My Story
Hi, I’m Sheena (she/her).
As a queer, biracial woman who is neurodivergent and has lived with chronic pain for most of my life, I bring deep lived experience into the therapy room. I’ve had to learn to navigate a world that wasn’t built with my body or identities in mind-and I know what it’s like to feel unseen, to mask pain, and to burn out trying to meet standards that were never designed for me. I also have personal experience of complex trauma and eating disorder recovery. Throughout my healing journey, I have deconstructed internalized ableism and oppressive societal narratives. I’ve learned to trust my intuition, honor the wisdom of my body, and grieve the limitations imposed by invisible disabilities. Most importantly, this process has allowed me to reconnect with and embrace my full, authentic Self-unapologetically, and I hold space for others to do the same.
From a young age, I’ve been driven by curiosity and a deep desire to understand how people experience and move through the world. Growing up as a competitive athlete sparked my fascination with the body-how it functions, adapts, and holds our stories. In college, I was drawn to the intersection of psychology and biology, where I discovered the neurobiology of trauma and healing. Learning about the nervous system and neuroplasticity opened a powerful lens into the mind-body connection and ignited my passion for holistic healing.
After college, I spent many years working as a personal trainer. What I loved most was building relationships, holding space for my clients, and witnessing their internal transformations. I saw firsthand the interconnectedness of mind and body, and how feeling empowered in one area of life could ripple outward into others. That work, along with the learning and growth in my own healing process, shaped my integrative approach to therapy.
My personal, academic, and professional experiences ultimately led me to a second career- one where I have the privilege of walking alongside others on their healing journeys, as others have done for me. These experiences inform my relational, trauma-informed approach, and shape how I show up as a counselor: with curiosity, deep empathy, and a commitment to honoring each person’s unique story.
Outside the therapy room, I love spending time with family and friends, being outdoors-whether hiking in the mountains or relaxing at the beach, lifting weights, watching sports, drawing, and listening to live music.
I earned a BS in Biology at the University of Washington in 2006, and an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Antioch University Seattle in 2025. Additionally, I completed the Trauma Certificate program at Antioch University Seattle in 2023 and EMDR training through H2 Psychotherapy in 2025. I am currently an LMHCA, supervised by Pei-Hsuan Liu, LMHC (LH60968818).
Approach To Therapy
My foundation is a holistic, trauma and neurodivergent informed approach within a liberation framework that emphasizes individualized, culturally responsive care. I strive to create a therapeutic space that is collaborative, affirming, and attuned to the intersections of each client’s lived experience.
I draw from attachment-based, polyvagal, and somatic orientations in to support clients in reconnecting with their bodies and reclaim their narratives. I also integrate Internal Family Systems (IFS), or parts work, and Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) to help integrate painful memories, and cultivate a new relationship with Self.
I enjoy working with adults and teens of all backgrounds navigating trauma/PTSD, childhood and complex trauma, systemic oppression, neurodivergence, anxiety, depression, burnout, life changes &transitions, identity, disordered eating, gender & sexuality, relationships, and chronic health issues. I am especially passionate about working with BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent individuals.
I believe that the client is the expert and that my job as a therapist is to provide the safe space needed for each person to access their inner wisdom and reconnect with their full, authentic Self. In this space, I bring warmth, authenticity, nonjudgement, curiosity, and also a little bit of humor in order to make my clients feel seen, heard and validated. I strive to meet each client where they are at and help them tap into their unique strengths.
Rather than seeing people as broken, I believe everyone is whole and has everything inside of them needed to heal. I believe the body is wise and learns adapt to difficult experiences in brilliant ways. Although these methods may no longer be serving you, they have allowed you to survive thus far.
My goal is to help you understand how outdated survival patterns show up in the present, keeping you stuck. This may include processing painful memories, exploring the internal parts that shape you, or deconstructing unhelpful internalized beliefs and stories. While talk therapy is helpful, I also believe we must learn to listen to and work with the wisdom of the body in order to fully heal. In our work together, you will learn how to attune to what is happening inside your body and how to partner with it, in order to transform the ways you relate to yourself, others and the world. You have spent long enough just surviving. You deserve to thrive!
Get in touch!
Interested in working together? Fill this out to get your questions answered or schedule a consult. I can’t wait to hear from you!