Resources & Articles
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Connection And Play: Essentials for “A Life Worth Living”
Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking to nearly 100 undergrad students at the University of Washington. A dear friend of mine is a professor of religion and he invited me to speak to his class on the topic of what makes “a life worth living.” The basic premise is, as the course…
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Grief is Carrying the Weight, Not Dropping The Bag
We all have experienced grief and loss at one time or another. Truly, there is no one on earth who is untouched by death, loss, harm, and heartache. Life is messy; people are complicated; At times the world can feel broken and hard. The invitation to grief is near constant throughout our lifetime and…
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Think Global, Serve Local: Finding Ways to Move From Overload to Action
When you experience information overload and emotional exhaustion from the constant onslaught of the global news, focusing on the things you can do in your local community serves as a way to stay grounded and connected.
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The Wonderland of Play
This essay has been modified from it’s previous publication on my substack. I have an on-going fascination with the power of play. It comes so naturally to children (which is why Ann has written about Play Therapy for Helping Children Heal) yet seems so difficult for some adults. Why is that? What happens to…
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Exploring the Depths: Therapy Beyond Symptom Reduction
Therapy isn’t just for times of crisis or managing symptoms; for both of these times solution-focused therapies are necessary and helpful. However, engaging in depth work through psychodynamic psychotherapy moves beyond these “last resort” therapies and into a proactive tool for long-term wellness and personal growth and development. Shifting From How to Why Most…
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Real Talk, Work Edition: Are You Stressed or Burnt Out?
Are you feeling exhausted or overwhelmed at work? How can you tell the difference between experiencing general stress vs total burnout? And what, if anything, can we do about it? The following is for informational purposes only. For an official diagnosis or medical advice, please consult with a medical professional or mental health counselor…
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Why Your Therapist Matters – Part II
Last week, Ann wrote about the therapeutic alliance and why it is important to have a strong relationship of trust and safety in order for psychotherapy to be successful. Building on this “relational fit,” I want to continue the conversation on why your therapist matters by looking at your therapist’s training and theoretical orientation…
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Healing Through Story
The Importance of Story in Healing Work It was often said during my training at the Allender Center that “we do not heal in generalities, but in the particularities of our story.” Simply put, our stories matter; the details of our experiences of harm and heartache are the pathway towards healing. Our stories of…
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Psychoanalytic Theory through Board Games
We’re excited to share that this month Maggie had an essay published in the Board Game Academics online journal Victory Points! In her essay titled Something More: Nested Realities & Desire in Veiled Fate, Maggie explored Lacanian psychoanalytic theory around desire and ‘nested realities’ through her time playing a game of Veiled Fate. Here’s…
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Meet the Team
Hello! We are excited to introduce our current team of psychotherapists: Meet Ann and Maggie. Described as steady, engaged, and insight-oriented by her patients, Ann helps others feel understood while encouraging deeper self-exploration. Her areas of focus include: spiritual issues, life transitions, child-centered play therapy and parental support. Ann is currently accepting new patients…
