About Wendy
Child Counselor, Teen Counselor, Adult Counselor, Marriage Counselor, Sammamish, Washington
My Path to Becoming a Therapist
At 17 years old, I participated in my first personal growth workshop, which sparked my interest in transformation and in living a more intentional, empowered life.
At Northwestern University, I majored in English with a minor in Psychology, provided research assistance to my favorite psychology professor, and planned to become a psychologist. Upon graduation, influenced by well-intentioned parents, I instead pursued another strong interest – the arts. I enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design to become a graphic designer.
While I enjoyed working in the design field over the next decade, my heartstrings pulled at me to return to my original desire of becoming a psychotherapist. I wanted to commit my professional life to touching people’s lives and to interacting in an emotional, meaningful, and heartfelt way. I chose to get a Master of Social Work degree at Loyola University in Chicago. This gave me the strong clinical foundation I sought.
My Professional Background
With 19 years of experience as a psychotherapist, I bring depth and breadth of training and experience to my practice. Throughout, I remain inspired by my clients’ courage and commitment to growth. I began at a community mental health agency, counseling clients with chronic mental health challenges. I then spent over a decade at a family service agency where I had the privilege of providing therapy to children, adolescents, adults, and families with a wide range of life issues and diverse cultural backgrounds. I enjoyed my additional roles: serving as school consultant; developing and facilitating training programs in trauma; and supervision of other therapists. Currently, I’ve expanded my therapeutic role to once again supervise other therapists, which I find to be quite rewarding.
My Approach
With a psychodynamic foundation, I utilize a strengths-based, culturally-sensitive, integrative approach incorporating Systems Theory, Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). I was fortunate to get advanced training in IFS by its founder, Richard Schwartz. The training and practice of IFS helps me appreciate this and other holistic approaches that encompass the cognitive, emotional, and spiritual aspects of a person. With children, I have found that combining movement, creative arts, and play therapy keeps the sessions lively, fun, and productive.
I strive to provide a safe, nurturing space where one can be vulnerable, get messy, and reclaim one’s true nature and authentic self. I see myself as a guide and facilitator, helping clients along the path of the life they envision.
My belief is that individuals of all ages ~ from young children having difficulty regulating emotions or behavior, to adolescents grappling with the transition to young adulthood, to couples and families seeking a more harmonious life, to adults healing past wounds, problem-solving current life situations, grappling with parenting or relationship issues ~ live the most satisfying lives when done from a place of self-empowerment. My role is that of a holder of hope, believing in each person’s innate sense of self and in the resiliency of the human spirit.
Credentials
Northwestern University – B.A. in English
Rhode Island School of Design – B.F.A. in Graphic Design
Loyola University, Chicago – M.S.W. with Alpha Sigma Nu Honors
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), LW 60578685
On a Personal Note
In my life, I have experienced and worked through pain, loss, and grief and therefore am able to be present with and understand my clients as they wrestle with those emotions. My life is also full of joy, delight, wonder, and appreciation. I celebrate these gifts with my clients as well.
I understand the challenges of navigating significant change and transitions and what it takes to pursue one’s dreams. My husband and I lived in Kazakhstan for months so that we could adopt our daughter; I lived in different parts of the country throughout my childhood and university years; and our family recently relocated to the Seattle area to live out our dream of raising our daughter in the Pacific Northwest.
I am personally nurtured and sustained by living near beautiful mountains and lakes, where I enjoy exploring hiking trails and beaches. As a classically trained singer, I love to sing and fill our home with music. My friends and family are very important to me, with my most treasured times being those spent with my husband and our precious daughter.