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About Me
I grew up in the Midwest and moved to Seattle over a decade ago, after visiting a few times and falling in love with the area. I find the Pacific Northwest to be a very beautiful place and enjoy exploring its natural and urban environments. In my free time, I also enjoy hiking, cycling, playing guitar, and spending time with family and friends.

Professional Affiliations

Northwest Alliance for Psychoanalytic Study

Training and Clinical Experience
I earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from The Ohio State University and a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling from Antioch University Seattle. In between degrees, I gained experience working at an inpatient psychiatric hospital and with adults with developmental disabilities. During my graduate studies, I began counseling adults at Antioch's counseling clinic and then at Sound Mental Health in Bellevue. I completed my post-graduate licensure hours at Sea Mar Behavioral Health in Everett, before joining a group practice in Everett and launching my private practice in Seattle.

I have been working as a counselor since 2014, treating adults with a wide-variety of challenges; from depression and anxiety to PTSD, psychosis, and relational difficulties. While at Sea Mar Behavioral Health, I worked in the Intensive Outpatient Program, treating individuals with significant mental health difficulties, often complicated by challenging life circumstances and past or current substance use disorders. Over the course of my career, I feel blessed that I have been able to work with people from diverse backgrounds and across the socio-economic spectrum. I enjoy furthering my education through professional trainings, consultation with colleagues and mentors, and self-study.

Client Feedback

I have often been told by clients that I make them feel safe and understood and that they experience me as steady and approachable. I find that creating a sense of safety and understanding is important, no matter who I am working with, and is a prerequisite for the healing of therapy to proceed. After all, therapy is a healing relationship and my first task is to set the groundwork for that relationship. For one thing, that means staying grounded myself, even though my clients may not always be able to. For me, it's the fact that the healing comes out of the quality of the relationship that makes this work so special.

Phone: (206) 945-0648   ·   E-mail: counseling@benbraaksma.com   ·  Office:  600 N 36th St #210, Seattle, WA 98103

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