Couples Therapist in Seattle, WA
Hi, I’m Dr. April — and it’s really nice to meet you! Every human is welcome here.
I’m not your average psychologist.
I don’t do cold or clinical.
I’m real, approachable, and deeply invested in helping you heal— especially if you’re seeking an individual and couples therapist in Seattle.
You’re here because relationships matter deeply to you, and they may also be where you’ve been hurt the most.
I believe that everything is relational. Not just romantic relationships, but your relationship with yourself, your body, food, substances, work, family, and the world around you. These relationships shape how safe you feel, how much you trust, how you fight, how you shut down, and how you reach for connection.
In my work as an individuals and couples therapist, we look closely at attachment injuries—where you were met, where you weren’t, and how those early experiences still show up in your nervous system today. Not to blame the past, but to understand why closeness can feel threatening, why conflict escalates so fast, or why you disappear when you want to stay.
As your individual and couples therapist…
I help people slow these patterns down. We track the cycles that take over during fights. We process betrayal, infidelity, emotional withdrawal, and chronic disconnection, not as character flaws, but as learned survival strategies when you weren’t safe and secure.
This work for me is personal, and didn’t come from solely reading out of a book or studying theory alone. I know what it’s like to grow up with instability, to carry heartbreak, and to live inside relationships that once felt confusing, painful, or unsafe. I also know what it takes to unlearn patterns — imperfectly, over time, and to build a sense of self that can stay present and connected.
Therapy with me is about helping you develop a relationship with yourself that feels solid, and relationships with others that feel more honest, less reactive, and more choiceful. Not perfect. Not conflict-free. But real.
If you’re tired of repeating the same dynamics, doubting yourself, or feeling alone even in your relationships, this work helps bring language and deeper understanding to the root cause of the cycles that have been running things for far too long — and opens space for intentional living and full permission to be you.
I would be honored to do this work with you. ~ Dr. April
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Outside of work, I’m drawn to art, traveling, and nature. I tend to wander down intellectual rabbit holes, often exploring mythology, ancient healing systems, herbal traditions, and consciousness studies. I spend a lot of time writing and journaling about life!
I have a passion for yoga, and am also a student in Ayurveda school — both continually deepening my understanding of holistic health and the ways nature supports universal well-being and digestion. These mindful self care practices quietly inform how I understand stress, the body, intentionality, and informs my work with clients.
And of course, I can’t forget my black cat, Rosie, who I love dearly, and who fully believes she runs my life (and she’s not wrong!).
Integrated Therapy Approaches
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Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy works with the body because healing isn’t just a mindset shift, it’s a nervous system shift. As your system learns to regulate, reactions soften, emotions feel more manageable, and change happens more naturally.
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Internal Family Systems
Internal Family Systems sees your inner world as made up of different “parts,” each with its own emotions, roles, and intentions. When you get to know these parts with compassion, the inner conflict softens and you create more space for clarity, peace, and healing.
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Mindfulness
Mindfulness is really just learning to pay attention to what’s happening inside and around you, in real time, without piling up the criticism. It’s the practice of noticing your thoughts and feelings with curiosity rather than judgment, so you can respond with clarity instead of reacting on autopilot.
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Attachment Science
Attachment science explores how the relationships we first relied on create a blueprint for how we connect, cope, and feel safe. Those early bonds influence how we view ourselves and how we show up in relationships throughout our lives.
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Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
KAP in a therapeutic setting can help soften rigid patterns, open new perspectives, and make emotional healing more accessible. Paired with compassionate guidance and integration work, it can create a safe inner space for deeper insight, release, and meaningful change.
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Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Counseling Psychology from Northwest University, Kirkland, WA [APA-Accredited]
Dissertation: The Role of Sexual Desire on Differentiation of Self and Relationship Satisfaction
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Personal Injury Evaluation Corp (P.I.E. Corps)., Tacoma, WA
Clinical focus on completing personal injury evaluations for individuals with sexual abuse or traumatic event histories
APA- Accredited Internship: Northeast Florida State Hospital, Macclenny, FL
Forensic Evaluation Rotation: Clinical focus on completing Incompetent to Proceed (ITP) and Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) evaluations
Serious Mental Illness Rotation - Clinical focus on individuals with civil/forensic statuses, psychological assessment, diagnosis, and treatment
Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling Psychology from Northwest University, Kirkland, WA
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology from the University of Washington, Tacoma, WA
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Gottman Method for Couples: Level 1
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
Certified Psychedelic Assisted Therapist - 400+ hours of combined training in Ketamine, Psilocybin, MDMA, and various other compounds from the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, and Fluence. Ketamine is a compound legally available for "off label" use for psychiatric conditions. Other psychedelic compounds are currently being investigated and are not available for use outside of clinical trials at this time.
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Washington State Licensed Psychologist Credential # PY61482477
Oregon Licensed Psychologist Credential #4017
Ready to invest in yourself or your relationship?
Here’s how to begin.
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We’ll explore your goal for therapy and determine if my style is the right fit for you.
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Once we decide to move forward, we select a day and time to meet consistently. Most clients start off with weekly therapy sessions and then over time graduate to biweekly, monthly, and so forth. Through my client portal, I’ll send over all questionnaires and consent documents that you complete before our first intake session — so we don’t waste time.
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Trust the process means trusting your pace. Healing is rarely a straight line—it’s a layering of insight, safety, practice, and self-trust. As our work unfolds, we’ll co-create an approach that supports your nervous system, your goals, and your real life. Progress can be subtle at first, then it starts to stack, one grounded step at a time.
