THERAPY FOR RESIDENTS OF CALIFORNIA & WASHINGTON
WHEN TALK THERAPY ISN’T ENOUGH
Relational, Experiential & Somatic Individual & Couples/Relationship Therapy
SPECIALIZING IN GRIEF, CHILDHOOD NEGLECT & TRAUMA, AND ATTACHMENT/RELATIONSHIP/COUPLES THERAPY
CLINICAL CONSULTATION FOR LICENSED THERAPISTS
SUPERVISION FOR ASSOCIATE THERAPISTS
TRAUMA INFORMED WORKSHOPS FOR ORGANIZATIONS
When Talk Therapy Isn’t Enough
Therapy blending EMDR, IFS, ISTDP & SE
Helping People Heal & Grow, Deepen Their Awareness of Themselves & Interrupting Intergenerational Trauma Patterns
For California & Washington State Residents
Hi, I’m Canh (he/him).
Going to therapy is fucking hard work.
Change is hard. Human beings are hard wired to avoid pain.
Most people avoid their recurring, deeply embedded unhelpful and ineffective patterns through denial, over working, avoidance, distraction, ruminating, procrastination, and/or lying to themselves. We replay these patterns over and over, even though we know logically they don’t serve us any longer. Often, these patterns are unconscious.
Long lasting transformational change and growth is often unpleasant and uncomfortable requiring hard work, effort, time, money, and ongoing practice.
You will feel uncomfortable at times. Healing is rarely easy and pleasant, however, on the other side of healing is a sense of ease, calm, and freedom.
I believe that self awareness, self insight, emotional vulnerability, taking relational risks, and facing our fears and anxieties leads to a much richer and more meaningful life, helping us accept what we cannot change, face what feels unbearable, and live with complexity with more ease.
I’ll support you with guidance, support, challenge, care, kindness, and compassion.
I offer:
Individual and couples/dyadic therapy for clients in Washington & California
Workshops/training for organizations virtually nationwide or in person in Seattle, Washington
Consultation for licensed therapists nationwide
Supervision for associate therapists in Washington State
I specialize in 4 areas and am particularly interested in how they overlap:
Attachment/relationship issues & couples/dyad therapy
Grief, loss, mourning, death anxiety & existential issues
Traumas of all kinds, particularly attachment, developmental/childhood, and complex trauma as well as the impacts of trauma exposure, particularly vicarious & secondary trauma and compassion fatigue
Adult children of immigrants and refugees
My overall therapeutic approach is a relational (healthy relationships dictate the quality of our lives), experiential (experiencing vs. knowing/thinking creates corrective/new experiences) & somatic (the mind-body connection and listening to our body) therapies.
I integrate the following modalities into my work depending on what you are seeking help for:
Mindfulness Based-Cognitive Therapy
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)/Attachment Focused EMDR
Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP)
MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD (not FDA-approved and not available)
Mentalization-Based Therapy
Clinical Hypnosis
Psychodynamic Therapy
Buddhist Psychology
I am not loyal to a therapeutic modality, but rather integrate and use the most effective modalities for what you are seeking.
Therapy is not the only way toward healing and growth. There are many ways to heal and therapy is only one way, but certainly not the only way. You get to decide if therapy is a part of your journey or not.
Life’s too short to keep being stuck in the same unhelpful patterns and self sabotage. Healing and liberation is possible.
Take good care of yourself. Be gentle and fierce.
Note: There are no guarantees therapy will solve all problems, or how quickly changes will occur. There are no miracle cures, but it improves the odds, particularly if you start early.
Specialties
OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST: LGBTQIA+ AFFIRMING CARE, PSYCHEDELIC INTEGRATION, SELF ESTEEM, PERSONAL GROWTH, VICARIOUS & SECONDARY TRAUMA & MIND-BODY CONNECTION/SOMATIC THERAPY
I WORK WITH ADULTS (21 YEARS+) AND COUPLES/DYADS
Grieving is a lifelong process.
Physical Death such as Loss of a Parent, Loss of a Child, Loss of a Spouse/Partner, Traumatic Loss, and Accidents
Ambiguous Loss such as Loss of Safety/Time/Trust/Identity/Ability, Separation, Divorce, New Diagnosis/Illness
Spiritual issues such as Facing Our Mortality, Meaning of Life, Grief Rituals & Practices, Tending to Grief
grief, loss & death anxiety
couples THERAPY & relationship issues/adult ATTACHMENT styles
Relationships dictate the quality of our lives. Includes non romantic partnerships (e.g. business partners, roommates, siblings).
For Couples/Dyads: Communication Issues, Impacts of Trauma & Grief
For Individuals: Earned Secure Attachment (Moving From Insecure Anxious, Avoidant or Disorganized to Secure Attachment), Family & Culture of Origin Issues, Self Sabotage, Intellectualizers, People Pleasers, Fear of Intimacy, Fear of Conflict
ADULT CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS & REFUGEES
You are a chameleon and caretaker, but feel the cost of it: exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety and depression.
