inpatient, residential, or day treatment levels of care for almost 16 years with a variety of populations and have vast knowledge and expertise in being able to provide safety and support for those in need. You can expect to be pushed and challenged and find your way to healing and creating a pathway forward. You can also find me at whitneyericksoncounseling.com

It's never easy to find a therapist and if you were like me and grew up in a family that discouraged therapy or talking about mental health in general, it can be especially intimidating to even look for a therapist.  By looking into therapy, you have taken an important step towards living the life that you want. I find that the counseling relationship is most effective when it is highly collaborative and specific to the person. I will work with you to find areas of struggle in your life, identify patterns that have been present in your past, and work towards the goals you have for yourself present day.