All Parts Are Welcome
Counseling
Therapeutic Approach
If I had to sum up my approach in three words, they would be: Presence. Compassion. Relationship.
My training in Contemplative Psychotherapy is a unique approach that incorporates Buddhist philosophies and practices, with a strong emphasis on taking a non-pathologizing stance. Two principles of Contemplative Psychotherapy guide my practice — brilliant sanity and maitri.
Brilliant sanity is your innate wisdom, goodness, and wholeness, that is always accessible regardless of whether it is apparent or not. It is the sun behind the clouds. This goodness gets obscured from clinging to habitual patterns, which have been conditioned by the systems we orbit in and the histories we carry. We can bring awareness to those patterns and learn to reconnect with your brilliant sanity in session. I see wisdom even in “neurotic” mind states or behaviors that you might feel ashamed about.
Maitri is unconditional friendliness. My teacher, Karen Kissel Wegela, describes it as, “...tenderness and gentleness toward our own experience, whatever that experience is.” If you’re not able to be accepting and friendly toward your experience, I will be. Maitri and a heavy dose of compassion for your experience will be the foundation of our time together.
My approach is relational. That means I am curious about what comes up between us in session as a way to understand the relational dynamics in your life. I’m interested in the here-and-now, what is happening between us in this moment. I will point out things that I’m noticing in our relationship to open up new possibilities of relating to yourself and others.
I practice cultural humility, and acknowledge intersectionality and positionality - holding both your privileged and marginalized identities along with my own. I bring curiosity to the systemic impacts on your life experience and how it shows up in session, and am passionate about working with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ clients.
IFS
What is IFS (Internal Family Systems)?
We all have parts - that want different things, carry distinct beliefs, play certain roles, and have good intentions for us. The conflicting thoughts and feelings you have may reflect parts who need some attention. The IFS process reveals your inner resource - also known as Self energy; that of which takes care of all your parts and knows what it needs to do to heal. Getting to know and being in relationship with your parts will ultimately lead to inner harmony and more ease in your life.
What does an IFS therapist do during a session?
I will ask questions that foster the relationship between you and your parts. Over time, your parts begin to trust you, and vulnerable parts can let go of the burdens they’ve been carrying - what you might be experiencing as current challenges at home, at work, and in relationships. I help facilitate the unburdening process, so that you can let go of painful beliefs and invite in more expansive qualities.
What makes IFS different from other therapeutic approaches?
IFS is an experiential process - meaning you’re tuned into your direct experience rather than just talking about it. Experiential therapy, and specifically - IFS - can go deeper than traditional talk therapy. You experience what is happening in the present moment while in relationship with yourself (including your many parts), and in relationship with me - your therapist. Because IFS is experiential, it’s hard to put into words! There is an ineffable, spiritual quality to the IFS process that leads to a more authentic and open-hearted way of being.
What can you expect from doing IFS work?
More “Self-energy” which includes the 8 C’s: confidence, calmness, creativity, clarity, curiosity, courage, compassion, and connectedness. In your day-to-day life you might have more awareness of your different parts and be able to respond from a place of less reactivity in previously activating situations. In essence, you’ll have the ability to face difficult situations or people with more ease, and have more compassion for all of your parts.
BIPOC Mental Health
Potential areas of exploration:
Racial, cultural and systemic oppression
Perfectionism and burnout
Ancestral and generational trauma
Feelings of guilt, obligation, shame, and grief
Immigration and acculturation
Dealing with judgment from one’s inner critic, family, and culture(s)
LGBTQ+ challenges
A desire to live authentically but feeling conflicted by cultural and systemic pressures
Worry about disappointing loved ones
Feeling alone in your unique lived experience/identities
Identity integration related to being adopted and/or multiracial
Multicultural experiences as first-gen, second-gen, and third culture kids
Relationship Issues
Are you feeling dissatisfied in your relationships? I can help with:
Communication difficulties
Feeling alone and disconnected
Boundary-setting
People-pleasing
Feeling unheard and unseen
Figuring out what your needs are
Mistrust and emotional distancing
Feeling stuck in the same patterns
Low self-esteem in relationships
Family-of-origin conflicts
Wanting more meaningful connection
Transitions & Identity
Are you going through a transition and feeling anxious about change?
Life is in constant flux and with change comes discomfort. No matter what transitions you’re experiencing, it can feel overwhelming. Change brings up uncertainty about the future and an unsettledness that can evoke fear. Identity transitions can also feel scary – whether that is processing racial, cultural, or religious identity, gender, sexuality, a career change, or relationship status. If you are grappling with questions of identity, meaning, purpose, and other existential curiosities, I can facilitate self-inquiry and hold space for your exploration with a non-judgmental and compassionate presence.
“The bad news is you’re falling through the air, nothing to hang on to, no parachute. The good news is, there’s no ground.” — Chögyam Trungpa
Individual Therapy
$180 for 55 minutes
I am NOT contracted with insurance companies, but I can provide clients with a monthly statement called a “superbill.” You would pay up front and then submit a superbill to your insurance for potential reimbursement. Please contact your insurance to learn about out-of-network coverage.
About Me
I became a psychotherapist because I have an insatiable curiosity for the human condition and a sensitivity that has fully allowed me to experience the vulnerability of being human. I care about people and connection, and value relationships above all else. Countless hours of therapy and time spent on my meditation cushion led me here and I am eternally grateful to the many teachers and therapists who have seen me and reflected back my inner wisdom when I most needed it. I want to do that for others as well. Therapy can be a spiritual journey, an awakening, a process of conscious awareness and self-discovery — I know it was and continues to be for me. Therapy can be a process of undoing, uncovering, and unfolding. Undoing constricting conditioning. Uncovering what’s here now and also what’s been buried. Unfolding slowly and gently while exploring tender territory. I would feel honored to be a witness and join you on your journey.
All Parts Are Welcome
I had a therapist who would tell me, “That part is welcome here.” She met my anger, sadness, loneliness, tiredness, and all parts of me with genuine warmth. Hearing the phrase — “That part is welcome here” — never got old to me. It made me feel seen, accepted, and relieved, that I could show up as I am, no matter what. This phrase comes from Internal Family Systems (IFS), a non-pathologizing modality of inspiration to me. According to Richard Schwartz, the founder of IFS, there are no bad parts. They are all welcome and I wholeheartedly believe this. “All parts are welcome” is the essence of who I am and how I work.
Bio
I’m originally from Houston and found a home in Seattle. I have an M.A. in Contemplative Psychotherapy and Buddhist Psychology from Naropa University, and did my undergraduate training at the University of Washington. I have over 5 years of experience as a counselor focusing on addiction with clients in the justice system, as well as working with queer and trans clients dealing with various concerns. I am an Internal Family Systems (IFS) Level 2 trained therapist with advanced training in Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO) — an IFS-based couples modality.
Let’s Connect!
Feel free to reach out to schedule a 15-minute consultation to see if we’d be a good fit.
tiffanychencounseling@gmail.com
970-833-1168