Bicultural Identity, Cultural Double Bind, Guilt and Responsibility, Academic and Career Pressure, Anxiety, Depression, Shame, Anger, Stereotype Threat, Intersectional Identity Related Issues, Code Switching, and Breaking/Interrupting Unhelpful Intergenerational Patterns Related to the Impacts of War, Assimilation, Discrimination, Violence, and Migration.
Childhood Trauma & Neglect/Adults Abused & Neglected as Children
You are successful on the outside, yet internally in conflict. Let’s do the internal work so you can heal.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Growing Up With Emotionally Immature Parents, Adult Children of Alcoholics, Parentification, Physical & Sexual Abuse, Bullying, Parents With Untreated Mental Health Issues, Dysfunctional Families, Parenting Children as a Survivor, Hyper-vigilance, Witnessing Domestic Violence, Re-Victimization
Associate Therapists Under My Supervision
I supervise the associate clinicians below seeking independent licensure. They regularly meet with me for guidance and support. They offer lower fees than I do and have immediate availability/openings. You can mention my name for a possible quicker response.
Click here for referrals to other therapists.
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Dannia Velazco
Somatic and Parts Work Therapist
If you are feeling the pull to connect more deeply to yourself, body, and knowing, welcome. A space where we go beyond thinking and talking through your experiences. A warm and compassionate space to address trauma, attachment, and embodiment.
$150. Individuals. Virtual & In Person Session in Queen Anne.
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Michelle Perrier
LMHCA, EMDR Psychotherapist
Being human is hard. In our work together, you'll find a compassionate space where you can navigate life's transitions and challenges, from traumatic experiences and relationship dynamics to managing intense emotions like anxiety, depression and stress. I use trauma-informed, body-based approaches like EMDR, somatic therapy, and parts work (IFS) to support healing at the root. We all have an inner healer, and I am here to help you access yours.
$165. Telehealth Washington.
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Jack Shaw
LMHCA, Individual & Couples Therapy
I provide compassionate support and professional guidance to help you navigate life's challenges.
$130 - $150
Individuals & Couples/Dyads
Online Sessions Only
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Jenna Montgomery
LSWAIC, Individual & Couples/Polycule Therapy
Feeling stuck in your relationships or disconnected from yourself? Therapy offers a safe and compassionate space to explore your feelings and understand the human experience. I help partners and individuals strengthen their relationship and attachment styles. The work requires vulnerability – like building muscle, you must first break it down – and it’s in this space where people are able to change.
$130 individuals. $200 couples/polycules. Telehealth and in person (Wallingford). Accepts Lifewise & Premera BCBS.
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Z. Mayreni López
The core concepts of my approach are that relationships are fundamental to emotional wellbeing, that individuals develop and thrive through connection to others, that relationships that foster mutual empathy and empowerment lead to growth, and that cultural context and power dynamics rooted in systemic oppression influence relationships, individual experiences, and our ability to show up authentically.
$180. Accepting Lifewise, Premera, and most BCBS plans. Virtual sessions & In-Person in South Beacon Hill on Fridays.
Moving Beyond the Scarcity of Trauma
I talk about the how trauma shapes our perception of self and relationships with other people.
Ways I Try To Decolonize My Therapy Practice
Being Human club shares my thoughts on how I strive to continually provide culturally responsive care as an imperfect mental health therapist.
Click here to learn more.
Understanding Trauma & Its Impacts on Relationships
I discuss how to unpack trauma and its impact on our relationships on Asian Mental Health’s Weekly Stay In, Check In.
Click here to learn more.
Press & Media
Read more about me and my work by clicking on the news articles and podcast interviews below.
Please contact me if you’d like me to be a guest on your podcast or interview me for an article.
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I speak with Seattle’s NPR station KUOW-FM about how using the concept of the inner child in therapy can be a powerful way to heal from the effects of childhood trauma and neglect.
Click here to listen to the audio clip.
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I speak with Healthline about integenerational trauma and its impacts on our relationships with ourselves and others.
Click here to read the article.
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“Some people become so accustomed to living with the impact of generational trauma in a family that accepts it as ‘normal,’ the trauma becomes normalized and symptoms appear ‘normal’ to them”
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“A trauma-informed and resilience lens is crucial.
It’s moving from, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ to ‘What happened to you?’ to ‘How have you learned to survive?’ and eventually ‘What can we do to support your healing moving forward?'”
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“Therapy is only one way, but not the only way to heal from the impacts and legacies of trauma.
Reconnecting to your cultural wisdoms and knowledge is one step.
What did your grandparents do to heal? What about your great-grandparents?”
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I speak with Mind Body Green about signs of dating emotionally unavailable men.
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Minimizing another person's feelings is another indication of emotional unavailability. As licensed clinical social worker Canh Tran, LCSW, explains, someone who's emotionally unavailable might reach for their phone when you're crying or even laugh at your emotional anguish, tears, etc.
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I speak with Mind Body Green about how dissociation and disconnection is a sign of emotional detachment often times stemming from trauma and how it impacts our relationships.
