Psychodynamic therapists in Lake Stevens, WA

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

If you're seeking a collaborative therapeutic working relationship, then I might be a good match as a provider. It's important for individuals to gain insight into their behavioral patterns, understand underlying reasons for their current relational dynamics, but also have concrete ways in which they can pursue change. I'm a psychodynamic trained clinician, but also utilize other modalities such as CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy).  

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 work with individuals and couples who are wanting to find more connection, a deeper sense of meaning, and find their way out of the relational and internal doldrums. I am not here to "fix you" but instead, to help you become to more alive to your experience.  

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.  

You might be someone who has done a lot of inner work already. You understand your patterns, you’ve reflected deeply, and yet something still feels stuck — in your body, your relationships, or your creative life. I work with highly sensitive, creative individuals who are often over-functioning on the outside but carrying a quieter sense of overwhelm, disconnection, or burnout within. Many of the people I work with are navigating anxiety, trauma, relational wounds, or creative blocks, and are looking for a kind of therapy that goes beyond coping skills into something more meaningful and lasting. My approach is gentle, collaborative, and grounded in deep listening. I’m trained in psychodynamic therapy and Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy, which means we pay attention not only to your thoughts and experiences, but also to the subtle, body-based knowing that often holds the next step forward. Rather than rushing insight or forcing change, we create space for something more organic to unfold. I believe healing happens in a space where you feel safe enough to slow down, curious enough to listen inward, and supported enough to be exactly where you are. From there, change tends to come in ways that feel more integrated, more sustainable, and more like your own.  

I am a trauma-informed Social Worker who provides counseling to individuals, couples, families, and polycules. I support my Clients to live on their own terms and have the best life that they can. My goal is to support the dignity, autonomy, and self-expression of everyone and work within a feminist, anti-racist, liberatory framework. I believe in freedom and vitality for all people everyone and have been working towards that world for decades. I believe in supporting my Clients to pursue their own goals in therapy and to live according to their own values.  

In a world that can feel isolating and overwhelming, you might be struggling with connection, stuck in old patterns, or feeling like something is missing. You don't have to figure it out alone. I specialize in working with men who are struggling with old unproductive habits, isolation, and the challenges of intimacy in relationships.  

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 trauma-informed virtual therapy intensives for adults who need more flexibility, depth, or support than traditional weekly therapy can provide. Intensives give us dedicated time to move beyond surface-level coping and work more deeply with trauma, emotional patterns, relationship wounds, or experiences that feel stuck. You’ll leave with greater understanding of your patterns, practical tools for regulation, and a clearer path forward. Intensives are designed around your needs and capacity, with accommodations for chronic illness, fluctuating energy, sensory needs, and other factors that can make conventional therapy difficult. My approach integrates somatic, trauma-focused, and parts-based therapies, with the flexibility to take breaks, move, change positions, or adjust the pace as needed—all from the comfort of your own environment.