Emily West
Pronouns: she/her
INDIVIDUAL THERAPY & CLINICAL SUPERVISION
$175 / 50-minute individual session
$185 / 50-minute clinical supervision
LMHC
“And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then…you will gradually…live your way into the answer." - Rainer Maria Rilke
I greet clients with respect for the courage it can take to seek therapy and compassion that this decision may arise out of difficult experiences and/or longing to live with more authenticity and purpose. The process of therapy can help us find voice and direction with which to navigate challenges of living, find our own best answers to current dilemmas and foster hope and possibility for the future. Therapy does not “fix” inevitable difficulties and problems of life, but can lead to a greater sense of agency, ease, and meaning, enriching our experience of ourselves, our relationships with others and our daily endeavors.
I have experience serving clients representing a wide range of ages and identities and experiencing diverse issues including grief and loss, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, impacts of trauma, identity exploration and life transitions. I have worked with children, youth, adults and families and value helping others meet challenges of different stages of life. I am especially passionate about supporting people in greeting and navigating life changes.
The foundational philosophy of my practice is a sincere belief that each person has capacity to move toward growth, healing, connection, resilience and authentic expression and that the therapeutic process is a vital means of developing and actualizing that capacity. I also bring commitment to cultural sensitivity and a social justice perspective to my work, understanding that our lives and experiences are connected to and shaped by multiple cultural, communal, and societal influences. My therapeutic style is warm, accepting, curious and collaborative.
My practice is grounded in existential-phenomenological psychology, a tradition centered on relationship that honors personal experiences as well as our shared humanity, and invites exploration of underlying questions of existence such as purpose, meaning, and responsibility. Together, we come to listen to the deeper questions of living that dwell beneath daily challenges to guide and support your journey toward greater self-understanding, connection, and wholeness. As the poet Rilke encourages us to do, we learn to “live the questions now” in order to find your authentic answers. I am also informed by relational psychodynamic therapy, Buddhist psychology, and personal lived experience of positive change and healing in psychotherapy.
As we come to understand your hopes and needs for therapy, I may utilize practices including Self-Compassion, Nonviolent Communication, and mindfulness to support you in your process. Trained in play and art therapy approaches for children and youth, I may tailor these techniques for interested adult clients to foster spontaneity, playfulness, and stress relief. I bring a love of poetry, literature and the arts to my practice and enjoy supporting others in finding sources of creativity and inspiration in their lives, incorporating art and writing into our work if you are interested in these methods of self-expression.
Born and raised in California, I began undergraduate studies in English literature and creative writing at California State University, Chico and finished my B.A. with a concentration in psychology and humanities at Antioch University, Seattle. Drawing on my passion for lifelong learning, I developed a career in adult education administration at the University of Washington. Eventually, I felt called to return to school and earn my Master of Arts degree in psychology at Seattle University and become a practicing psychotherapist. In my personal time, I appreciate being with family and friends, traipsing on foot around Seattle to find hidden stairways and vistas, riding ferries, and exploring the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest. I enjoy reading, writing, searching for treasures in thrift stores, crafting, hearing live music and going to the movies.
INDIVIDUAL THERAPY & CLINICAL SUPERVISION
$175 / 50-minute individual session - $185 / 50-minute clinical supervision
emily@selfspaceseattle.com