Cynthia Goering, Counselor in Seattle, 98103

Cynthia Benedict Goering, MA, LMHCA

Profession(s):
Counseling Psychology, Psychotherapy
License Status:
I'm an accredited professional.
Primary License:
Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate - RC57762

My Approach to Helping

I view the counseling process as one that is based upon the formation of a dynamic alliance with you, the client(s), to explore the nature of your dissatisfaction or discontentment. I believe that the struggles that bring us to therapy are often symptoms of deeper unsettledness. Thus to address the current symptoms of our distress we often need to look beneath the surface and reflect on our lives up to this point, and use that data to enhance our awareness and assist us in deliberately and consciously choosing who we want to be and how we move forward from here.

I believe that relationships are immeasurably influential upon the development of our beliefs, ideas, thoughts, and choices. Based on this premise, we will explore the intricacies of these relationships and their influence on your specific struggles in an effort to identify, understand and address the sources of these struggles. We will explore how your way of relating contributes to the nature of your relationships, with the hope of cultivating awareness, compassion, and volition. By seeking and attending to the source of your distress we will address the symptoms as well.

Our relationship is the primary context for change. My role as a counselor is to create a safe space for you to discover and live out your truest self. We will work together to identify fears and obstacles stemming from the present and the past that keep you from relating most authentically with others. Your ability to be open and honest with me will greatly enhance the effectiveness of your therapy. In addition, I believe that many issues that bring us to therapy have a physical component. In such cases, consultation with other health care practitioners will be advised.

More Info About My Practice

As a Physical Therapist for several years, I enjoyed working with people of all ages in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and in clients' homes. I had the privilege of partnering with clients and families to enhance their physical well-being. Through this work, I became increasingly aware of the emotional, mental, and social components of physical health. I then decided to pursue education and training as a psychotherapist.

Later, I earned my Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology. During a year-long internship at a home for women in transition, I worked with women and their children addressing issues including childhood abuse, substance abuse, domestic violence, depression, anxiety, grief and loss.

My extensive understanding and experience in the physical realm is an asset that will benefit you as we work together in the emotional and relational realms. My holistic approach honors the beauty and complexity of our humanness.

The fee for a 50 minute session is $80. The fee for an 80 minute session is $120. Payments are made at the beginning of each session by cash or check. A sliding scale may be used to determine payment for those experiencing hardship. Please call or email to discuss this option.

What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist

I love this work! Here's why... I am deeply honored and humbled to accompany people during challenges and struggles. Meaningful connection, profound understanding, and deep healing come from being present with another in their suffering. The collaborative exploration that is done in therapy leads to transformation, liberation and growth. These inner shifts have the power to lead to more visible and significant changes in one's life and relationships, and therefore in the lives of others. I love being a facilitator of this process of healing for individuals and therefore couples, families and communities. I am repeatedly amazed and inspired by the strength, wisdom, beauty, and courage that I witness in my clients during these processes. I practice psychotherapy because I believe that wellness in this area is a cornerstone of wellness in every other area of our lives. Thus, my passion for this work is related to my hope and passion for our health as individual beings and as communities.

How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist

I believe that my willingness and desire to be present with myself and my story has served me well in my work with others. Through my work with a therapist, I have experienced a healing relational context from which I have built a new framework upon which I live and love. I experience freedom from past beliefs, thought patterns and relational styles, and I consciously choose who I am and how I interact with the world around me. I grant myself the opportunity to reflect, extend grace, and grieve in order to open space and release energy so that I could live fully, volitionally, and joyously. By facing fears about what I might discover and through saying yes to the invitation of curiosity, much understanding has been gleaned and much compassion has been cultivated. By practicing kindness toward myself through my therapeutic work and through experiencing the goodness of this practice, I am able to facilitate this nurturing of compassion in others. By experiencing my own pain and process of healing, I offer richness, understanding, and wisdom to my clients in their processes.