Kelly Ellingson, MA, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor

Mill Creek, Washington

VerifiedTelehealth Available

Professions: Marriage & Family Therapist

Languages: English

My Approach to Therapy

I'm passionate about working with those who grew up in a family where they were given adult responsibilities at a very young age. You took care of everything and everyone. Today, you’re still taking care of everything. You’re exhausted, but saying no or asking for help is uncomfortable, so you don’t. Instead, you stuff your feelings down, pretend like everything is good, and act like you have it all together. At times, it becomes too much, and you explode. Shortly after, you feel guilt, and you “help” more to ease it. Then you become angry, feeling disrespected and stuck. Hopeless. You want things to change and don’t know how to make change happen. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), I provide skills to help you manage your emotions and advocate for yourself, so you’re not controlled by others or your guilt. I can help you strengthen your boundary-setting skills, so others learn how to respect you in the ways that matter most. Working with me can help you know your value and your worth. Together, we will move you toward your desired goals and empower you to make the changes you’ve been wanting. Call me, and let’s talk about how we can work together. I’m an experiential relationship specialist with a trauma-informed lens. My therapy style is integrative, with a foundation in systems and relationships. What this means is that I’m comfortable working with multiple people in the room, as well as considering those who are not. I look at the relationships you are a part of and consider how your experiences influence your emotions, perceptions, actions, and patterns of behavior. This also means that I’m not a cookie-cutter therapist. I don’t believe my clients are made from a single mold or that therapy is one-size-fits-all. I create therapy to fit the client’s needs and meet them where they are at. You can expect sessions to be relational and collaborative, a human experience where I will get to know you as a person while working toward your desired goals. Key methods used: experiential therapy, emotionally focused therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and trauma-informed care.

Supervision Details

I am an AAMFT Approved Supervisor with a comprehensive background in working with families, including all subsets of the family, couples, relationships, and individuals from children to adults. I have worked in a variety of organizations providing clinical supervision to students and those at the associates’ level. As an AAMFT supervisor I provide clinical supervision, consultation, and supervision to supervisor candidates.

Supervision Specialties

Eating and Food Issues, Psychiatry / Medication, Psychology

Focused Modalities

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy, Systems Theory /Therapy, Integration of different therapy models, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Strength-Based Therapy, Structural Family Therapy, Culturally Sensitive Therapy

Why Going to Therapy Does Not Mean You are Weak or Flawed

There’s a stigma out there that those who are in therapy are weak or flawed. My belief is quite the opposite. There is time and energy involved in locating a therapist. Once located, you engage in sharing your experiences, some never before shared with another, and you do this with a person who is a complete stranger. This is not easy. The person who shows up regularly to do the hard work of therapy is not weak. It’s a lot easier to ignore your problems and stay in the familiar. Creating change means doing something different and doing different is uncomfortable for many. Anyone who has entered into the therapeutic space knows that therapy is not intended for the weak.

Importance of the Client-Therapist Alliance

The therapeutic alliance is one of the most important aspects for growth in therapy. If you do not feel safe enough with your therapist, you will not feel comfortable sharing information about your pivotal life experiences, impeding on your therapeutic process. If you do not feel a sense of safety with your therapist, you should keep looking for one until you do.

Expertise & Specialties

Age Groups I Work With

AdultsElders

Groups I Work With

I provide couples counseling and family therapy. The people I work with experience anxiety, depression, communication problems, grief, loss, and trauma. I use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and a trauma-informed lens. With continued work, my clients experience sustained improvements that lead to their desired goals.

Therapy Services & Specialties

Clinical SupervisionConsultationFamily Therapy Individual Therapy & Counseling Marriage, Couples, or Relationship Counseling Telehealth

Concerns & Challenges Addressed

Adjusting to Change / Life TransitionsAnxietyBlended Family IssuesCaregiver Issues / StressCommunication ProblemsDepressionDivorce / Divorce AdjustmentFamily Problems

Therapeutic Approaches & Evidence-Based Methods

Culturally Sensitive TherapyEmotionally Focused Couples TherapyEmotionally Focused TherapyExperiential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)Integration of different therapy modelsSatir Transformational Systemic TherapyStructural Family Therapy

Industries & Communities

BIPOCEducationFirst Responder/Medical ProfessionalsLGBTQ+Military/Law EnforcementProfessional SportsSelf-Employed and Freelance Professionals