Claire Sarff-Foden

I am currently a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington State. I obtained my Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Puget Sound and my Master of Education in Community Counseling at Seattle University. I have worked with children and in childcare throughout my career, from babysitter to preschool teacher, working in Infant Mental Health and gaining training in Child-Parent Psychotherapy, and as a behavior technician in Seattle, working with youth with Autism, ADHD, behavioral and developmental hurdles. I began working as a Mental Health Therapist with adolescent girls in crisis, who had minimal academic and natural supports and who were experiencing significant mental health and systemic barriers. In 2019, I moved to Bellingham and worked with families in quarantine as a Parent Coach, developing parenting skills, homeschooling routines, and supporting families involved with CPS as a Family Preservation Services Therapist. As your therapist, whether long term or for a period of transition, I will work to support you with the empowerment of your own growth journey, your mental health experience, and your narrative about yourself and your place in the world. Your goals are my priority. I see you as the expert of your own experience and I trust in the truth of the stories that you share with me. Together, we will work to explore the possible perspectives that are causing stress, and the potential paths leading to peace. We will identify how your stories are enacted, examine the mythologies that they are based on, and engage in a decision-making process about which stories continue to serve your goals. Dream analysis, mindfulness, narrative restructuring, goal-setting, archetype integration, emotion regulation, and healthy communication skills are some of the many possible resources of our individual work together. I am grateful for your interest in caring for someone as important as you are and for your courage to trust someone else to join you in that journey. All of you is welcome here.