Many of our earliest relational experiences live beneath the surface of our awareness. In the first 18 months of life, the brain begins storing emotional and interpersonal patterns in the form of implicit memory—an unconscious neural blueprint of what connection feels like. These early templates silently shape our expectations of love, safety, and belonging long before we develop language to ...
Even if you don’t live with a diagnosed mental health condition, stress, uncertainty, and emotional overwhelm can still take a toll. Mental health isn’t just about crisis prevention—it’s about creating a life that feels more sustainable, grounded, and real.
If you’ve been feeling off lately, here are a ...
There are many ways therapy can support emotional healing and personal growth, and one of the most widely used and studied methods is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT. At Clarity Counseling Seattle, our team often integrates CBT techniques into individual therapy to help clients address common concerns like anxiety, depression, or stress. But CBT can also support growth in ...
Life rarely follows a straight path. More often, it winds through stress, loss, transition, and moments of self-doubt. At certain points, you might wonder: *Would talking to a therapist help me?* That question alone can be a powerful sign of self-awareness. As a longtime Seattle therapist, I’ve had the privilege of working with individuals and couples at all stages of ...
Living in Seattle—and the broader Puget Sound area—comes with its own brand of beauty and challenges. Between the long stretches of gray skies, the intense pace of work in industries like tech, and the high cost of living, stress is a familiar part of life for many locals. The good news? It doesn’t have to control your experience. Many
Let’s be honest—feeling good about ourselves isn’t always easy. Everyone has moments of doubt, whether it’s questioning our worth, our skills, or our ability to handle what life throws at us. But when those moments stretch into weeks or even years, low self-esteem can start to shape how we see the world, how we show up in relationships, and how ...
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I don’t belong here” or “I’m not qualified for this”? Maybe you’ve wondered how long it’ll be before someone realizes you’re not as competent as they think. If so, you’re far from alone. At Clarity Counseling Seattle, we hear these thoughts often in individual therapy sessions—and even during couples therapy when clients ...
Ever feel like something’s missing in your relationships—but you can’t quite put your finger on it? Maybe you’ve heard the term emotional deprivation schema, or maybe this is new territory for you. Either way, you’re not alone—and understanding this concept can be the first step toward healing.
Let’s start with the basics. In psychology, a schema refers to a mental framework—essentially, ...
In this segment of his interview with KOMO News, Justin Pere from Clarity Counseling Seattle responds to a timely question: “What can people do if they’re feeling anxiety or depression for the first time—or if their usual coping tools aren’t enough right now?”
This video offers practical, grounding ideas for anyone feeling overwhelmed by stress, sadness, ...
In Part 4 of his mental health Q&A series with KOMO News, Justin Pere of Clarity Counseling Seattle offers insights into a commonly asked question: Should I consider psychiatric medication, or are there non-medication approaches that could help?
Whether you're exploring options for managing anxiety, depression, or overwhelming stress, this short video discusses how to approach ...
In Part 3 of his expert Q&A series with KOMO News, Justin Pere of Clarity Counseling Seattle addresses how individuals in recovery can stay on track—and how loved ones can offer meaningful support—during times of uncertainty and stress.
This interview offers timely guidance for anyone navigating substance use challenges or supporting someone in recovery. If you're ...
In this second installment of his KOMO News interview, Justin Pere of Clarity Counseling Seattle joined John Colucci for a Q&A on how the COVID-19 pandemic—and other major life disruptions—can fuel anxiety, depression, and uncertainty. Justin offered guidance for those new to these emotional struggles as well as tips for staying grounded through difficult times.
Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally off-balance lately? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to navigate it alone either.
Whether it’s stress from current events, changes in routine, loneliness, or uncertainty about the future, therapy can provide the grounding support you need. At Clarity Counseling Seattle, we offer secure online therapy for individuals and couples throughout Washington State. You don’t have ...
Sometimes, when life feels especially uncertain, a single quote can shift our perspective in lasting ways. About 20 years ago, a friend shared a passage with me during a time when I was desperate for clarity about a major life decision. Like many people, I wanted certainty—wanted to know how things would turn ...
