Comprehensive Youth Support for Ages 5-17

About my work with youth

I'm a former school counselor and educator, and I know schools from the inside. I began working with young people in 2013 and have supported students from elementary through high school, including the junior high years, when so much about identity, belonging, and friendship shifts. I've sat with kids in their hardest moments, led crisis response teams across grade levels, and helped schools build systems so that no student falls through the cracks.

My approach is relational and grounded in liberation-centered practice. Young people do best when they are seen fully, their families are treated as partners, and their culture is treated as a strength.

I meet kids where they are, in the space where they feel most comfortable: virtually, in my North Seattle office, or at their school.

Why this matters for your child

Most therapists only ever see a child in the therapy room. I've also spent years inside the classroom, leading 504 meetings, inside the IEP meeting, the crisis response huddle, and the hallway conversations with teachers that never make it into a file. That means I don't just help a child process what's hard, I understand the actual systems they're navigating every day: how schools work, what a 504 plan can and can't do, how an overextended school counselor's caseload shapes what support is realistically available, and what it takes to get an entire team of adults pulling in the same direction for one kid.

That combination, individual clinical support plus firsthand knowledge of the school system, is what I bring to every family I work with. I'm not guessing at what your child's school can offer. I've helped build those systems.

Beyond the counseling room

My work has never stopped at the counseling room door. I'm used to working alongside teachers, staff, families, and community members so a young person is supported across every part of their life. I know how to navigate 504 plans and write them around a student's actual needs. I'm experienced with neurodivergent learners, and I'm comfortable sitting on IEP teams or any student support team to make sure a child's needs are understood and met.

Group work

I've led hundreds of counseling groups including on perfectionism, trauma, loss, anxiety, and depression. I've also created groups specifically for boys exploring healthy masculinity, and groups for neurodivergent students, including kids with ADHD, and groups created to empower youth in marginalized communities.

I've also provided consistent one-on-one support for students who needed more than a single check-in, helping them build coping skills and emotional regulation over time.

Individualized, not blanket support

I don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. I've worked closely with educators to make sure support for a student, like a student with ADHD, is tailored to that specific kid rather than applied as a generic approach. That same intentionality carries into everything I offer, from 504 plans to group facilitation to individual counseling.

Partnering with school counselors

I have deep respect for my fellow school counselors, and I love working alongside them. Many are responsible for hundreds of students, and are pulled in various directions. I recognize that some kids need more time and attention than a school day allows. That's especially true for students whose grades look fine but who are quietly struggling. I can offer that additional support while staying connected to the school team.

My services

I'm a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) in Washington State, providing confidential, one-on-one counseling for youth. I will provide clinical support for your child, and with your permission, partner with their school to help shift their environment so they feel supported throughout.

With a signed release of information, I'm also glad to partner directly with a student's school, teachers, or other providers involved in their care. I share only what's necessary for the team to support the student well, nothing more, so we can build truly comprehensive, coordinated care around a child without compromising the privacy of our sessions together.

What I bring

Alongside my growing clinical mental health background, I bring:

• School counseling at elementary, junior high, and high school levels since 2013

• Individual counseling experience across K-12

• Group facilitation on perfectionism, trauma, loss, anxiety, and depression

• Groups for boys on healthy masculinity and for neurodivergent students, including ADHD

• 504 and IEP team experience

• Crisis response team leadership from elementary through high school

• MTSS and PBIS leadership at the school and district level

• Professional development for schools and districts

• Washington State credentials: Residency ESA K-12, LMHCA

FAQ

What ages do you work with?

I work with children and teens ages 5 to 17.

What concerns do you support?

Anxiety, depression, perfectionism, loss, trauma, and ADHD or other forms of neurodivergence, including students who look fine on paper but are quietly struggling.

Where do sessions happen?

I want your child to feel comfortable, because kids open up most in a space that feels safe to them. I offer three options:

• Virtual: sessions from home, or anywhere your child feels at ease

• In person: at my office in North Seattle

• At school: I can come to your child's school, with approval from you and the school

We can start with one and switch if another fits better.

What does a session look like for my child?

Sessions are built around your child. I use play therapy and bibliotherapy for kids 5-12, which means we explore feelings through play and through books and stories. I have a wide range of books, so I can choose ones that fit your child's age, interests, and what they're going through. Kids don't have to find the right words, because a character or a story can say it for them. With teens, sessions may include more conversation, and I follow their lead on what feels right.

How much does it cost, and do you take insurance?

As of November 1, I'm in-network with Premera, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and LifeWise. Your cost depends on your plan's copay, coinsurance, or deductible, so I recommend checking your behavioral health benefits with your insurer. If you have a different plan or prefer to pay privately, my self-pay rate is $195 per session. I can also provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for possible out-of-network reimbursement.

Will you talk with my child's school?

Only with your signed release of information. Before anything is shared, we'll talk through what would actually help your child's team, and you decide what's included. I share only what's necessary, nothing more. School staff are also bound by student privacy laws, so I know how information is protected on their end.

What could partnering with my child's school and staff look like?

This depends on what your child needs and what you're comfortable with. With your written permission, it can include:

• Joining 504, IEP, or student support team meetings

• Recommending specific accommodations tailored to your child, not general support letters

• Consulting with teachers and school counselors on strategies that fit your child, such as supporting a student with ADHD or anxiety

• Helping your family and school team stay on the same page about what's working

• Offering on-site groups at your child's school through a district agreement, for students I also see individually

• Training for school staff on supporting students, such as neurodivergent students, when a school or district contracts with me

Group participation has its own consent form. Other members will know your child is in the group, and I can't guarantee that other kids will keep things private, so we set confidentiality ground rules together. I explain them to you and your child before anyone joins.

What stays confidential?

What your child shares in session stays private. As with all licensed counselors, there are legal limits related to safety, which I explain at the start.

For children ages 5 to 12, parents and guardians are active partners. I check in with you regularly about how things are going and share strategies you can use at home.

For teens ages 13 to 17, I focus on building trust so they have room to open up. At the start, you, your teen, and I talk through what stays private and what I'll share with you. If I'm ever concerned about your teen's safety, I will talk with you.

How do I get started?

Book a free 15-minute consultation. We'll talk about what your child needs and see if we're a good fit.