{"id":34,"date":"2024-04-01T20:34:35","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T20:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/"},"modified":"2025-03-28T18:14:40","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T18:14:40","slug":"services","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/","title":{"rendered":"About Me"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"gutenify-section-ca78d0f0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile has-primary-background-color has-background gtfy-4\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"902\" src=\"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-1024x902.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-60 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-1024x902.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-300x264.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-768x677.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-1536x1353.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-2048x1804.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"gutenify-section-ca779870-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e has-text-align-left gtfy-1\">Licensed Mental Health Counselor<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"gutenify-section-ca7834b0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e wp-block-image size-full is-resized gtfy-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"487\" height=\"80\" src=\"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/KristiALeePhD.png.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-513\" style=\"width:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/KristiALeePhD.png.png 487w, https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/KristiALeePhD.png-300x49.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gutenify-section-ca7882d0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e has-xmedium-font-size gtfy-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"69\" height=\"69\" class=\"wp-image-521\" style=\"width: 69px;\" src=\"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/OpenQuote.jpg\" alt=\"Quote marks\">I believe that therapy should be a collaborative and empowering experience. By fostering transparency and sharing power in our work together, I help you take ownership of your healing journey and create meaningful change in your life.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"gutenify-section-ca7dda00-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e wp-block-columns is-not-stacked-on-mobile is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex gtfy-18\">\n<div class=\"gutenify-section-ca79bb50-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow gtfy-7\" style=\"flex-basis:15%\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"gutenify-section-ca7d3dc0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow gtfy-16\" style=\"flex-basis:70%\">\n<h5 class=\"gutenify-section-ca7c7a70-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e wp-block-heading gtfy-8\" style=\"padding-top:0%;padding-right:0%;padding-bottom:0%;padding-left:3%\">My Therapeutic Approach<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gutenify-section-ca7cc890-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e gtfy-9\" style=\"margin-top:3%;margin-right:3%;margin-bottom:3%;margin-left:3%\">My approach to counseling is grounded in three core principles. First and foremost, our work<br>together will be built on a warm, supportive, and trusting therapeutic relationship. Second, we will explore not only your personal history and internal experiences but also the broader<br>environmental factors\u2014such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of<br>discrimination\u2014that may have shaped your life. Finally, we will focus on where you are now<br>and where you want to be, tailoring our approach to help you reach your goals and create<br>meaningful change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gutenify-section-ca7cc890-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e gtfy-10\" style=\"margin-top:3%;margin-right:3%;margin-bottom:3%;margin-left:3%\">Once this foundation is in place, I integrate elements of <strong>psychodynamic, narrative, emotion-focused, and cognitive-behavioral therapies<\/strong>, depending on what best supports your needs. I believe that therapy should be a <strong>collaborative and empowering experience<\/strong>, where transparency and shared decision-making help you take ownership of your healing journey. Together, we will create a path forward that honors your experiences, strengths, and aspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"gutenify-section-ca7accc0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e wp-block-heading gtfy-11\" style=\"padding-top:0%;padding-right:0%;padding-bottom:0%;padding-left:3%\">Education &amp; Experience<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gutenify-section-ca7b1ae0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e gtfy-12\" style=\"margin-top:3%;margin-right:3%;margin-bottom:3%;margin-left:3%\">For over 20 years, I have been dedicated to helping others navigate life\u2019s challenges. My journey in the mental health field has taken me through diverse settings, including a shelter for survivors of domestic violence, a psychology clinic on a military base, a women\u2019s prison, university counseling centers, and a social justice-focused counseling practice. I have also facilitated therapy groups in a county jail and supported individuals on probation and parole as they transitioned back into their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gutenify-section-ca7b1ae0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e gtfy-13\" style=\"margin-top:3%;margin-right:3%;margin-bottom:3%;margin-left:3%\">I earned my bachelor\u2019s degree in Psychology (Clinical Emphasis) from Kansas State University<br>in 2002. I then pursued a Master\u2019s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Idaho State<br>University (2006) and later a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the College of William and Mary (2009). My doctoral research focused on social justice advocacy skills and knowledge in counseling students, reflecting my deep commitment to equity and inclusion in mental health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gutenify-section-ca7b1ae0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e gtfy-14\" style=\"margin-top:3%;margin-right:3%;margin-bottom:3%;margin-left:3%\">From 2012 to 2022, I was a full-time faculty member in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling<br>program at Seattle University, where I taught courses on human development, counseling theory, and clinical practice. My research has explored topics such as healing practices for girls and women experiencing gender-based violence in Guatemala, the community impact of hate crimes, and social justice approaches to counseling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gutenify-section-ca7b1ae0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e gtfy-15\" style=\"margin-top:3%;margin-right:3%;margin-bottom:3%;margin-left:3%\">In 2022, I embraced a new chapter, stepping away from academia to focus on direct client care. After taking time to rest and travel, I launched <strong>The Lee Center for Counseling<\/strong>, where I now help individuals create meaningful change in their lives. I am passionate about providing a supportive, collaborative, and empowering space for healing and growth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"gutenify-section-ca7d8be0-9227-11ef-92c3-73b6b79a9d1e wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow gtfy-17\" style=\"flex-basis:15%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My Therapeutic Approach My approach to counseling is grounded in three core principles. First and foremost, our worktogether will be built on a warm, supportive, and trusting therapeutic relationship. Second, we will explore not only your personal history and internal experiences but also the broaderenvironmental factors\u2014such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms ofdiscrimination\u2014that may [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-34","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>About Me - Lee Center for Counseling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About Me - Lee Center for Counseling\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"My Therapeutic Approach My approach to counseling is grounded in three core principles. First and foremost, our worktogether will be built on a warm, supportive, and trusting therapeutic relationship. Second, we will explore not only your personal history and internal experiences but also the broaderenvironmental factors\u2014such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms ofdiscrimination\u2014that may [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Lee Center for Counseling\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-28T18:14:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2255\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/services\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/services\\\/\",\"name\":\"About Me - Lee Center for Counseling\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/services\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/services\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/IMG_0144-1024x902.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-04-01T20:34:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-28T18:14:40+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/services\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/services\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/services\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":2255},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/services\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"About Me\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/\",\"name\":\"Lee Center for Counseling\",\"description\":\"Telehealth therapy for individuals in Washington state\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Lee Center for Counseling\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/LeeCenterLogo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/LeeCenterLogo.png\",\"width\":601,\"height\":128,\"caption\":\"Lee Center for Counseling\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/leecentercounseling.com\\\/staging\\\/4087\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"About Me - Lee Center for Counseling","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"About Me - Lee Center for Counseling","og_description":"My Therapeutic Approach My approach to counseling is grounded in three core principles. First and foremost, our worktogether will be built on a warm, supportive, and trusting therapeutic relationship. Second, we will explore not only your personal history and internal experiences but also the broaderenvironmental factors\u2014such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms ofdiscrimination\u2014that may [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/","og_site_name":"Lee Center for Counseling","article_modified_time":"2025-03-28T18:14:40+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":2255,"url":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/","url":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/","name":"About Me - Lee Center for Counseling","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-1024x902.jpg","datePublished":"2024-04-01T20:34:35+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-28T18:14:40+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":2255},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/services\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"About Me"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/#website","url":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/","name":"Lee Center for Counseling","description":"Telehealth therapy for individuals in Washington state","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/#organization","name":"Lee Center for Counseling","url":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LeeCenterLogo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LeeCenterLogo.png","width":601,"height":128,"caption":"Lee Center for Counseling"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":536,"href":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34\/revisions\/536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/leecentercounseling.com\/staging\/4087\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}