Existential / Humanistic therapists in Battle Ground, WA

Hi, I’m Ryan. I became a therapist because I know how powerful it can be to have someone genuinely in your corner. Someone who sees the good in you when you’re struggling to see it yourself, who stays grounded when life feels overwhelming, and who believes that your current circumstances do not have to define your future. I believe people are capable of meaningful change, even after years of feeling stuck, lonely, anxious, disconnected, or shaped by painful experiences. Sometimes we simply need a relationship in which we feel safe enough to be honest, supported enough to take risks, and gently challenged enough to begin doing things differently. I hope to offer that kind of relationship to my clients. My path to becoming a therapist has not been entirely conventional. I grew up in Bellingham, Washington, earned degrees abroad in Italy and Spain, and previously worked as both a marketer and a psychometrist before entering the counseling profession. Living in different countries and moving through several professional worlds taught me to be curious about people. Their stories, cultures, relationships, contradictions, and the experiences that shape how they see themselves. In therapy, I want to know the person behind the symptoms. I want to understand what you long for, what keeps getting in the way, what you learned about yourself growing up, and who you might become if fear, shame, trauma, or self-doubt were no longer making so many of your decisions. You do not need to arrive with the perfect explanation for what is wrong. You may simply know that you feel lonely, overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself, haunted by the past, or tired of repeating the same relationship patterns. You may be outwardly successful while privately feeling insecure or lost. You may want deeper relationships but find yourself withdrawing, avoiding vulnerability, choosing unavailable partners, or questioning whether anyone could truly understand you. Whatever brings you here, you do not have to perform or pretend with me. I aim to create a space where you can speak honestly. Even about the thoughts, experiences, desires, fears, and parts of yourself that feel difficult to share elsewhere. My style is warm, grounded, direct, and deeply human. I will listen without judgment, but I will not simply nod along with everything you say. When helpful, I will gently challenge the beliefs or patterns that may be keeping you stuck. I believe we can be compassionate toward ourselves while also taking responsibility for creating change. Therapy with me is both insight-oriented and action-oriented. We will explore how early relationships, childhood experiences, unconscious beliefs, and protective behaviors may still influence your life today. I take an Adlerian and psychodynamic approach, meaning I am interested in the deeper story beneath your current struggles. However, I do not believe your past permanently determines who you are. Awareness gives us choices. Once we understand why a pattern developed and what purpose it once served, we can begin deciding whether it still belongs in the life you want today. Insight is important, but I also want therapy to extend beyond the hour we spend together. Depending on your goals, I may suggest small behavioral challenges (what I sometimes call “missions”) to help you practice new ways of relating to yourself and others. That might involve initiating an uncomfortable conversation, setting a boundary, reaching out to someone instead of isolating, tolerating the possibility of rejection, making eye contact, expressing a need, or interrupting a pattern of avoidance. These challenges are collaborative and paced carefully. The goal is not to overwhelm you or push you before you are ready. Instead, we gradually build your capacity to do things that once felt impossible. Little by little, you begin gathering evidence that you can survive discomfort, respond differently, and become more secure in yourself. I also use evidence-based approaches such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, or EMDR, as well as Cognitive Processing Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. These approaches can be especially helpful when painful memories, traumatic experiences, intrusive thoughts, or deeply rooted negative beliefs continue to affect your relationships and daily life. We can discuss these options together and determine what feels most appropriate for you. Therapy is not one-size-fits-all, and I want you to understand and feel comfortable with the work we are doing. Many of the people who feel drawn to my practice are young adults, members of Gen Z and the millennial generation, and people who want to build more meaningful relationships. I often work with men experiencing loneliness, insecurity, relationship difficulties, or questions related to sexual identity. I particularly value working with gay and bisexual men and hope to provide a space where you can explore identity, dating, intimacy, coming out, attachment, and relationship dynamics without having to explain or defend who you are. I also enjoy working with women navigating attachment concerns, dating patterns, motherhood, single parenthood, major transitions, and the desire to form healthier, more secure relationships. Across identities, I tend to connect well with people who are introspective, curious about themselves, and ready to move toward a life that feels more authentic, even if they are not yet sure how to get there. My goal is not for therapy to become the only place where you feel known and supported. I want the trust we build together to ripple outward into the rest of your life. Over time, I hope you become more comfortable expressing yourself, navigating conflict, forming close relationships, recovering from setbacks, and allowing others to truly know you. Ultimately, my goal is to help you build a life so full, secure, and meaningful that you no longer need therapy in the same way. Outside of my work, I enjoy spending time with my fiancé, family, and friends. I love being outdoors, walking through neighborhoods and cities, riding my bike, growing food, and working on DIY and home-renovation projects. I also practice Vipassana meditation, although, like many people, not quite as consistently as I would like. These parts of my life help me stay curious, grounded, and connected to the ordinary moments that make life feel meaningful. Choosing a therapist is deeply personal. Training and therapeutic methods matter, but so does the feeling you have when you speak with someone. You deserve a therapist with whom you can gradually lower your guard and feel more like yourself. A free consultation is an opportunity for us to talk, for you to ask questions, and for you to get a sense of my personality and approach without pressure. You do not need to commit before knowing whether the connection feels right. I would be honored to meet you, hear what has been happening in your life, and explore whether I might be the person to walk alongside you as you begin creating something different.  

