
Location
- West Lake Union / Julie’s Landing
Specialties
Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and PTSD, Teen Violence, Self-Esteem
Make an AppointmentKit Collins, MA, LMHCA
ABOUT
As an associate licensed mental health counselor, I believe that therapy is a collaborative and creative process where client and therapist work together to find growth, recovery, and a fulfilling life. My goal is to be client-centered and attend to your wants and needs while appreciating your larger social background including your cultural beliefs, race, gender, sexuality, and the overall context of your life. As we form a trusting and safe relationship with one another, my aim will be to facilitate an engaging dialogue utilizing humanistic, trauma-informed, psychodynamic, and strength-based therapeutic practices. I will work to foster a meaningful space for you to reach towards the life you want to live, the person you want to be. Life can be difficult and we can find ourselves stuck in burdensome places—in therapy, we can work through it together.
My approach to therapy emphasizes trust, safety, empowerment, and growth, yet I know that sometimes these things can be difficult to work towards or imagine as you read through therapy descriptions. I want to tell you that it’s okay if you feel hesitant or unsure about starting therapy, finding the right therapist, or understanding what it will look like in practice when we sit down. What you can expect from me is patience, willingness, and openness to following your pace, answering your questions, and developing your therapy into what you want and need it to be. I will welcome feedback throughout our work together and will check in with you about how therapy is going because it’s not only about what you’ve been through or where you are right now, it’s also about finding how to get to the place where you want to be. In this sense, I will strive to find what therapy means to you, listen to the language you prefer, and work from your beliefs and values. Most of all, my job will be to create a place where your thoughts and feelings are valued and respected.
In terms of my background, I graduated from Seattle University with a Masters in Psychology that focused on the Existential-Phenomenological approach to therapy which emphasizes meaning-making, relationality, and experience. In 2015, I earned a Bachelors from Miami University of Ohio with double majors in Psychology and Professional Writing (as well as a minor in Neuroscience). My clinical experience includes school-based counseling for teens, crisis work, homelessness services for young adults, experience working with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC clients, research laboratory experience examining the effects of trauma and emotion regulation for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and more. Please feel free to ask about my background or experience at any time.
Outside of my clinical work, I also earned a Masters in Human-Centered Design and Engineering at the University of Washington and have experience working on designs, services, and technical systems. Additionally, I am interested in somatic work, embodiment, and holistic approaches to well-being and I have been an avid practitioner of both yoga and Muay Thai kickboxing.
By beginning therapy, you have already taken incredible steps towards your future. I look forward to meeting you, accompanying you, and discovering where therapy can take you.
Experience & Education
- Master of Arts – Seattle University (2022)
- Master of Science – University of Washington (2019)
- Bachelor of Arts – University of Ohio (2015)
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate – License #MC61327915
Insurance
I am a Preferred Provider with Aetna, Cigna, First Choice, Premera, and Regence. Please call for inquiries regarding additional insurance plans.
Self-Pay
A Good Faith Estimate of expected charges is provided upon scheduling or upon your request for self-pay clients.
Cancellation Policy
Must cancel 24 hours before the appointment to avoid $100 fee.