Therapists in Renton, WA

Hi, and welcome :) I am Michele, an Ohio transplant originally from Pennsylvania. I graduated from John Carroll University in 2008 with an MA in Community Counseling. I am licensed in the state of Ohio as an Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and as a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor-- with a Counseling Supervisor designation. I also hold independent mental health counseling licenses in the states of Michigan, and Kansas. I have been providing counseling services since 2001 in a variety of settings including inpatient mental health, residential substance abuse, private practice, dual diagnosis, and most recently Employee Assistance Counseling. I have worked with a wide age rage of clients with my youngest being 3 and spanning into late adulthood. I have worked with a variety of issues including depression, anger, self-esteem, anxiety, substance abuse, work stress, parental guidance, offending behaviors, etc. I have a special interest in helping those who are dealing with grief after a loved one has completed suicide. I like to meet people where they are at and help them develop the skills they need to in order to feel better or be well. I have been described by colleagues as " having an uncanny ability to think outside the box to meet people where they are at without judgement." I utilize cognitive behavioral techniques, Motivational Interviewing, and other evidenced based practices, but overall i listen and help where help is needed and wanted. Choosing a counselor is often times a hard task to accomplish, I am truly grateful when someone chooses to trust me to guide them on their personal journey. When I'm not helping others, i enjoy reading, writing, and being creative. I'm a mom to two boys who are always on the go and an avid bargain\ flea market hunter. My family and I enjoy home improvement, and are sometimes actually pretty good at it :) I like to have fun, make people laugh, and just enjoy the moments. I look forward to getting to know you better and potentially helping you achieve your goals.

I am licensed in Washington and Montana with 37 years of professional work experience, as a private practitioner and as the Assistant Director of Counseling at Whitman College and the Director of Counseling at the University of Montana. I am currently retired from working in a college setting and am thrilled to have the opportunity to meet with clients on a part-time basis through BetterHelp. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, coping with grief and loss, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & depression. My approach is warm, empathic, and non-judgmental, and I strive to meet each person at the intersection of all their unique experiences. I tailor my approach to fit each person’s individual needs, and my hope is that each client feels empowered to recognize and reclaim their inherent strengths. I honor each individuals unique identity and have a keen awareness of the marginalization of many people and groups. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

Girls and women in today's world are given conflicting messages. Your parents told you one thing. Your friends another. The media confused you even more. And now you want something more fulfilling. More fun. More authentic. More…you! You’re afraid of being labeled. The people you date are the ones you are “supposed to,” not who you want. Maybe sex has been painful or unfulfilling and you want to understand why. Your sexual self is yours alone. But how do you sort your truth from everyone else’s? You want something different, but you are not sure how to talk about it. This is YOUR body! You get to decide how you want to Awaken. It’s time to break the Disney stereotype you were taught. Time to find out who you’re supposed to be. Time to learn all the sexual secrets that have been kept from you. You are ready to gain Awareness! You need a safe, supportive space to explore and talk about what you want and who you want to become without fear of being judged or shamed. You can finally live YOUR life! Whatever sex has been (or hasn’t), you can create the sex life you have been dreaming of! It’s time to change. To empower yourself. All you need is knowledge and guidance from someone who knows how to help you meet your sexual self. I am a nationally known therapist, speaker, and advocate for female sexual trauma, healing, and empowerment. I have pioneered open discussion of aspects of sexual trauma that were rarely addressed before. Women are often shamed for having experiences and reactions during unwanted sexual contact that they can't explain or don't understand. These experiences can sometimes end up being expressed in ways that continue that feeling of shame and self-harm, even though they may also feel good. I have spoken around the world at feminist, psychology, sex therapy, and forensic conferences about my work to further support for women whose experiences go unacknowledged. I have developed treatment strategies to address self-harm through sex and the urges and compulsions some women have to take sexual risks that end with more feelings of doubt and confusion. I work with women who are searching for their authentic self, free of societal stereotypes of what women are “meant for” and “supposed to be.” Whether it’s recovering from sexual trauma, exploring new desires, letting go of past relationships, discovering your own body, or diving deeper into understanding what you want, I can help. I know. I understand. And I care. Contact me now and simply say, “I’m ready.” I’m waiting to help you find your happy, worthy, and empowered life.

I am licensed in Montana and Washington with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, & coping with grief and loss. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with 20+ years of experience in mental health and education. I have worked with clients from many walks of life and with a wide variety of issues such as depression, anger management, autism, sexual identity, relationship issues, and parenting issues just to name a few. I would say my "style" is to the point. Building a relationship is of the upmost importance but I believe it is also important to identify what the issues are. When it comes to working on those issues I like to be straight forward about them. I draw from several theoretical approaches (cognitive, behavioral, humanistic and psychoanalytic) but also consider myself, overall, an integrative therapist. My core values, when it comes to counseling, begin with confidentiality. I believe everyone should have access to counseling and that it should be no concern of others considering one’s therapy (within the limits of confidentiality). I believe that at some point in time, in any of our lives, counseling may help. I also believe that people should be able to be who they are and pursue their dreams without judgment or persecution from others. I hope to offer my services to someone that can benefit from our interactions. I look forward to meeting you.

I am licensed in Hawaii with 5+ years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, & challenges with motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I work with my clients to create an open, client-centered environment where you can fully express yourself without fear of judgment and where you are the expert on your own lived experience. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey. I can also equip you with breath-body connection tools and somatic techniques to manage stress and anxiety and to release trauma triggers that may be holding you back from inhabiting yourself and your life as fully as you deserve. Expressive Arts Therapy/Creative arts exploration is another option in my toolkit for facilitating your self-discovery, growth, and empowerment.

I am licensed in Washington with 13 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma, abuse, coping with grief, coping with loss, motivation, & self esteem. I also have experience working with confidence. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

Dr. Jamaal “Doc J” Fortner is a south Louisiana native who combines his sense of home-spun Southern wisdom with evidence based practice. He brings an extensive clinical background that includes inpatient psychiatric care and outpatient clinical practice focused on members of the LGBTQ+ population and populations of color. Additionally, he holds specialties in substance abuse and domestic violence. Dr. Jamaal “Doc J” Fortner is an alumnus of Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Health Administration. He is also an alumnus of the University of Southern California with a Master of Social Work and a Doctorate of Social Work. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Texas, Colorado, Nevada, and Washington.

I am licensed in Washington with 20+ years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with lgbtq+ related issues, trauma, abuse, coping with grief, coping with loss, intimacy related issues, motivation, & self esteem. I also have experience working with confidence, positive self image, and healthy self awareness. I work with couples to repair trust, improve communication, and strengthen their emotional intimacy with each other. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our open, honest, dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific personal needs. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey. Let's take this walk together. How can I help?

I am a mental health counselor licensed in New York with over 4 years experience working within residential programs with clients that have a wide array of needs. I have worked with older clients with compromised immune system concerns, along with serious mental health diagnoses. For the last three years, I have been working with young people that are staying in a residential setting. These youth have experienced significant physical and/or emotional trauma, and have been diagnosed with things like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and more. My counseling style really depends on the client and the rapport we have built. I believe that all clients deserve to be treated with respect, integrity, honesty, and compassion. My Person-Centered Therapy approach complements those core values, and allows me to build a therapeutic experience that is tailored to the client’s specific needs. It takes courage to seek a more fulfilling and happier life, and to take the first steps towards change. If you are ready to take that step, I am here to support and empower you. I look forward to working with you!