The start of a new year often brings a sense of reflection—and the desire for a fresh start. Whether or not you’re into resolutions, asking meaningful questions can help you honor the past and step more intentionally into what’s ahead. These three prompts are especially helpful if you’re considering individual therapy, couples counseling, or intimacy therapy.
While browsing in a card shop the other day, I saw one that made me laugh—and think. It featured an older man wearing something silly on his head, alongside the quote: “I don’t know how to act my age. I’ve never been this age before.”
It was meant ...
I recently came across this quote at a friend’s home, displayed on a simple hanging banner:
"In the end, what matters most is... how well did you live? How well did you love? How well did you learn to let go?"
It struck me as one of those quiet but powerful truths. Like many meaningful ideas, it’s simple—but not easy. Learning to ...
You’ve probably heard the classic joke about therapists: “But how does that make you feel?” While therapists do so much more than ask about feelings, there’s truth in the idea that our relationship with emotions plays a major role in mental and relational health. At Clarity Counseling Seattle, we often help clients uncover the impact of cultural myths and ...
Here’s a surprisingly helpful equation we often reference in therapy sessions, one that can offer clarity during emotionally difficult times:
S = P × R
In other words, Suffering = Pain × Resistance.
Pain in life is inevitable—whether physical or emotional. But suffering? That’s what we experience when we resist the pain. And the more resistance we bring, the more suffering we feel.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the headlines—violence, division, and uncertainty seem to dominate our newsfeeds. But amid the noise, important stories of progress, kindness, and courage often go unnoticed. While 2018 brought its share of challenges, it also delivered moments of deep humanity, historic change, and quiet hope.
To help balance the weight of the world, here’s a roundup of ...
I recently came across this Psychology Today article, and it offers some of the most practical, grounded advice I’ve seen on procrastination. While everyone puts things off sometimes, chronic procrastination can quietly erode our confidence, increase stress, and keep us stuck in patterns that feel hard to break.
Someone recently shared this New York Times article with me, and though it centers on menopause, its reflections go far beyond hormone shifts. It’s really about aging, identity, and the quiet power of not caring so much about what doesn’t matter anymore. And that’s something many people—regardless of gender—can relate to.
The author, reflecting on being rejected ...
This visual was shared with me years ago, and I’ve returned to it countless times with clients. It’s a powerful way to understand how mindfulness can change our experience of stress — not by removing the stressors, but by reshaping our response to them.
The left side of the ...
It’s tempting to want a checklist for happiness — something clear, tangible, and achievable. “Just do these 30 things and you’ll feel better.” And while small habits can absolutely improve our well-being, the truth is more nuanced: we don’t build happiness like a house. We cultivate it like a garden — slowly, inconsistently, and season by season.
Still, habits do matter. ...
Healing isn’t something that just happens to us. It’s something we choose—often quietly, often repeatedly. That choice might look like showing up to a therapy session when you feel raw, setting a boundary that scares you, or finally facing a part of your story you’ve tried to avoid.
Choosing to heal doesn’t mean you’re “over” the pain. It means you’re no ...
Every now and then, you come across a quote that stops you. One that feels like it names something you've been trying to say — or maybe something you've been longing to hear. This one, by Scott Stabile, did that for me:
“Find people who can handle your darkest truths, who don't change the subject when you share your pain, or ...
Depression doesn’t always look like sadness. Sometimes it shows up as exhaustion that no amount of rest can fix, or a quiet sense of emptiness that shadows even joyful moments. For many women, depression is hidden beneath the demands of daily life — caregiving, work, relationships — making it easy to overlook or downplay.
At Clarity Counseling Seattle, we often ...
If you've ever Googled "how to attract the right partner," you're not alone. Dating advice is everywhere — lists, rules, apps, hacks. But what if the key to finding someone truly compatible isn’t about doing more or being more, but about getting closer to who you already are?
At Clarity Counseling Seattle, we often work with individuals who are exhausted ...