My approach is centered in helping people integrate what they have experienced in their lives to better understand their strengths and resilience in making next choices and accepting what has gone before. I believe in a person's natural drive to heal; physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. People experience anger, self-doubt, grief, trauma, depression; it is call from your soul to look within and grow. Emotional turmoil is grist for the mill of our heart asking us to better care for ourselves and to lead a more authentic life. Therapy provides a place and time for honoring that growth. It is a place where your pain and growth is held in safety and with respect.

Spanish and English speaking. Accepting new patients in person and via telehealth for couples, families, substance use condition groups, and individuals. Therapists in my practice also accept couples counseling, with evening time slots still available for those who work, as well as morning and daytime options. Pedro Ruiz is a licensed mental health counselor in Washington who has been practicing since 2017. Outside of work, Pedro is an advanced chess player who enjoys the art of solving problems, singing (salsa music), spending time with family, trying new food, and traveling. He enjoys working with adults, families, and couples. He has a Master of Science in professional counseling, with 17+ years of experience with addiction counseling, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress (PTSD), and trauma. He likes working on couples issues using emotionally focused therapy (EFT) and the Gottman approach. Pedro is fluent in Spanish and English. Pedro strives to listen actively, gain an understanding of the underlying issues and challenges, and provide guidance to overcome, find relief, and experience healing from emotional and psychological pain.

My goal is to help you find meaning in both your suffering and success. I am well-rounded, non-judgmental, empathetic and analytical and can draw from a number of therapy models depending on your particular need. I'm solution focused and rely heavily on asking the right questions, offering observations and informed hypotheses as well as active interventions. I offer resources that can be leveraged outside therapy to help you better understand yourself and improve your situation. I also offer E.M.D.R. as one of my practice modalities, I'm very trauma informed and attachment theory informed. I go the extra mile to help my clients achieve positive outcomes whether they are faced with an acute mental health challenge or are seeking personal and professional growth.

All of us, including you, were born with a core self that’s vibrant, inviolable, and indomitable. It’s still there inside, waiting patiently for each of us to work through the layers of difficulties, frustrations, and self-doubt that have accumulated over the years. When we do that difficult work, we’re able to live more from the core self and less from the wounded layer that so many of us have adopted out of painful necessity. Much of what we'll do in therapy is talk about your life to clarify your thoughts and feelings, heal the hurt places, and connect with your core self so you can live with more ease, truth, and self-love. We'll talk about your visible, tangible life, but also about things like feelings, beliefs, patterns, dreams, imagination, art, relationships, wounds, and the ways your unconscious bubbles up into things that trouble you (or things that amaze you!). We'll discover together how they hinder or support your path to the core self that's waiting to embrace you. At the same time, we'll weave a web of mutual trust that is the strong foundation and container for therapy -- and this may end up to be the most important part of the work we do together. It’s my honor to walk with people through the difficult terrain of the wounded layer – to help you heal the places you've been traumatized -- while discovering and making space for the vibrant, indomitable core self that's been waiting for you all along. It might be hard to believe it right now, but that core self is in there. Let's get started!

You’re capable, thoughtful, and accustomed to managing what needs to be managed. But lately, you may feel anxious, overwhelmed, stretched thin, or simply not quite like yourself. Maybe you’re navigating pregnancy or postpartum, the demands of parenting and caregiving, changes in your relationships or career, or the physical and emotional shifts of perimenopause and menopause. (Deep breath.) Hi, I’m Laurel. I offer a warm, down-to-earth space where you don’t have to have it all figured out. I’m an active and engaged therapist. I’ll listen deeply, but I won’t simply sit back and nod. We’ll make room for honest exploration and difficult emotions, alongside humor, practical tools, and kind challenge when it’s helpful. My approach is integrative and tailored to you. Sometimes that means understanding patterns, relationships, and experiences that have shaped you. Sometimes it means learning concrete ways to manage anxiety or regulate an overwhelmed nervous system. Often, it’s both. I draw from years of clinical experience and a broad foundation in psychology to help you better understand yourself in context and make changes that feel meaningful and sustainable. It is a genuine privilege to be invited into the meaningful, complicated, and vulnerable parts of my clients’ lives. Therapy can be a place to feel deeply known and accepted, while also being invited to grow. You set the pace, and your goals guide our work. I know that reaching out to a new therapist can feel like one more thing to do when you’re already overwhelmed. So, start in whatever way feels easiest. You’re welcome to send me an email, or you can schedule a free 15-minute phone or video consultation through my website. I genuinely enjoy meeting prospective clients, and there’s no pressure. We can simply talk about what’s bringing you to therapy and see whether working together feels like a good fit.

