About Emilia
I am a PNW transplant from New England, living with my partner, senior dog, and two young cats in a small house in the heart of Seattle. I come from a medium-sized family - straight up colonizers on my dad’s side (literally arrived on the Mayflower) with Irish and Italian immigrants on my mom’s side. While religion was a part of my culture and my history, I deconstructed in my 30s and welcomed my queer identity while in graduate school. Diagnosed late-in-life neurodivergent, I finally feel like the many pieces of my identity have found their home in the current iteration of who I believe myself to be. I have always been fascinated with the human experience, who people are deep down, what motivates us, how we behave, communicate, and relate to one another. My curiosity about identity formation and the existential realities of humanity drove me to this field to companion with others through the complexity of life. I have traversed the roads of suffering and grief, goodness and beauty, and I desire to explore and tend to these important areas with you as well.
Outside of my career, I enjoy the company of friends, family, pets, and houseplants. I can be found walking the Seattle neighborhoods smelling roses, identifying plants, and spotting wildlife. I am passionate about the arts and comedy, writing poetry and prose, and finding creative ways to express myself and my experiences.
Credentials, Trainings, and Memberships:
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology
Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate
Certified Trauma Professional (CTP) from Evergreen Certifications
Certified Grief Informed Professional (CGP) from Evergreen Certifications
Center for Object Relations Membership
My Background
I offer trauma-informed, social justice-oriented, culturally sensitive care, paying close attention to the marginalized identities you experience. I work with individuals deconstructing oppressive ideology, processing trauma or abuse, facing experiences of grief, whether acute or ambiguous, living with neurodivergence, and folks in the LGBTQIA+ community. My work is to offer you a safe, empathetic, and accepting space to further explore your internal and external realities. Together, we will be curious about your unique life experience, the impact of your experience, the struggles and conflicts you face, and what you need to thrive. I believe therapy is the process of uncovering who you were meant to be before the world told you who you should be and wounded you with its expectations and cruelty.
In our work together, I will draw from relational, existential, and psychodynamic approaches to support deep, meaningful change. This means we will explore how your past experiences and relationships shape your current patterns, while also making space for the big questions—identity, purpose, connection, and meaning. I view therapy as a collaborative relationship where healing happens through honest reflection, emotional insight, and mutual trust. You can expect a warm, grounded space where we gently examine what’s not working and nurture what is ready to grow, likely with a healthy dose of humor.
Contact me: www.soulwend.com; emilia@soulwend.com