Hello, I'm Emily
My goal is to empower women, like you, to live their most authentic lives and achieve renewed vitality through self-exploration and intentionality.
But first, let’s clear the air.
Yes, I’m a therapist.
But I am a human first.
I step into therapy as a human, not an expert. I’m not an enlightened being, nor do I “have it all together.” I am in the same boat as you, fumbling through life.
I see therapy as a partnership between us. We are a team, working together to help you build an incredible life. From this place, I am free of pretense, judgment, and affectation. I already know you have what it takes to have a beautiful life, I’m just here to help you unleash it.
My promise to you
In therapy, you will not be denied humanity and empathy. I'll help you challenge everything you think you're "supposed to" do, be, act, or look like and figure out what you want instead.
Quick Professional Facts
I'm licensed in Washington state as a Mental Health Counselor (#LH60159227). I earned a Master's degree in Clinical Counseling from Seattle University in 2006 and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Washington in 2001. I'm an Association for Contextual Behavioral Science member. I am also a member of the ACT for Health, ACT for Pain, and Cancer Special Interest Groups.
I started my private practice in 2011 part-time, but after a major health scare, I went full-time within a couple of years. Before starting my private practice, I worked in mental health and government agencies as a therapist, crisis interventionist, and clinical supervisor. I began working in health psychology as a Research Therapist testing Acceptance & Commitment Therapy in health behavior change research studies at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in 2012.
I am so passionate about this work because my story is similar to yours
As a female, I've felt the weight of societal norms, deeply ingrained in our culture. I know the suffocating pressure of living by the "shoulds," constantly feeling I’m living a life scripted for someone else. And let me tell you, when I decided to break free and live life on my terms, I felt like a black sheep in a sea of conformity.
I have a chronic illness, and I understand the ways illness can smack you in the face and shake you to the core. I know how it can infiltrate every aspect of your life and force you to confront things you'd like to keep hiding from.
I also know the harmful effects of our culture’s insanely irrational beauty standards. My journey is marked by the loss of once-taken-for-granted abilities and years of detachment from my body. I didn’t always love or accept this vessel that has carried me through life.
Like you, I am constantly being asked to tiptoe around the realities of my own life
The toxic stigma placed on women creates unbearable pressure to make ourselves into something other than we are. The pain it spurs is not just a feeling. It impacts everything and makes you feel worthless, anxious, depressed, and isolated.
If we want to be our highest selves, we must stop trying to "fix" and change ourselves to meet the standards of other people. We must make the radical decision to accept every facet of ourselves.
I aim to help you embrace your confidence and power, accept all the parts of yourself, and live authentically and purposefully.
I am trained as a behaviorist, a branch of psychology that views human behavior within the context that it was learned. I am grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, Relational Frame Theory (RFT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), and Functional Contextualism (FC), as well as other well-established interventions such as Behavioral Activation and Trauma therapy. My work is also informed by shame resilience theory, social justice, feminist theory, intuitive and mindful eating, Buddhist teachings, self-compassion theory, mindfulness-based approaches, and principles of the Healthy At Every Size® model.
The skills you’ll learn collectively contribute to psychological flexibility, a state in which you’re free to make choices and act in ways consistent with what you want your life to be about.
In a nutshell, I will help you live a richer, more fulfilling, more significant life.
I don’t believe that…
I don’t believe that health can be characterized as simply the absence of physical or mental illness, limitation, or disease. I maintain that health exists on a continuum that varies with time and circumstance for each individual.
I don't view emotions or experiences as 'symptoms' to be eliminated. Research shows it's counterproductive to try controlling or suppressing them. Instead, I focus on transforming your relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings. By reframing them, they lose their power over you.
I don’t believe that humans are naturally inclined to constant happiness and contentment. From this view, psychological pain is a normal part of life, not a disease. So, our focus will not dwell on diagnoses. You’ll learn to accept and understand your emotions as appropriate responses to life's challenges. From this view, you can commit to necessary behavioral changes, regardless of life circumstances.
let's work together
let's work together
THE BLOG
Services for Professionals
Private Practice Business Consultation for Therapists
I provide Private Practice Business Consultation services to a few select therapists each year. I can help you transform your private therapy practice into a values-centered, efficient, and fulfilling venture. Overcome common challenges, build confidence, and enjoy a thriving practice. Learn More →
Websites & Digital Marketing for Therapists
Get your online marketing out of the Stone Age with websites, branding, and digital products for modern therapists & coaches. Learn More →