My clinical experience is wide and deep. I estimate I have conducted about 90,000 hours of psychotherapy sessions, including many hours training and supervising other therapists. This experience covers many modes: individual therapy, as well as family, couple and group therapy. My basic orientation is existential and psychodynamic, but I have added much training and experience in other approaches on top of that over the years. I am Board Certified in Clinical Psychology, ABPP, have served 2 terms as a board director and secretary for the American Academy of Psychotherapy, and previously trained young clinical psychologists and psychiatric residents at the University of North Carolina. We keep learning more about how to be effective therapists, and I have aggressively added to my clinical wisdom. I stand ready to work to understand you deeply, and help you profoundly, whatever your current dilemmas.  

Life is challenging. All of us will deal with difficulty at some point in our lives, and many of us will face repeated struggles. We have a hand in some of these troubles and others we have no control over. But we always have control over how we interpret events, how we relate to them, how we make sense of them, and what we do as a result. There is validity in whatever way we view our situation, but as a starting place, not the only place, and we can move through and beyond into a clearing of many more and better possibilities. I have many tools and techniques and strategies to shift perspective from deeply painful to healing and expansion. Despite how vulnerable we are in life, there is also a great deal of thriving that is available to us - when we know how to harness it.  

My path to becoming a mental health counselor is deeply personal. After experiencing trauma in 2010, counseling became a turning point in my life. It not only helped me heal but also gave me the confidence to return to school and pursue an entirely new career. Looking back, I feel tremendous gratitude for the growth I experienced and for the people who supported me along the way. That experience shaped the counselor I am today. Since becoming a mental health counselor in 2019, I have been passionate about helping people navigate life's challenges with compassion, curiosity, and hope. I believe that healing is possible, even when life feels overwhelming, and that therapy can be a place where meaningful change begins. My early professional experience includes volunteering with hospice, supporting individuals living with brain injuries and dementia, working with people facing chronic and terminal illnesses during my internship, and providing care through EvergreenHealth's In Home Mental Health program. These experiences have strengthened my appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit and deepened my commitment to helping people grow, adapt, grieve, heal, and find acceptance when life presents difficult realities. I strive to create a safe, collaborative, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard and understood. Whether you're working through trauma, coping with illness, navigating life transitions, or simply feeling stuck, my goal is to meet you where you are and support you in creating a life that feels more authentic and fulfilling. Outside of my work as a therapist, I'm a self-proclaimed plant nerd. I hold a bachelor's degree in Herbal Medicine, and my love of plants reflects my appreciation for growth, resilience, and the healing that can happen over time—both in nature and in ourselves.  

My therapeutic approach is rooted in the understanding that seeking therapy is a life-changing decision that requires courage to face your deepest fears and wounds. I guide clients through a process grounded in awareness, creativity, curiosity, and compassion, helping them access their inner gifts for healing and growth. Each session unfolds in three phases: assessment, exploration, and embodiment, allowing us to reflect on where you’ve been, uncover new insights, and integrate meaningful change. My work is integrative, addressing the body, heart, mind, and soul to foster emotional resilience and creative vision. By weaving these dimensions together, I help clients cultivate strength, emotional resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose and connection.