about counseling with mags

I believe humans who aren’t suffering choose to live in peace, to elevate others, and to improve their communities. I also believe addressing our (individual and collective) heartbreak or trauma is necessary to step into life’s uncertainty and find the strength to take action.

Regardless of whether you’re struggling with perfectionism, burnout, identifying your purpose, motivation, academic- or career-related stressors, or past trauma or whether you’re feeling despair or grief because of the general trajectory of the world (for reasons including the climate crisis & politics) and how we treat other humans, there’s a lot that requires processing and coping to create mental wellness within ourselves. Together, we can identify, clarify, and connect to the values that are important to you and use those values to inform your path forward while cultivating purpose.

I’m here to listen, to understand, and to help you identify ways to withstand the intense emotions and even to find meaning. Therapy is intended to alleviate distress, address disillusionment and demoralization, and provide a space to imagine and work toward wellness.

mags’ experience

(mags uses she/her pronouns)

Therapy is an investment in yourself and in the work you can do. Finding the right therapist makes that investment feel more worthwhile, as the relationship between therapist and client is both foundational and fundamental to reach your desired outcomes.

In Washington, I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC, for short). I’ve provided therapy for teenagers and adults, including many college and graduate students. I’ve worked with folks coping with depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship issues as well as folks experiencing acute crises.

I started my career path as a litigator (accordingly, I recognize the legal system is a tool or process—not necessarily a mode by which to achieve justice). I’ve served in various higher education roles, mostly investigating sex- and gender-based violence and harassment as well as other forms of workplace discrimination. I understand the realities of unideal (bureaucratic) systems, and I possess a deep understanding of trauma and how helplessness and hopelessness alter and cloud our perceptions.

I’ve also trained as a yoga teacher, so the practices of mindfulness and listening to our bodies show up in how I work with folks.

I acknowledge my privilege as a white, cis-gendered, straight, and highly educated woman. I am committed to working with individuals of all races, ethnicities, ability statuses, gender identities, and sexual orientations; I’m also committed to acknowledging and evaluating how my identity and power as a therapist may impact our work together.

education

  • 2003, BA, Middlebury College, Psychology (Women & Gender Studies minor)

  • 2006, JD, University of California College of the Law, San Francisco

  • 2008, MA, University of California, Berkeley, Political Science

  • 2012, MA, Northwestern University, Counseling Psychology

counseling license

  • 2014, Washington Licensed Mental Health Counselor #LH60525845

    memberships

  • Climate Psychology Alliance of North America

a little more about me

Much of therapy is about the relationship between the therapist and their client, so you may wish to know a bit about me outside my credentials.

Integrity, curiosity, and authenticity are among my primary values. I believe holding hope requires on-going effort, conscious decisions, and intentional actions.

After growing up in the Midwest and completing my education in Vermont, California, and Illinois, I’ve lived in Seattle for nearly twelve years. Proximity to both the ocean and the mountains keeps me here. Some of my biggest sources of joy (and comfort) include my pup, rain, hemp milk lattes, live music, and moving my physical body. I spend non-work/non-chore time exploring the outdoors, cooking vegan food, reading all the books I’m continually acquiring, and monitoring (and participating in bettering) the state of our world.