Personal Experience
Hey there, wonderful families! I’m Margo Maxon, a licensed mental health counselor dedicated to creating a fun, safe, and affirming space for kids and teens. My goal is to make therapy an adventure where we discover and celebrate the unique brilliance of you. Therapy with me is not just about talking; it’s about play, laughter, and curious exploration. My own experiences as a neurodivergent and non-binary individual with a rich multicultural background have taught me a lot about unlocking the secrets of personal growth—insights I’m eager to share with your child or teen. Together, we’ll work on nurturing their special strengths, gifts, and building the confidence they need to thrive. My approach is designed to help them understand and manage the deep, sometimes overwhelming feelings that are part of growing up, ensuring that their journey feels both affirming and empowering.
Working with Children and Teens
I have an intimate understanding of the unique quirks, gifts, and strengths that come with being neurodivergent. In my work with children and teens, I specialize in providing multicultural, neurodivergent, and gender-affirming care, creating a space where each young person feels their individuality and expression are honored and respected. Whether your child is navigating Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, or the challenges of being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) or Twice-Exceptional (2e), I strive to make therapy not just a place of healing but also one of joy and self-discovery, through imaginative play, expressive arts, and immersive therapeutic methods. With a neurorelational whole-brain integration and experiential approach, we will collaborate in a way that feels creative, engaging, and most importantly, ensure we move at a pace where your child or teen feels safe and ready.
Approach to Therapy
For young children, I create a playfully captivating and nurturing environment where they can express their emotions through Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), play-based EMDR, and Sandplay. These evidence-based and holistic therapy approaches allow children to symbolically explore and play out their feelings at their appropriate developmental level, giving them a voice that isn’t just limited to words alone, which facilitates deeper whole-brain integration and healing. In addition, I focus on building their emotional vocabulary through creative role play and games, helping them to better understand and articulate their emotions. My use of Neurodiversity Affirming Play Therapy ensures that each child’s unique needs are acknowledged, affirmed, and supported, especially for those who are neurodivergent.
When working with teens, I blend my creativity with evidence-based, mind-and-body approaches to address the unique challenges of adolescence. For example, I enjoy integrating advanced EMDR strategies created for teens to help them process trauma and manage depression and anxiety. Additionally, I utilize Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) approaches specifically adapted for neurodivergent teens, which are designed to strengthen distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. My in-depth training in comprehensive Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) equips me with the neurorelational insight for building a strong therapeutic relationship, enabling teens to safely explore their identities and expressions, and navigate peer relationships. Through our collaboration, I support teens to develop a strong sense of self to face life’s challenges with new perspectives and skills.
Ready to Begin
I would be honored to spend some time getting to know you or your family, hearing about what you are experiencing, and how I might be able to support you. I look forward to the opportunity to support you. We are in this together!
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Bio
Training & Certification
- EMDR for Working with Children & Adolescents Level 1 & 2, EMDR Institute
- EMDR Practical Strategies for Problems of Attachment & Dissociation in Children & Adolescents, EMDR Institute
- Counseling Foundations: Multicultural, Diversity, & Social Justice, Adrian Thompson, PhD
- Lifespan Integration (LI) Therapy Level 1 & 2, Seattle WA
- Comprehensive Course in Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), Mindsight Institute
- Neurorelational Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), Play Strong Institute
- Play Therapy, Interpersonal Neurobiology, & Neurodiversity, Play Strong Institute
- Neurodiversity Affirming Play Therapy, Robert Jason Grant, Ed.D, LPC, RPT-S, ACAS
- Introduction to Sandplay, Linda Cunningham, PhD, MFT, CST-T
- Symbols and Symbolic Process in Sandplay, Linda Cunningham, PhD, MFT, CST-T
- In a Child’s Language: Sandplay with Children, Barbara Brugler, LCSW, LISW-S, CST-T
- Mind-Body Approaches for Health Psychology, Brad Lichtenstein, ND, BCB, BCB-HRV
- Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) for Morbid & Harm OCD, Charles Brady, PhD, ABPP
- Exposure Relapse Prevention (ERP) Intervention for OCD, Charles Brady, PhD, ABPP
- OCD Without Compulsive Behaviors, Charles Brady, PhD, ABPP
- Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) Levels 1 through 5, US Dept. of Veterans Affairs
- Trauma Counseling, Heather Post, MA, LMHC
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Processing Therapy (TF-CPT), Medical U of SC
- Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) for Children & Adolescents, Medical U of SC
- Compassion-Based Approaches for Working with Shame, Kristin Neff, PhD
- Behavioral Activation (BA) Treatment Interventions for Depression & Anxiety, Kevin Criswell, PhD
- Collaborative and Integrative Care in Psychology, Kevin Criswell, PhD
- Psychopharmacology, Danielle Ung, PhD
- Substance & Chemical Addictions, Carly Hood, MSW, LICSW
- Treating the Complex Patient, Anne O’Melia, MS, MD, FAPA
- Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Level 1 and 2, Faster EFT Institute
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1, Gottman Institute
- 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, Center for Yoga of Seattle
- HIPAA Compliance in Group and Private Practice, Benjamin Caldwell, PsyD, LMFT
- Telehealth: Legal and Ethical Issues, Benjamin Caldwell, PsyD, LMFT
Education & Degrees
- M.A., Counseling Psychology, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA
- B.A., Psychology, Eastern Washington University, Bellevue, WA
- The Hoffman Process Graduate, San Rafeal CA
Volunteer
- The Sophia Way, Women’s Homeless Shelter Volunteer, Bellevue, WA
License
- WA DOH Licensed Mental Health Counselor #LH70012472
Other Languages
- Japanese