Frequently Asked Questions

What is your specialty?

Holdfast Psychotherapy NW specializes in trauma therapy for women in midlife who in caring for others have had their own needs go unmet. This includes eldest daughters (often with childhood trauma, neglect, and complex PTSD) who often learned to care for others and ignore their own needs. This also includes working with clergy, therapists, and doctors as they navigate caring for themselves while holding the trauma of the people they care for as well as their own. And I especially love working with all women as they navigate perimenopause and menopause mental health and identity changes.

I specialize in trauma (click here to find out more), identity issues, and anxiety (which is often wrapped up in both trauma we haven't acknowledged and identity issues), panic attacks, and OCD. I also utilize breathwork for both trauma work and for anxiety, identity questions, and discernment.

I also provide therapy for couples as well, specializing in improving communication, building friendship, and addressing unhealthy relationship patterns, especially those related to generational trauma.

I do not work with children or adolescents, eating disorders, severe suicidal ideation, or those who need ongoing crisis intervention.

Are you accepting new clients?

Yes! I am currently accepting new clients. I have online (telehealth via secure video software) therapy sessions and a few in person openings this fall in Shoreline. Click the here to get started with a 15 minute free consultation.

What does therapy cost?

You can find full pricing information on my cost page. I do not accept insurance, but can provide a Superbill for reimbursement.

Do you prescribe medication?

I do not prescribe medication. If you are interested in starting medication, I will work with you in our sessions to see if it would be something that may be beneficial for you, and to and refer you to a Psychiatrist or Nurse Practitioner (ARNP), who possess expertise in prescribing medication for mental health.

Do you offer in-person or online sessions?

I offer both in person (Shoreline Washington), and therapy via telehealth (secure video calls) across all of Washington State.

What state do you work in?

I see clients in Washington state, both in person in Shoreline and online across the whole state.

How do I get started?

What can I expect working with you?

I work from a consent based model of therapy which means that you are always in control of what happens in session. We will work together to find the best way to proceed for you, that doesn't mean you need to be an expert in therapy (that's why I'm here), but you are the expert in you and I respect that. If you feel the need for more structured guided sessions I can provide that, if you want to explore your feelings more freely that is also OK. My toolbox is full of methods we can use to reach your goals, you are welcome to try some or all of them, but I will never force a specific technique or method on you. So you can expect to be respected and your consent honored!

It is important to know that I am a depth based therapist, I believe that therapy is not about fixing behavior but about going deep and exploring the root of symptoms and issues. What modern therapy considers symptoms are information, just removing the symptom does not solve the issue it was warning us about. So we go deep, and that takes time. Depth therapy is not a quick process, but it does create lasting change and healing. No band-aids here.

That said, therapy to be effective will sometimes be uncomfortable. We'll talk about things you may never have revealed elsewhere. We'll try out new ways of relating that will feel new and strange. Change is uncomfortable, but discomfort isn't danger and part of therapy is helping your nervous system learn the difference between the discomfort of growth and actual danger.