Therapist Diana Elstad Photo

Diana Elstad, LMHC

Addictions Relationships Trauma, Abuse Coping with life changes
Video Phone Live Chat Messaging

About me

I am a licensed mental health counselor and substance use disorder professional in the state of Washington with 35 years of experience working in various community clinics, treatment centers, hospitals and private practice. I am also a geriatric mental health specialist. I have worked with hundreds of people with a wide variety of concerns, including addiction/recovery, depression, anxiety, PTSD, stress management, family systems, codependency, self-esteem, relationships of all types, grief and loss, and issues related to abuse and trauma.
My intention with each client is to be warm, kind, respectful and a good listener. I endeavor to hear the unspoken heart-messages that are sometimes underneath the words. My counseling style is eclectic and I draw from many schools of therapy, always attempting to be fully present and meet each client where they are.
I look forward to meeting and working with you!

Professional experience

35yrs in practice
Addictions Relationships Trauma, Abuse Coping with life changes

Additional areas of focus: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Family conflicts, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Abandonment, Adoption and foster care, Aging and geriatric issues, Attachment issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Codependency, Communication problems, Control issues, Dissociation, Divorce and separation, Domestic violence, Drug and alcohol addiction, Eating and food-related issues, Emptiness, Family of origin issues, Family problems, Fatherhood issues, Forgiveness, Gender dysphoria, Guilt and shame, Hoarding, Hospice and end-of-life counseling, Immigration issues, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Isolation / loneliness, Life purpose, Men's issues, Midlife crisis, Money and financial issues, Mood disorders, Multicultural concerns, Narcissism, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and discrimination, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-harm, Self-love, Sex addiction, Sexual assault and abuse, Sexuality, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues, Workplace issues

Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy

Services offered

Video
Phone
Live Chat
Messaging

License information

WA LMHC LH 00003771

Reviews

These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Diana Elstad. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.

Diana is a saint. She probably saved my life.

Written on Dec 19, 2024 after therapy with Diana for 1 year and 6 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, eating disorders, parenting issues, self esteem, anger management, compassion fatigue, and adhd

I've been working with Diana for years now because she's the best. She not only listens but wants me to open up and gives me tools for my mental health toolbox I use all the time. She's the best

Written on Dec 17, 2024 after therapy with Diana for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, grief, intimacy-related issues, and anger management

Diana is an empathetic listener and very kind. I appreciate her skills and learn something new each time we meet.

Written on Dec 17, 2024 after therapy with Diana for 3 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, anger management, coping with life changes, and adhd

Diana has been my therapist for a couple of years now. She can’t cure my recurrent depressions, but she is so wise and comforting to talk to. Through the years I have had many therapists, some better than others, but Diana is the best by far. I refered a friend to her, and she seconds my high opinion of this warm and wonderful woman.

Written on Aug 17, 2024 after therapy with Diana for 2 years and 3 months on issues concerning depression, trauma and abuse, grief, sleeping disorders, and bipolar disorder

We’ve had only a couple sessions and Diana has been so incredibly helpful. She’s an amazing listener and helps me process what to do and next steps forward. She is kind and knowledgeable and has provided many resources and extra sources she finds beneficial to specific questions I have. She truly cares about people and it’s very refreshing to have a wonderful therapist like her

Written on Aug 05, 2024 after therapy with Diana for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, sleeping disorders, parenting issues, self esteem, anger management, and career difficulties

In just one session, Diana has made me feel comfortable and confident in my decision to start BetterHelp. She offered suggestions and tips and had no issues asking the harder questions. She is a great listener, and very knowledgeable. She went above and beyond to send helpful resources right after our session. I’m looking forward to my future sessions with her.

Written on Jul 21, 2024 after therapy with Diana for 2 weeks on issues concerning family conflicts, career difficulties, and adhd