Stephanie Kollar, LMFTA

Let me explain my beliefs about the fundamentals of therapy, what you can expect in a therapy session, and what my unique style is as a therapist. I believe psychotherapy should be a collaborative experience that reflects my client’s strengths, goals, and learning styles. I believe my clients are the experts in their own lives and the lives of their children. The role of the therapist is not to give advice -- I hope to empower clients to access their natural abilities and to gently disrupt the unhealthy patterns we humans often get stuck in.

These “stuck” feelings often lead people to try therapy, and maybe traditional talk therapy hasn’t always worked for them. I like to approach the issues of concern from multiple sides: mind, emotions, and physical experiences. Traditional talk therapy accesses information and memories stored in the left brain, leaving much of our past untouched. We can use therapy to access valuable information stored in the right brain through symbolism and imagery, using art, play, and movement therapy. This integrated approach leads to a richer, fuller healing at the root, instead of playing “whack a mole” with a constantly evolving set of problems.

As a therapist, I bring curiosity, compassion, humor, and movement to join with my clients and help them explore what healing means to them. I have experience applying various approaches (cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, art therapy, somatic therapy), and feel comfortable tailoring my approach to suit my clients’ learning styles. Applying tailored techniques and strategies unique to that client, combined with conscious awareness, can produce radical, deeply rooted change. By exploring thoughts, feelings, and physical experiences in a safe and nonjudgmental space, clients can begin to heal and build meaningful, connected lives.

I graduated from University of Maryland, Baltimore County with a BA in psychology, and graduated from Antioch University Santa Barbara with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology. I am registered as a Marriage and Family Therapy Associate in the state of Washington, as well as a Mental Health Practitioner.