Locations: Greenlake, Telehealth
Hello and welcome to my practice! I provide individual and relationship counseling to individuals, adolescents, couples, and families in Seattle, Washington. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate (LMFTA), understanding individuals is essential to understanding their relationships.
In my practice, I focus on relational work and interpersonal dynamics. My philosophy as a mental health care practitioner is humanistic psychology, which focuses on the good in people and their growth potential – all humans are inherently good, lovable, and resilient.
In my experience, love and self-compassion come from balancing my relationship with myself with my relationships with my loved ones. My goal as a therapist is to help my clients find balance, navigate boundaries, practice self-compassion, and form healthy, interdependent connections with their loved ones. I am especially interested in utilizing mindful self-compassion in addressing difficult emotions such as shame or unhealthy patterns in family systems impacted by substance use.
As a family therapist, my foundational approach is systems theory, which says that individuals are a part of an interconnected whole (like a couple for a family, for example). A change in one member of a couple or family affects the entire system.
What are some goals of family therapy? Feelings of worth. Pioneering and beloved family therapist Virginia Satir said: “Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible – the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.”
In my practice, I provide a safe therapeutic environment where clients can feel free to be their authentic selves. My approach to therapy is integrative, meaning that it encompasses several different theories:
Narrative Therapy.
I primarily use a narrative approach to help you understand your unique story and situation. You are the expert in your own life. My role is to witness your story as it evolves and to collaborate with you to create your preferred narrative. Perhaps the problem is anxiety – it is oppressive and has limited your belief that you have choices. You have skills, competencies, and values that are assisting you in resisting this problem. Through interaction conversations geared toward externalizing the problem, we uncover and affirm your identity. This new narrative aligns with your values, beliefs, and goals.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).
EFT focuses on emotions in the couple or family system. EFT views emotions as being connected to human needs for safety and security, feelings that are innately adaptive. However, feelings that stem from an individual’s early attachment wounds increase anxiety or distress in a couple or family systems. With EFT, you can activate your emotions and work through them to help change interpersonal relationship patterns toward enhanced relationships.
Family of Origin. Family of origin work views the family in which you were born into or raised in and your parents’ background. Therapy involves examining family communication, ways of dealing with feelings, attachment styles, values, and traditions. Through this exploration and awareness, individuals can differentiate from or change generational patterns toward greater well-being for themselves, their chosen family, and extended family relationships.
Experience & Education
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate (#MG61279185)
- Master of Arts, Marriage and Family Therapy, Antioch University Seattle – 2022
- Intern and Mental Health Therapist at a community mental health agency in Snohomish County
- Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
- Member of the Washington Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
- Bachelor of Arts, International Studies, University of Washington – 1985
About Lynn
In my free time outside the therapy office, my partner and I enjoy surfing, hiking, camping, and taking our cat in his harness for walks in the park. I also enjoy swimming and gardening.