Lucas Abernathy

Tacoma

Counseling Philosophy

Several key beliefs drive my therapeutic orientation.

First, I believe inherent in every person is the desire to live rich, authentic, and loving lives.

Second, I believe that each of us is relational at our core. That is, we are all shaped by our relational experiences, both good and bad, and that our experiences of meaning and healing take place in the context of relationship.

​Third, I believe we all seek to find and make meaning in our lives. We face difficult choices that shape who we become, and the degree to which we take responsibility for these choices is the degree to which we experience ownership of our own lives. In short, we want good, we want to experience it with each other, and we want it in a way that we know it is truly ours.

Therapeutic Approach

  • Stress and Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Grief and Loss
  • Relational Concerns
  • Spirituality Issues
  • Issues of Emerging Adulthood

Therapeutic Approach

As a therapist, I seek to offer a safe space and unique relationship that encourages, facilitates, and participates in a clientʼs deeper living into these desires.

While I draw from a number of therapeutic approaches, I believe the psychodynamic relational therapeutic approach most naturally aligns with these goals. This model recognizes the centrality of relationships to all of us. What ails us is often relationally rooted and also often manifested in how we relate.

​I seek to develop a therapeutic relationship that reveals the clientʼs way of relating and offers a place to explore and re-imagine new ways of relating. I believe and have found that this process can be healing and grounding. Further, it can attune us to and encourage us to live into our deep desire to live authentic and meaningful lives.

Education & Experience

I received a a Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. I have worked in the mental health field since 2009 and I began my private practice in 2011. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LH60648982).  Previously, I have worked as a counselor at Bellevue College, Seattle Pacific University, and Seattle Childrenʼs Home.

​Outside of my professional life, I enjoy reading fiction, sipping on fine espresso, witnessing live music, and soaking up the company of my friends and family.

My Rates

  • ​55-minute individual session: $160
  • 55-minute couples session: $160
  • Availability of sliding scale and student rate appointments to be discussed in initial appointment.
  • If we decide it is not a good fit, you will not be charged for your initial appointment.
Schedule Initial Appointment