Let’s explore your inner world—the world of your dreams, imagination, and creativity—as well as empower you to make meaningful changes in your life. Together, we can transform your life to one of vibrant color and vitality. This can happen in both therapy and dream & imagination sessions.
Brandy Gillihan (she/her), LMHC.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington State License No: LH60827190
Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington State License No: LH60827190
My Training
I earned my undergraduate degree from The Evergreen State College in 2006, with specific focus on liberal arts and depth psychology. I received my Master's degree from Bastyr University in 2015, which focused on Health Psychology and mind/body connections. I have specialized clinical training in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Health at Every Size-informed therapy, and am currently undergoing training in Focusing Oriented Psychotherapy for trauma.
I have specific training in grief rituals (also called "grief tending") from the teachings of Francis Weller, a psychotherapist who comes from the depth and archetypal traditions. In 2024 I completed the Dream Tending & Deep Imagination certificate series, a three-year program taught by Dr. Stephen Aizenstat, the founding president of Pacifica Graduate Institute.
I have specific training in grief rituals (also called "grief tending") from the teachings of Francis Weller, a psychotherapist who comes from the depth and archetypal traditions. In 2024 I completed the Dream Tending & Deep Imagination certificate series, a three-year program taught by Dr. Stephen Aizenstat, the founding president of Pacifica Graduate Institute.
My Frame
I believe in possibility and the emergence of new ways of being. This means I take a humanistic approach to healing: inside of each person lies the capacity for growth, change and wholeness. I believe that the body, dreams and imagination provide us with valuable information--clues to what is waiting to unfold. I believe that we can use whatever our present moment experience is--whether it's centered on the here and now, or memories of the past--for doing the deep work of healing. And I believe that the deep inner work must be demonstrated and solidified with tangible action in the world; this is the part of my work that is more aligned with some of the behavioral traditions like ACT.
I believe in an animated world-some refer to it as animism-meaning that the world itself, along with the humans and nonhumans in it, is alive and breathing, and is dreaming through us.
I believe in you, and your right to the sovereignty of your own beliefs. This means that I won't push my agenda or my own beliefs on yours. I will respect your perspective and work with you to live into your own beliefs and values in an aligned way.
I believe in us. I believe that we are designed for and optimized in community, whether that be inner and outer community. And too, I believe in accountability, reciprocity and reparations. We belong to each other, and we are accountable to each other. All of my work (clinical and non-clinical) is grounded within a trauma-informed, anti-oppression framework and weight-inclusive lens.
I believe in an animated world-some refer to it as animism-meaning that the world itself, along with the humans and nonhumans in it, is alive and breathing, and is dreaming through us.
I believe in you, and your right to the sovereignty of your own beliefs. This means that I won't push my agenda or my own beliefs on yours. I will respect your perspective and work with you to live into your own beliefs and values in an aligned way.
I believe in us. I believe that we are designed for and optimized in community, whether that be inner and outer community. And too, I believe in accountability, reciprocity and reparations. We belong to each other, and we are accountable to each other. All of my work (clinical and non-clinical) is grounded within a trauma-informed, anti-oppression framework and weight-inclusive lens.
Therapy Specialties:
• Anxiety (health anxiety, social anxiety, generalized anxiety)
• Internalized Antifat Bias & Weight Stigma
• Disruptions in Embodiment
•"Body Image" concerns
• Self-compassion
• Personal Growth & Values Exploration
• Vivid or Disturbing Dreams
• Stress/Life Transitions
• Marginalized Religion/Spirituality (including animism, Paganism, New Thought, etc.)
• Integration of Creativity & Ritual
• Disordered Eating Patterns
• Depression and Grief, Pet Loss
• LGBTQIA+ affirming
Note: I also work clinically with individuals struggling with disordered eating patterns. I have specific history and training working in higher levels of care for people struggling with eating disorders. In this setting, my services are best matched to people who need regular, weekly therapy, rather than more intensive services. I am a weight inclusive therapist.
• Anxiety (health anxiety, social anxiety, generalized anxiety)
• Internalized Antifat Bias & Weight Stigma
• Disruptions in Embodiment
•"Body Image" concerns
• Self-compassion
• Personal Growth & Values Exploration
• Vivid or Disturbing Dreams
• Stress/Life Transitions
• Marginalized Religion/Spirituality (including animism, Paganism, New Thought, etc.)
• Integration of Creativity & Ritual
• Disordered Eating Patterns
• Depression and Grief, Pet Loss
• LGBTQIA+ affirming
Note: I also work clinically with individuals struggling with disordered eating patterns. I have specific history and training working in higher levels of care for people struggling with eating disorders. In this setting, my services are best matched to people who need regular, weekly therapy, rather than more intensive services. I am a weight inclusive therapist.
"Go inside the sweetness of life, catch the places where you genuinely were moved by or connected with life, and you'll find in there a kind of a light that can direct you when the cacophony gets very noisy and you get confused and lost, that can direct you towards what you care about."
- Dr. Steven C. Hayes
