People have within themselves both the drive toward, and the inner-resources necessary for, growth and wholeness. My role as a counselor is to help you examine and adjust whatever may be getting in the way of your growth, your ability to solve problems skillfully, and your feelings of well-being.

Therapy is not just a matter of accurately and objectively observing the client. Effective therapy also requires that I actively participate with you as you work and grow. I work from a person-centered model informed by developmental and systems, and I use techniques from these models and from the cognitive learning approaches. What this means is that we will often talk about experiences and relationships in your life now and in the past, about your feelings, and about your thoughts and ideas.

Responsibility and commitment to the counseling process is shared between us. It's my responsibility to be emotionally present, honest and energetic. My primary commitment is to your health and well-being. Ultimately, though, you have the right to set the course for your own therapy and your life. You also have the right to ask questions any time you do not understand what is taking place in the session.

My selection of techniques is based upon your unique needs and circumstances here and now, upon influences from the past, which may be involved, and upon your goals for counseling. These techniques include:

• Active listening and reflecting
• Emotional presence and attentiveness
• Generating, selecting and evaluating possibilities for action
• Practicing new response-styles
• Discovering and correcting self-defeating thought patterns
• Journal writing and selected readings

The frequency of our sessions and the length of the course of counseling also depend upon your needs, goals, and circumstances. Many clients schedule sessions weekly at the beginning of our work together, then adjust the frequency as we agree is necessary. Some issues for some clients can be resolved within six sessions others require more time. Though we will discuss and set goals early in our work together, it frequently happens during the course of counseling that other issues arise. I am available to assist you with these or to provide referrals to other counselors.

I am comfortable working with a wide range of individual and couples issues including:

GRIEF & LOSS
• Recovery from alcoholic and other dysfunctional family systems
• Recovery from incest and other sexual or physical abuse
• Recovery regarding religion of origin
• Bereavement: loss of loved ones, livelihood, opportunities
• Relationship losses
• Health-related losses, chronic and terminal-illness issues

ADULT GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT
• Self discovery
• Spiritual growth and awareness
• Developing, improving, maintaining relationships
• Growth in non-mainstream lifestyles, including personal identity, relationships, and effects on family of origin

I continue to gain additional education and experience through seminars, training, and on-going consultation with my professional colleagues. Through my own life experiences, I am able to bring a personal understanding of the challenges and rewards involved in growth and change to our work.

- Licensed Mental Health Counselor, License Number: 020703 LH00006022, State of Washington, Division of Professional Licensing