AboutMy early childhood was spent in Central Los Angeles, where seasons were defined by my teacher's changing bulletin board decor - amber leaves in Fall, snowflakes in Winter, and flowers in Spring - all made out of colored construction paper. I never understood that seasons were real until our family moved to North Carolina when I was 9. The experience of seeing an actual snowflake crystal was one of those mind-expanding "aha" moments of my life. I did not know what I did not know until I experienced it through my senses.
The profound understanding I experienced that first snowfall is akin to those precious moments when my clients access a part of themselves that had been blocked from their awareness. Even after 25 years as a therapist, I still have a child's sense of wonder about people's stories and the unique paths that each person's life has taken. My job is to help my clients create a deep sense of curiosity about themselves, to expand their own understanding from a 2D, intellectual and verbal level of comprehension, to a deeper sense of understanding that is tangible and unmistakable. Through attuned guidance, I aim to help clients shine light on unmapped territory; through practicing skills in session, I will aim to help you experience the ebb and flow of emotions and sensations. With greater access to this internal information and support in navigating the trials of life, clients feel more empowered, energized, and confident. Education and Work Experience I completed a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1998 at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, where I met my husband. After completing my internship in UC Irvine, we headed to the Pacific Northwest and found ourselves blissfully at home. I am licensed as a psychologist in Washington State and in California. A mainstay of my professional life has been in university counseling centers across the country including Western Washington University, Miami University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of California, Irvine, and Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. I have served as the Director of Children and Family Services in Mt. Vernon and as the Director of City University's Master's degree programs in Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Counseling, and Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling. My involvement in training future therapists has extended from teaching various graduate courses in psychology, to my active involvement in training pre-doctoral interns. I am also an Approved Supervisor for the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. Over the years I have also had several part-time private practice businesses -- in Seattle, Mt. Vernon, and in Bellingham. With a leap of faith in July of 2015, I left my role at the Western Washington University Counseling Center to start a full-time private practice in Fairhaven, joining my colleague Sarah Voth to create FLOURISH Food and Body. I am truly excited to be able to provide our beloved Bellingham community with this resource. My Approach For therapy to be effective, you should feel comfortable with the therapist you choose. In our first meeting, I will encourage you to pay attention to how it “feels” with me, if you have the sense that we “click" or that I have the capacity to understand you. If not, I will encourage you to try meeting with another therapist. I hold the belief that clients have the answers and that it is my job to create a context of compassion while fostering an openness to exploration and a willingness to sit with “not knowing.” Meanwhile, the client’s job is to help me “get it right” -- to help me understand their inner experience. It is through this process that I have witnessed clients feel more empowered, let go of destructive or limiting behaviors, and take risks that had previously seemed out of reach. My theoretical orientation is largely interpersonal and emotion-focused. I often use neurobiologically-informed treatment modalities in session, including Lifespan Integration, Sensori-motor Psychotherapy, and Interpersonal Neurobiology. While these terms sound highfalutin, I have observed that many clients heal more quickly with these approaches than with traditional talk therapy. I am LGBTQA-affirming, and will focus on creating a respectful and empowering space to support your growth. Eating Disorder Specialization In high school, I took a class that sparked one of those "aha" moments when I realized that cultural messages about women's bodies directly impacted the INTERNAL thoughts and feelings I had about my body (in particular, its monthly cycles.) This insight inspired me to appreciate my own body, sparked my dissertation research on women's body image, and ultimately ignited my passion for helping people heal from disordered eating. The clients who have shared their stories with me over the last 16 years have honed my respect for the courage it takes to open up about these painfully private issues. And they taught me about the path of recovery. As I sit across from my clients today, I often have the sense I am passing an invisible baton of wisdom from those who have sat across from me in the past. |
Deena Rathkamp, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist Washington License #PY2440 California License #PSY25528 |