Elise Kwak
Elise works with:
people who work in corporate environments and are experiencing burnout
people who want a therapist who can identify with them culturally
someone who is having an identity crisis and wants to reconnect to themselves
Intern Therapist
Welcome - looking for support takes courage, and I'm glad you're here.
I work with adults who appear highly capable on the outside but internally feel overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, disconnected from themselves, or uncertain about who they are becoming.
Many of my clients are professionals navigating burnout, anxiety, perfectionism, loneliness, and the pressure of high-achievement environments. Others are exploring questions around identity, belonging, culture, relationships, or major life transitions. I also work with people who feel stuck between roles, expectations, or different versions of themselves and want to reconnect with who they are underneath it all.
Before becoming a therapist, I spent over 20 years working in tech as a Product Manager in fast-paced corporate environments. I understand firsthand the emotional toll of constantly performing, adapting, and carrying responsibility while trying to maintain a sense of self.
I grew up in Seoul and moved to the US in my early twenties, carrying with me both a deep cultural rootedness and the disorienting experience of starting over in a new world. That journey shaped how I listen, what I notice, and why I care so deeply about the stories people carry within them. As someone who has lived between cultures for much of my life, I also understand how identity, belonging, family expectations, and cultural adaptation shape the way we move through the world and relate to ourselves.
I am currently completing my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Seattle University, with training grounded in existential-humanistic, narrative, and mindfulness-based approaches. My style is warm, reflective, and collaborative. I aim to create a space where clients can slow down, explore their experiences honestly, and reconnect with themselves beyond productivity, expectations, or survival mode.
Outside of therapy, I am a certified Yin Yoga teacher and value practices that foster presence, grounding, and meaningful human connection. I love spending time with family, being around animals and any living things with heart, especially dogs, attending music festivals, traveling, and creating spaces that bring people together in meaningful ways.
I know starting therapy can feel vulnerable, and I would be honored to support you in that process.
Pronouns: she/her
INDIVIDUAL & COUPLES THERAPY
$90 / 50-minute individual session
elise@selfspaceseattle.com | (206) 414-8918