About Clara
Pronouns: she/her
Child Therapist, Adolescent Therapist, Adult Therapist

My journey here

Greetings and salutations!

My name is Clara Thompson, I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker Associate (LICSWA) (SWIA.SC.61097530) and have worked as a therapist since September of 2020.

In undergrad I started with the intent of being an anthropologist, but my love for learning took me on another path: social justice. I enthusiastically marinated in white guilt as I studied historical and current Native American issues, colonialism, privilege, and institutionalized racism. I ended my undergrad career with courses in psychology as I learned how to deal with my own brain chemistry.

After earning my bachelor’s at Evergreen State College in 2013 I focused on working with children and families. I have pride in the work I did as an Education Director at a Boys & Girls Club in Seattle. There I learned how to have a tougher skin (debating program rules with 5th grade city kids takes guts man), and how to be a leader. It was there where I kept going back to mental health skills with the kids, it was (and still is) a passion to validate and normalize their feelings, as I wish someone had done for me as a kid. I earned my master’s in social work in 2020 to honor all that I had learned in school, therapy and real life
up to that point. I stumbled upon trauma-informed care when for an internship I served as a Washington State Advocate for victims of crime and survivors of sexual assault. I joined individuals in their most vulnerable moments at the hospital, in detective interviews and in court proceedings. It was an honor to support them. It was there where I learned that I excel in providing a space place.

Trauma treatment is now my focus in my work as a therapist but I love working with all kinds of issues including anxiety, ADHD/ADD, depression, strained relationships, low self-esteem, and more.

Why do therapy Clara, Why??

I do what I do because I went through my own struggles growing up. I wished I had had someone help me learn life skills such as self-care, boundary setting and accommodating our needs.

I wish I had learned early on about how ADHD presents differently in women. That our society can mold us to be hard on ourselves whether it’s because of the shape of our bodies, what we eat, how productive we are or aren’t, what others have in comparison to ourselves and on and on.

I feel deep joy and fulfillment when I get to work with individuals (children 8+, teens and adults) who want to do hard work, learn more about themselves and their experiences, and to grow and evolve. It is an honor to join people in their journeys of self-healing whether they are just starting or are dropping back in for some maintenance work.

Credentials

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Evergreen State College, 2013
Masters in Social Work (MSW), Eastern Washington University, 2020
Licensed Independent Social Worker Associate (LSWAIC), Washington State

Lil’ about me

I use she/her pronouns, I have a cat and a dog- they are black and white (I had to get a matching set). I will always love a good meme or dad joke. I love expressing myself through home décor, being a plant mom and writing. I love all things fantasy/sci-fi whether that be shows or books or podcasts. I am always down to color-by-number and show-and-tell new fidget toys with you in session. I have lived in (or should I say sampled) most major towns/cities of Washington state and am now settling back at my favorite place; the Puget Sound where I grew up and where my support system is.