Click here to read the article.
- "You learn to dissociate or disconnect from your feelings and bodies to survive these adverse and traumatic experiences—because it would have been too painful to experience them."
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"Just as trauma and neglect changes us, we can also change and grow from adverse experiences.
Learn to identify sensations in the body when feelings arise, find words to feelings, learn healthy boundaries like how to say no, and [allow yourself] to be witnessed by someone who can offer validation when feeling a wide range of emotions."
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I speak with Beyond Reproach about how to take care of ourselves and manage stress during this time of challenge and transition.
Click here to listen.
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I speak with Healthline about why people of color might be hesitant to seek out therapy.
Click here to read the article.
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I speak with Seattle’s NPR KUOW-FM about why I don’t work with insurance companies due to common frustrations and issues.
Click here to listen to the episode.
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I discuss my personal tip I engage in when I feel anxious and overwhelmed.
Click here to read the article.
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I speak with The Seattle Times about why it’s difficult to find a therapist who will accept insurance and due to increased mental health needs during the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Click here to read the article.
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The Seattle Times references my website as a source for therapy referrals, especially for BIPOC folks looking for a culturally responsive and attuned therapy.
Click here to read the article.
Trauma Blog
Relationship & Attachment Blog
Supervision Blog
Free Resources & Referrals
I’ve spent hundreds of hours compiling and writing the resources below.
Knowledge is power should be distributed freely, and so you can get the care you need and deserve. In a capitalist culture, information is hidden and protected to focus on the benefit of a small population.
Click on the plus sign for each tab on the bottom block to expand and learn more.
For clients, I am wishing you the best on your healing journey. For associate therapists, I am wishing you the best on journey toward independent licensure.
May you and your loved ones be safe, healthy, and at ease.
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Using in-network insurance therapist providers will save you the most money.
Otherwise if you use out-of-network providers who do not accept your insurance plan, you wil be responsible for additional costs.
Please check your benefits by calling your insurance company and/or accessing the members’ page on their website before the first session.
INSURANCE
Insurance Referrals (Premera, Lifewise, Kaiser PPO, Aetna, Cigna, Optum, Regence, BCBS, etc.)
THERAPY REFERRALS
A full list of Washington State & California referrals can be found clicking here including:
Low & Lower Cost Therapy - $10 - $90
Insurance Therapists - Premera, BCBS, First Choice, Regence, Aetna, Cigna, Kaiser, United, Lifewise, Etc.
Specialists: PTSD, OCD, ADHD, Couples/Dyads, Family Therapy, Eating Disorders, Insomnia/Sleep Issues, Etc.
Apple Health/Medicaid Therapy
Pro Bono (Free) Therapy
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Therapists
Queer & Trans* Therapists
Mental Health Funds & Scholarships
SPECIFIC REFERRALS
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FIRST TIME IN THERAPY RESOURCES
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TRAUMA RESOURCES
RELATIONSHIP RESOURCES
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Learn about your adult attachment styles and how this impacts your relationships with others.
Click here.
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Have you ever wondered what makes therapy effective and successful?
Have you been to therapy before and didn’t feel like you made progress? Conversely, have you been to therapy before and found it super helpful?
We’ll explore the concept of The Common Factors, or researched back evidence that contribute to successful mental health treatment.
Click here.
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Want to open your own private practice?
Questions about marketing and advertising that we didn’t learn in school?
I’ve compiled the information below to save you time and to increase access into opening your own private practice.
Knowledge is power and should be distributed freely.
In a capitalist culture, information is hidden and protected to focus on the benefit of a small population.
We need more quality and culturally responsive therapists whether they work in agencies or in private practice.
Click here or below to learn more.
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Private Practice/Business Resources
This includes information around:
How Do I Open a Private Practice In WA State?
List of Business/Marketing Resources
Website Templates
Social Media Marketing
Marketing Funnels
Google Ads
Content Writing
SEO
Business Coaching
List of Private Practice Resources
EHR
Office Space
Phone
Email
Business Address
Banks
Payment Options
Accounting & Accountants
Health Insurance
Liability Insurance
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Looking for a supervisor? Want to learn more how to be a a more effective therapist?
I’ve compiled the information below to save you time and to increase access into opening your own private practice. Knowledge is power and should be distributed freely.
In a capitalist culture, information is hidden and protected to focus on the benefit of a small population.
We need more quality and culturally responsive therapists whether they work in agencies or in private practice.
Click below on the bolded and underlined links to learn more.
Social Work & Clinical Supervision Resources
This includes information around:
ASWB Social Work Exam Resources
Read blog posts about how to be a more effective therapist.
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Click below on the bolded and underlined links to learn more.
Employment Opportunities in Washington State
This includes information around:
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Click below on the bolded and underlined link to learn more.
Ways To Support Someone With CPTSD: Be curious (rather than judgmental). Validate their feelings and thoughts (rather than minimizing and invalidating). Emphasize strengths (rather than deficits).