Narrative therapists in Issaquah, Washington WA

Welcome, I'm happy you are here! As a psychotherapist and veterinary social worker I focus on the intersection of mental health and the human-animal bond. I wholeheartedly understand the importance of the interconnectedness between humans, animals, nature, and the therapeutic value of these relationships. I will honor, support, and integrate your unique connection with the human-animal bond and how it impacts and enriches your therapeutic process and healing at every level. As a clinician for 30 years, and Washington State's pioneering veterinary social worker offering the broadest range of services for over 10 years, I bring both expertise and empathy to support every aspect of the human-animal connection within mental health.  

I specialize in helping young adults and millennials grappling with anxiety, perfectionism, low self-esteem, trauma, unfulfilling/unhealthy relationships, and life transitions. Whether you're wrestling with racing thoughts, the weight of self-doubt, grappling with the aftermath of trauma, or feeling lost in the midst of life's changes, I am here to support you. I am committed to creating a safe and compassionate space where you feel heard, understood, and accepted so that you can openly explore your thoughts and emotions.  

I'm Dr. Danielle Watkins, licensed psychotherapist and perinatal mental health specialist. If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, disconnected, tearful, alone, irritable, or unlike yourself while trying to conceive, during pregnancy or after baby arrives, you are not alone. I specialize in perinatal mental health and help individuals and couples navigate the emotional complexities of trying to conceive, pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood. I primarily work with clients experiencing postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, or postpartum OCD, birth trauma, pregnancy loss, infertility stress, and identity shifts. Many of my clients are high-functioning, capable people who feel surprised by how hard this season feels. Together, we create a space where you can speak openly without guilt or judgment and explore strategies to help you feel like yourself again.  

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.  

I offer a thoughtful, collaborative therapy space grounded in both compassion and clinical insight. Clients who work with me often seek deeper understanding, meaningful change, and adaptive ways of relating to themselves and others. Together, we explore patterns, build emotional awareness, and support lasting growth so you can move through life with greater clarity, confidence, and authenticity.  

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."  

I believe that change is possible, even when life feels overwhelming. As someone whose mind tends to move fast, dig deep, and resist “fitting in,” I’ve learned firsthand how isolation, frustration, and burnout can grow from being misunderstood. In my practice, I offer a place of understanding, clarity, and transformation. I help clients map how their unique thinking, energy, and attention patterns affect relationships, work, and daily life. Together, we create strategies and habits that align with who you are—so that your strengths become the foundation for growth, not sources of struggle. I provide this support virtually across 44 states—and I’m committed to meeting you exactly where you are, and helping you move toward what’s next.  

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

I am a psychologist that is passionate about all of us living the fully awake and vibrant lives we are meant to. Sometimes this involves healing from the past, other times it means working towards visioning and creating the future, oftentimes both. It generally involves some insight but also a good dose of experiential tools and learning about your central nervous system and how to both understand and work with it, what we call both top down and bottom up tools. Ready for real change and willing to do the work? (yep it is work but well worth it) Let's go.  

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.