Ellen McMahon

Treatment Issues: Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Eating Disorders, Life Transitions, Pre-Marital, Couples, Parenting, Relationships

Education & Training: B.A. from the University of Washington and M.B.A from Seattle University.  Currently enrolled in the Counseling Psychology Doctorate program at the College of Behavioral Sciences at Northwest University.

Background and Experience: Ellen has worked in big business, government positions, and small non-profits including Boeing Computer Services, the City of Kirkland, the Eating Recovery Center of WA, Northwest University, and various volunteer positions supporting her community. She has worked as a volunteer in pastoral ministry at Overlake and Evergreen Medical Centers. She also is currently employed as a teacher’s aid at Northwest University and as a milieu coordinator at the Eating Recovery Center of WA.

Special Interests & Services: While Ellen draws from different theoretical viewpoints and provides a variety of approaches to meet the individual needs of her clients, she is primarily influenced by Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Brief Solution Focused Therapy (BSFT) and Internal Family Systems psychotherapy model. EFT upholds that adaptive emotional regulation is key to addressing the needs of the individual. CBT serves to assist in addressing negative belief systems and help the individual transform those to productive and beneficial thought processes. As the name suggests, BSFT is solution, not problem-focused, and is a collaborative, goal-setting approach that helps clients move toward more a satisfying life. The Internal Family Systems model helps identify connections between early childhood attachment and family of origin issues as the root of many psychological concerns. Ellen strives to provide an environment that allows her clients to feel safe to share their stories. She offers reduced fees to those who meet the financial guidelines.

Additional Info: Ellen’s father served in the U.S. Air Force and, as a child, her family lived in many areas of the United States, as well as, Stuttgart, Germany and Taipei, Taiwan. She continues to be passionate about traveling and has visited many countries including Thailand, Korea, Turkey, Cuba, Mexico, El Salvador, Poland, and many European countries and Caribbean islands. She loves to sail, kayak, play tennis, cook, work in her garden, read books and watch movies. Most of all, Ellen is passionate about working with individuals with diverse backgrounds and she firmly believes that the approach to healing needs to embrace the whole person.