Josh Saunders
Pronouns: he/him
INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
$160 / 50-minute individual session
LMHCA
Therapy is a chance to awaken to ourselves. Each of us are complex human beings with dreams, hopes, desires and a unique presence in this world. Life, however, can have a way of getting in the way of who we truly are, and we can end up disconnected from ourselves, suffering from past wounds, and feeling stuck personally and relationally. My desire is to provide a space where together we can safely get to know all the parts of you, free these parts from past trauma and unhelpful narratives, and allow you to live a fuller life.
I work compassionately with people dealing with chronic people pleasing, religious trauma and faith deconstruction, childhood sexual abuse, stress and anxiety, relationship issues, and identity exploration. I also work with couples who want to overcome barriers that keep them from fully enjoying each other. Together we will explore and get to know the world that is you: your present circumstances with its difficulties and challenges; your varied, complex, and at times forgotten past; your hopes and dreams; your fears and inhibitions. Never going where you do not wish or treading in what you are not ready for. Together we will address and explore your most pressing concerns and questions while also taking time to discover where you've come from and where you're headed.
Our past continually plays out in our present. We have all received messages about ourselves and beliefs about the world from our childhoods - patterns of behaving and ways of relating to others. Our lived experience interacts with our innate nature, bringing out certain parts of us and blending with others. Our goal is to become familiar with these many parts of you. To be curious about what makes you uniquely you and seek to understand and relate to the way your past interacts with your present and ultimately to live more presently and in line with who you truly are.
I engage our work together primarily through a person-centered relational psychodynamic lens. I believe you hold the answers to more deeply knowing yourself and, through the safety and relationship we build, you can find healing from your deepest wounds. I am trauma-informed and utilize elements of narrative, IFS, family systems, and somatic-focused therapies.
Originally from South Jersey, I discovered I wanted to pursue a degree in counseling psychology while helping host group retreats in Montana. It was in my experience working closely with the deep parts of people’s stories that led me to The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology in 2020. While not studying, I’m usually trying to get outside in woods or water, throwing discs, hunting down the best coffee shops and breweries, enjoying a movie or book, and spending needed time with close friends.
INDIVIDUAL, COUPLES, & FAMILY THERAPY
$160 / 50-minute individual session
josh@selfspaceseattle.com