Military / Veterans therapists in Freeland, Washington WA

I am not currently accepting clients. My practice is closed as of Feb 2026  

Lasting change starts with understanding and changing your relationship with anxiety, depression, or life circumstances. My goal is to help you make those changes. Whether it's the end of a relationship or overwhelming stress, I will help you create a second start for yourself. Let's work together to make lasting change for you  

You may be someone who is accustomed to managing a great deal on your own—but over time, stress, anxiety, low mood, or difficulty focusing can begin to interfere with daily life. I specialize in working with adults who carry significant responsibility and want a clearer understanding of what is affecting their mood, attention, and overall functioning. My background in military psychology informs a practical, evidence-based approach focused on restoring clarity, stability, and sustainable performance across work and personal life. If you are looking for thoughtful, structured support to move forward more effectively, I invite you to reach out to learn more or schedule an appointment.  

Dr. Nicole Montes is a licensed clinical psychologist who offers person-centered psychotherapy from a feminist lens, diversity informed lens. She specializes perinatal mental health certified (PMH-C) and specializes in chronic pain/disability & trauma. She stands for reproductive freedom, racial justice and the rights of trans and non-binary people and weaves these values into her work as a psychologist.  

My counseling philosophy is simple yet profound: to build a genuine therapeutic relationship where you feel understood, supported, and empowered. I am committed to equipping you with the tools and strategies to navigate life’s challenges and create lasting change and renewed purpose."  

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.  

With over two decades of experience working in diverse therapeutic environments—ranging from outpatient clinics to psychiatric hospitals, adventure programs, residential treatment facilities, schools, juvenile corrections, and a military hospital—I bring a wide-ranging perspective to problem-solving and overcoming life's obstacles. As the Founder & President of two award-winning mental health centers with a staff 150, I've gained a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to care.  

My approach to mental health care is collaborative, compassionate, and rooted in the belief that each person’s story matters. I work with teens and adults who are navigating challenges such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, stress, and life transitions. My goal is to create a supportive space where you feel heard, understood, and empowered to move toward meaningful change. In our work together, I combine psychiatric medication management with brief therapeutic support. This allows us to address symptoms while also exploring practical strategies that improve daily functioning, resilience, and overall wellbeing. I believe mental health is influenced by many factors, including stress, sleep, lifestyle, and physical health. I take a whole-person approach when developing treatment plans. Seeking help can be a big step, and my role is to walk alongside you in that process. Together, we focus on identifying what is getting in the way of the life you want to live and creating a path forward that feels realistic and sustainable. My goal is not only to help reduce symptoms but to support you in building a life that feels balanced, fulfilling, and aligned with your values.  

I'm a licensed clinical psychologist with over a decade of experience helping clients make sustainable change for the better. With extensive training in motivational interviewing, I help clients explore and understand the impact behaviors like substance use, overeating, and others are having on their well-being, and guide them in making an individualized plan for change. Taking into account your life context and environment, we'll work together to address underlying issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression in order to reduce unwanted behaviors and develop coping strategies that work without causing their own problems.  

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you unsure of how to make changes in your life? Do you want to to take back control of your health? Now is the time to focus on your wellness. I am here to create a wellness plan with you to improve your mood and stress management as well as help you cope with life changes and stress. I take pride in helping my clients become their own therapists, more confident in managing life’s demands. I look forward to helping build your toolbox to improve your quality of life. I treat my clients with respect and empathy, valuing connection in healing.