Online Counseling
Anywhere in Washington State
Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize: you don’t have to live near the right therapist to work with one.
Bellevue Family Counseling offers online counseling to teens, adults, couples, and families anywhere in Washington State. Our counselors are licensed in Washington, which means it doesn’t matter if you’re in Spokane, Yakima, Bellingham, Tacoma, the Tri-Cities, or anywhere in between. Everything happens online — secure, private, and from wherever you actually are.
If you’ve been putting off finding a counselor because the options near you feel limited, or because getting to an office just isn’t realistic right now, this might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
What’s Bringing You Here?
Most people who reach out to us have been managing something for a while — longer than they’d like to admit. Maybe it’s anxiety that won’t let up no matter how many things you check off the list. Maybe it’s a relationship that feels like it’s slowly losing ground. Maybe it’s something harder to name — just a sense that you’re not okay, and you’re tired of pretending you are.
Whatever brought you here, you don’t have to have it all figured out. That’s literally what we’re here for.
Our online counselors work with teens, adults, and couples dealing with a wide range of concerns, including:
- Anxiety, worry, and that constant low-grade dread that something’s about to go wrong
- Depression and the heaviness that makes even small things feel impossible
- Trauma — whether it was recent or something you’ve been carrying for years
- Eating disorders and complicated relationships with food, body, or self-image
- ADHD and what it’s like to move through a world that wasn’t really built for your brain
- Relationship struggles — the same fights, the growing distance, the feeling that you’re not being heard
- Couples counseling and emotional repair
- Life transitions that are harder than you expected them to be
- Identity, self-worth, and figuring out who you actually want to be
- Teens (16+) navigating mental health, school pressure, and relationships
- LGBTQIA+ affirming support
So What Does Online Counseling Actually Look Like?
If you’ve never done telehealth before — or you tried it once during COVID and it felt awkward and impersonal — that’s a fair thing to wonder about.
Here’s the honest version: online counseling, done well, feels a lot like being in the same room. You’ll see your counselor, they’ll see you, and the conversation is real. The main difference is that you don’t have to drive anywhere, sit in a waiting room, or find parking. For a lot of people — especially those outside the Seattle or Eastside area — that’s actually a pretty significant upside.
Sessions are conducted using HIPAA-compliant video software, so your privacy is protected. All you need is a device with a camera and a decent internet connection. Most people connect from home, their car, or wherever they have some privacy.
Here’s how getting started works:
1. Reach out — fill out our contact form or give us a call.
2. We’ll help you figure out which counselor is the right fit based on what you’re dealing with.
3. You’ll schedule your first session and receive a secure link before it starts.
4. Your first session is mostly a conversation — getting to know each other, talking about what’s going on, and figuring out what support might look like. No pressure.
5. You and your counselor build a plan that actually fits your life — not a generic one-size-fits-all approach.
A little about Our Practice
Bellevue Family Counseling is a group practice based on the Eastside, but our reach isn’t limited to our zip code. We’ve built a team of therapists with real specialized training — not just people who are generally helpful — because we believe the right match matters enormously.
Our counselors are trained in evidence-based approaches including CBT, DBT, EMDR, IFS, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and the Gottman Method. We take an integrated approach, meaning we don’t just pick one model and apply it to everyone. We figure out what’s actually going to help you, specifically.
We’re also not a directory. We’re a practice. That means ongoing clinical oversight, peer consultation, and a real commitment to doing this work well — not just filling a caseload.
We accept Premera Blue Cross and affiliated insurance plans, and we work to make the intake process as straightforward as possible.
Who You’d Be Working With
Our telehealth services are offered through two of our licensed counselors. Both are accepting clients from anywhere in Washington State
Treatment Modalities
CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, helps identify unhelpful patterns of thinking and change them into positive ones that can decrease anxiety and depression. CBT equips individuals with new healthy coping mechanisms to handle difficult emotions effectively. CBT also improves problem-solving skills and helps individuals to face fears without breaking down.
DBT – Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DBT or, dialectical behavior therapy, helps in handling overwhelming emotions such as anxiety, sadness, and anger and channels them positively. Using techniques such as mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and more – you can learn to better manage stress while building strong, healthy relationships.
Building resilience, creating meaningful relationships
We understand that adulthood is filled with childhood traumas, past experiences, self-doubt, and other mental health struggles. You may initially feel uneasy about asking for help, which is normal. Yet when you take the first step, you will find us with you for the rest of the journey. Our team of expert therapists is skilled and experienced in various treatment methods associated with adult issues. We promise to get you on the healing path for a better future!
EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Past traumas, big or small, have a way of shaping our life. To help combat this, EMDR or ,eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, can be used. EMDR changes the way you process traumatic memories and the resulting emotions. During the session, your EMDR trained therapist will have you focus on a particular traumatic memory and the emotions in your body. Then an eye movement method will allow you to reprocess difficult memories properly and reduce or eliminate the resulting difficult emotions. Reprocessing past experiences in this way can help in building more resilience, which will assist in handling future challenges.
EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as “tapping”, is a simple yet effective therapy designed to address emotional distress. It involves tapping on specific points on the body, primarily on the head and face, while focusing on a particular issue or emotion. EFT is based on the points similar to those used in acupuncture and acupressure. By tapping on these points, you can lower the intensity of your emotions which can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, stress, PTSD, and other emotional issues.
IFS – Internal Family Systems
The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model helps people understand and heal by exploring different “parts” within themselves, each with its own feelings and intentions. In IFS counseling, the goal is to help the core “Self” compassionately lead these parts, creating more balance and inner harmony. This gentle approach can foster self-awareness, improve emotional well-being, and support lasting personal growth.
Meditation / Brain Exercises
Meditation has been around for thousands of years for a reason. Learning how to control your thoughts and emotions means practicing being in control. Improving your ability to be aware of what you are thinking and how you are feeling means you have more choices on how to manage yourself. This is but one of the many benefits of learning the skill of meditation.
Lifespan Integration
Emotional baggage from traumatic past experiences can make your present life difficult. However, with the right therapy, you can move past the trauma and heal from it. Lifespan Integration therapy uses the repetition of memories visually to help in healing and neural integration. The exploration of past events helps in understanding the conflicts underlying the present difficulties. Processing these emotions in a safe environment can help in resolving them effectively.
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FAQs
Is online counseling actually as effective as in-person therapy?
For most concerns — anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues — the research says yes. Outcomes are comparable. What matters most is the quality of the therapeutic relationship, and that can happen just as genuinely through a screen. Some people actually find it easier to open up when they’re in their own space, without the added stress of getting somewhere on time.
Do I have to live near Bellevue to work with your counselors?
Not at all. Our online counselors are licensed in Washington State, which means they can legally work with any client who lives in Washington. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Spokane, Yakima, Bellingham, Vancouver, the Tri-Cities, or a small town most people haven’t heard of. As long as you’re in the state, you’re eligible.
What do I need to get started technically?
A device with a camera and microphone — your phone, tablet, or computer all work. A reasonably stable internet connection. That’s pretty much it. We use HIPAA-compliant software and send you a secure link before each session. No special downloads are usually required.
Is telehealth confidential and secure?
We use HIPAA compliant software to ensure your confidentiality.
How do I prepare for therapy?
You probably have an idea of what issue, problem or goal you want to work on. You don’t need to know all aspects of the issue, nor have a solution as we’ll work on that together.
Do you take insurance?
Yes. Our online counselors accept Premera Blue Cross and affiliated plans. If you’re not sure whether your specific plan qualifies, just reach out and we’ll help you figure it out before you commit to anything.
What happens in the first session?
Mostly, it’s a conversation. Your counselor will want to hear about what’s been going on, what you’re hoping for, and what hasn’t worked before (if anything). You don’t need to have a clear answer to any of those questions — most people don’t. By the end of the first session, you’ll have a sense of whether the fit feels right, and your counselor will too.
How do I know which counselor is right for me?
You don’t have to figure that out on your own. When you reach out, we’ll ask a few questions about what you’re looking for and help match you with the right person. You can also browse the counselor profiles below to get a sense of who might be a good fit before you reach out.
What if I’ve had a bad experience with therapy before?
That’s more common than you might think, and it’s a completely understandable reason to be cautious. A bad therapeutic experience — feeling dismissed, not really understood, like the sessions weren’t going anywhere — is real. Our counselors are used to working with people who come in a little skeptical. The first session is low-stakes. If it doesn’t feel right, you’re not obligated to continue.
Is everything I share in sessions confidential?
Yes. All sessions are conducted using HIPAA-compliant software, and your records are protected by the same confidentiality standards that apply to any licensed therapist in the state. There are a small number of legally required exceptions involving safety, but those are rare and your counselor will be upfront about them.
How do I schedule the first session?
Review the therapists on our team that specialize in individual adult counseling. Click to view their profile and reach out to them directly. You may request an appointment by clicking on the green “Request an Appointment” button. However, we suggest also emailing the therapist to ensure they are accepting new clients.
