Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) therapists in Poulsbo, WA

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.  

At times, we may lose our ability to trust our intuition. We may feel like imposters in our relationships, jobs or within ourselves. Therapy can offer a bridge back to understanding your authentic needs. I work with adults of all genders, races and sexual orientations experiencing anxiety, self-doubt and perfectionism. Symptoms related to these issues can manifest as feeling cut off from emotions, overwhelm, stress and burnout. I also provide services to athletes and performing artists who may be experiencing life transitions, performance anxiety or injury. My own journey as a member of the LGBTQ+ population and professional ballet dancer led me to the field of mental health. My approach is client-centered and strengths-based. I believe everyone has the wisdom to know what is best for their own growth. I am here to guide individuals in uncovering new skills and untangling unhelpful narratives and core beliefs. Together, we will develop an understanding of structures at play in your life that uphold self-doubt by laying the framework to trust your intuition and Self. We will also stretch your mind through self-compassion, curiosity, resilience, creativity, and adaptability. If you are interested in meeting with me, please reach out to see if we are a good fit. I look forward to hearing from you!  

I work especially well with thoughtful, capable people who may understand themselves intellectually yet continue to feel caught in patterns they cannot resolve through insight or effort alone. Many of my patients are accustomed to functioning well, carrying responsibility, and caring for others while privately struggling with anxiety, depletion, shame, emotional overwhelm, or disconnection from themselves. What distinguishes my practice is the depth and individuality of the work. I do not reduce people to diagnoses or apply the same treatment formula to everyone. I seek to understand how your history, relationships, identities, strengths, and protective strategies have shaped your inner world. I am attentive not only to what you tell me, but also to what may be difficult to articulate, what repeatedly gets enacted in relationships, and what unfolds between us in therapy. My style is thoughtful, engaged, and collaborative. I respect complexity and do not impose artificial urgency, but I am not passive. I will help us notice when fear, avoidance, or familiar patterns begin to limit what feels possible. My goal is to offer a relationship in which you can become more fully known, develop a different relationship with your internal experience, and gain greater freedom to choose how you want to live.  

You may be getting through your days while privately feeling anxious, low, overwhelmed, or unsure what comes next. Counseling offers room to slow down, speak honestly, and work out what would help. I provide individual counseling for teens ages 13+ and adults, with in-person appointments in Mountlake Terrace and telehealth for clients throughout Washington State. My style is warm, collaborative, and practical. We can explore what you are experiencing, build on your strengths, and choose manageable steps that fit your goals and everyday life.  

I offer online therapy. Allow my 25+ years of counseling experience to help guide you in your challenges. Call for a free 15 minute consultation. I have a non-judgmental compassionate approach my clients appreciate.  

I am focused on helping adults successfully navigate both new and chronic stressors in their lives. These stressors may be anxiety, grief and loss, traumatic experiences, new diagnoses, ongoing health conditions, caregiver stress, and life transitions. We will all encounter difficulties in our lives and my goal is to help you work through the things you are struggling with. I am able to hold your stories with compassion.  

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.  

Welcome to a space designed for clarity, support, and meaningful progress. Navigating personal stress, professional demands, and family responsibilities can often leave you feeling stretched thin. My practice is built on the belief that therapy should be accessible, empowering, and deeply attuned to the reality of your daily life. What sets my practice apart is the integration of specialized expertise with practical, real-world solutions: Specialized Geriatric & Caregiver Support: As a Geriatric Mental Health Specialist (GMHS), I provide dedicated guidance for older adults and the "sandwich generation"—caregivers balancing aging parents, careers, and their own families. I help you navigate ambiguous loss, cognitive shifts, burnout, and complex family dynamics with practical strategies and emotional grace. Workplace & Life Stress Mastery: Drawing on my background as a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP), I bring a structured, action-oriented approach to workplace stress, life transitions, and work-life harmony, helping you regain focus and maintain healthy boundaries. Affirming & Whole-Person Care: My practice provides an inclusive, identity-affirming environment for individuals navigating LGBTQ+ experiences, chronic health conditions like HIV/AIDS, women’s issues, and pivotal life changes. Clients choose to reach out because they need more than just someone to listen—they want a collaborative partner who brings clinical insight, structured coping tools, and genuine warmth. Whether you are seeking relief from immediate caregiver stress or striving for long-term personal growth, reaching out today is the first step toward reclaiming your well-being.  

Do you worry, overthink, feel anxious, have panic attacks, PTSD, or avoid certain situations because of anxiety/trauma? Your thoughts may be racing, spiraling, or making you feel like you’re experiencing painful situations all over again. You may be left feeling overwhelmed, terrified, out of control, and not knowing how to cope. You may avoid people, isolate yourself, find it hard to trust or connect with others, worry about others judging you, or become stuck in unhealthy relationship patterns. At times, it can feel hard to function.  

Are you or your child struggling with anxiety, mood swings, depression, or lingering effects of past trauma—even though you’ve tried traditional treatment and it just hasn’t been enough? I'm Dr. Janelle Louis, and I use a unique combination of holistic interventions, medication management, and psychotherapy to help children and adults with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or a history of traumatic experiences find lasting emotional wellness. As both a licensed naturopathic doctor (Vermont) and a psychiatric nurse practitioner (Arizona, Washington state), I bring a unique, integrative perspective to psychiatric and medical healthcare. My background includes experience supporting individuals with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, hormonal mental health disorders, autoimmune and metabolic conditions that affect mental health, and trauma-related concerns. With a foundation in holistic, root-cause medicine and hands-on experience in emergency and inpatient behavioral health settings, I provide compassionate, evidence-based psychiatric and medical care that respects my patients’ values, while addressing the full complexity of their needs. I blend evidence-based therapy—including CBT and trauma-informed approaches—with thoughtful medication management and holistic interventions to help children, teens, and adults live their healthiest and best lives.