The decision to start or return to therapy can be difficult and I am glad you took the first step. I have dedicated the last 20 years to the Social Services field and have provided therapy since 2018. I strive to meet people where they are and offer a non-judgemental space for all. I firmly believe you are the expert in your own life. While I am well versed in many theoretical frameworks, including Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Focused, Strength-Based, and EMDR, I will work with you to tailor sessions to best suit your needs and personality. While working with me you can expect honest feedback for change while feeling motivated and supported in your choices.

There are a number of reasons people choose to seek out therapy: grief and loss, an unexpected crisis, or a difficult life transition just to name a few. Whatever your reason for seeking out therapy, my goal is to create a safe, supportive space for you to gain a fresh perspective, explore paths out of "stuckness," and build hope that change is possible. My approach involves providing support and challenging individuals and families to explore their thoughts, feelings, and behavior to make lasting, meaningful changes. I have additional training in Medical Family Therapy and am passionate about helping individuals and families navigate the complex road of chronic and acute physical health conditions.

I work with clients across Washington state and the greater Seattle area, offering individual therapy using insight-oriented, and mindfulness-based approaches as well as EMDR. I meet with clients using an online or telehealth platform. My focus is on helping adult men facing depression, anxiety, trauma, and life transitions; working with them to build the self-awareness and tools needed to shift old patterns of thinking and behavior that no longer serve them. I help my clients to slow down, look inward, and meet life more skillfully. When trauma or emotional overwhelm occurs, the nervous system can get "stuck" in the experience. I am trained in EMDR, a technique that works to supporting and strengthen a client’s own nervous system's capacity to process difficult events, allowing that stuck experience to move and resolve. Sessions run about 55 minutes, with our first few focused on clarifying your goals. I know taking that first step isn't easy. If you'd like to explore whether we're a good fit, reach out to schedule a free 20-minute consultation - I'll answer your questions and we can talk through what you're looking for. I look forward to meeting you.

Now more than ever, in the COVID-19 crisis, therapy can help you to cope with heightened anxiety, depression, loneliness, and lack of purpose. With online video conferencing, I can provide regular therapy without you coming into the office. Therapy provides a safe place to ask the questions that scare us, to find connection and healing, to feel good and be authentic, and take charge of our lives. I support clients' efforts to gain insight into the sources of their challenges and pain, find connection, make positive changes in relationships, identify strengths and resources, cope with personal history, and take charge of their life. I help children, teens, and adults cope with stress, express themselves honestly, and explore personal meaning and purpose. I have experience working with children as a school counselor and in the child welfare system, and working with children, teens, and adults in private practice. I use relational psychodynamic methods, with insights from CBT and other modalities. My approach as a therapist is to provide warm and attentive listening, unconditional positive regard, gentle honesty and encouragement, as I join with you in the project of telling and understanding your story, and feeling your best. I am an MDiv and am open to your religious experience. I am also available for teletherapy from the privacy of your own home.

The focus of my practice is to help adults who have experienced childhood sexual abuse as well as more recent sexual assault, as well as other developmental traumas. My work also often focuses on family of origin conflict and present boundary setting in all areas of one's life. In treatment, I begin with psychoeducation, feeling identification, exploration of interpersonal patterns, and stress-reduction skills before gently helping the client explore their trauma narrative. Email is the best way to contact me initially; After we connect, I am happy to talk in more detail over the phone about my practice and whether I would be a good fit for you before making an appointment.