Therapy in Washington: Choosing the Right Therapist for the Overwhelmed, Busy, and High-Achieving Woman
As a high-achieving woman, you likely wear many hats, juggling demanding careers, family responsibilities, and personal expectations. You may find yourself feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck despite your accomplishments. Therapy can offer a vital opportunity to pause, reflect, and invest in your mental health. But with so many options, how do you choose the right therapist? This guide will help you navigate the process and find a therapist who can support your unique needs.
Why You Might Benefit from Therapy
If you're reading this, chances are you're feeling the weight of your responsibilities. High-achieving women often face unique pressures—whether it's perfectionism, self-doubt, or the unrelenting pace of life. Therapy can be a powerful space for you to focus on yourself, prioritize your well-being, and explore your deepest needs, desires, and goals. Here's why therapy might be especially valuable for you:
1. Time to Focus on You
Therapy offers you a safe space to shift the focus inward—something many high-achieving women find difficult. You're used to excelling and being there for others, but therapy is where you get to center yourself. What do *you* need? What are your desires? What dreams have been put on the back burner? Therapy provides the structure to prioritize your own growth and happiness, free from external demands.
2. Building New Skills and Coping Strategies
The strategies that got you to where you are may not be enough to sustain your well-being moving forward. Therapy can help you learn new skills to manage stress, cope with anxiety, and deal with the perfectionism that often drives high-achieving women. Together with your therapist, you'll work on developing tools that empower you to handle challenges with greater ease and resilience.
3. Healing from Past Wounds
High-achieving women often push through pain, dismissing past wounds in the name of success or tending to other’s needs. However, unresolved emotional wounds can show up in subtle ways, impacting your ability to feel aligned with your goals and values. Therapy is a space to heal from the past—whether it's trauma, loss, or difficult life experiences—so you can live with more authenticity and peace.
4. Aligning Your Life with Your Hopes, Goals, and Values
You might be externally living the life you’ve dreamed of, but that doesn't always mean you feel fulfilled. Therapy offers the opportunity to reconnect with your true values and redefine what success looks like for you. It can help you move from living by external expectations to creating a life that feels purposeful and aligned with your internal compass.
Finding the right therapist in Washington
Take the time to find your right fit.
Finding the Therapist That Is the Right Fit
Choosing the right therapist is an essential part of your therapeutic journey. You want someone who understands the complexity of being a high-achieving woman but also knows when to gently challenge you. Here are key factors to consider when finding a therapist who is a good fit for you:
1. Comfort and Understanding with Gentle Challenge
Therapy should feel like a place where you can be yourself. Your therapist should provide a sense of comfort and safety—someone who truly "gets" you. But beyond comfort, the best therapeutic relationships offer gentle challenge, pushing you to step outside of your comfort zone and grow. A skilled therapist balances warmth and the ability to help you face tough truths, guiding you toward deeper insight and healing.
2. Experience with Women Like You
Therapists have different areas of expertise, and it's important to find one who has experience working with high-achieving women. Look for someone who has a track record of helping women with similar challenges—whether it's anxiety, perfectionism, or navigating work-life balance. A therapist confident in working with women like you will understand the pressures you're facing and can provide tailored support.
3. Reflection on What You Want in a Therapist
Take time to reflect on what kind of therapist you feel drawn to. Consider past therapy experiences—what worked well for you, and what didn’t? Did you appreciate a more structured approach or a more conversational one? Think about qualities like the therapist's gender, age, or life stage, and whether that might impact your comfort level. Also, consider whether you prefer in-person sessions or the convenience of virtual therapy.
4. Therapist's Background and Expertise
Therapists come from diverse backgrounds and have different trainings. Some specialize in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), while others might focus on mindfulness or trauma-informed approaches like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Depending on your needs, look for someone whose training aligns with your goals. Whether you're seeking support with anxiety, grief, or life transitions, a therapist with the right expertise can help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
5. Schedule that Consultation Call!
Consultation calls with potential therapists are often very helpful, and frequently offered at no charge. These calls give you the chance to get a sense of how the therapist relates to you. Do they listen well? Do you feel a connection? Is their approach aligned with what you're seeking? This initial interaction can help you gauge whether there’s a “click,” setting the tone for a productive and supportive therapeutic relationship.
A Little About Me as a Therapist
If you're a motivated, high-achieving woman in Washington State, and you're ready to prioritize your mental health, I'd love to support you in your journey. I'm a licensed mental health therapist based in Gig Harbor, Washington, and I provide therapy both in-person and virtually across the state. I specialize in therapy for women, moms, postpartum and grief.
I specialize in working with women who are driven, passionate, and looking to make meaningful changes in their lives. Many women come into my practice looking for therapy for anxiety, perfectionism and other patterns that are holding them back. I also have a strong focus on supporting mothers—whether you're postpartum, in the early stages of motherhood, or navigating the challenges of parenting older children. Additionally, I have specialized expertise in grief counseling, working closely with those who are processing grief and loss, including miscarriage, infant and child loss.
With a laid-back, warm style, I strive to create a comfortable, welcoming space for all my clients. I believe in the power of authentic connection in therapy and blend this with my formal training. I'm a Perinatal Mental Health Certified therapist and am trained in EMDR therapy, a specialized approach that can help with trauma, anxiety, and healing from difficult life experiences.
If you're ready to explore therapy and find out if we'd be a good fit, I invite you to visit my webpage and schedule a consultation. This is a chance for us to connect, talk about your goals, and see how I can support you in your journey toward a more purposeful, aligned, and authentic life.
Choosing the right therapist is a deeply personal process, and finding someone who feels right for you can make all the difference in your healing journey. Whether you're stepping into therapy for the first time or returning after a break, the right therapeutic relationship can empower you to build the life that truly aligns with your values, hopes, and dreams. Take that first step—your future self will thank you!
