About Stephanie Sisson, MSW, LICSW, SEP
Here are a few of the perspectives that influence how I work with people:
The body is an important part of our experience and has to be part of our healing. I taught yoga for over 15 years and am a Somatic Experiencing practitioner.
I specialize in trauma, particularly developmental and relational trauma. Early experiences and attachment have a huge impact on how we perceive and interact with ourselves, others and the world.
Recognizing that we are a not a single, solid individual, but a multiplicity of parts, helps make sense of our complex inner experience. Your parts may feel like separate individuals or different feelings or reactions, or you can think of them as different neural networks in your brain. Building healthy relationships with and between our parts is an important piece of making change.
I have a master’s degree in social work, which uses a systems approach, taking into account not just the individual, but larger social and cultural factors that impact the individual. It also focuses on strengths, rather than only looking at what is wrong.
Over the last few years, I have been studying with Juliane Taylor Shore who has developed an integrative model called STAIR, based in current knowledge about how the brain works and changes. I am a STAIR trained therapist. I have also studied with Steve Hoskinson and Kathy Kain and am influenced by yoga, Buddhism and meditation.
I am warm and accepting and am able to connect with people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, genders and religions. I bring patience, humor and curiosity to therapy sessions and am down-to-earth.
Phoebe, Otis and Francine (pictured to the right or below) can be therapy assistants if canine cuteness would be helpful to you :)
I am a licensed independent clinical social worker in the state of Washington.
