About Paulette

Approach

Perfection is a trap. I bring my humanity, humor, and warmth to each session alongside a deep commitment to non-judgment. My highest priorities are safety, authenticity, and showing up as a real person in the room.

I see the depth, wisdom, and complexity in every client, and find meaning in witnessing the unfolding of their story. The trust people place in me is something I continually work to earn.

When I make a misstep in our work, I aim to repair, stay curious, and learn. Growth is a shared and ongoing process.

Parenting

As a mother of two teens in a neurodivergent family, I’ve lived the uncertainty and fear many parents face. My hope is to help teens and families pause and notice their needs, then move toward understanding, healing, and deeper connection.

My guiding principles include acceptance, belonging, repair, and upholding or creating traditions that sustain and nourish. And above all, play! We must not take ourselves too seriously.

Modalities

I specialize in trauma, neurodivergence, anxiety, issues related to identity including gender and sexuality & family of origin.
 
Narrative Therapy views problems as separate from people and assumes we each have many skills, competencies, beliefs, and values to manage our struggles. We work to re-author the stories of your life and push back against painful internalized beliefs and shame.

Polyvagal Theory teaches us how our automatic nervous system protects us and determines how we operate in life. By building awareness and insight of these systems, we can learn techniques for creating a felt sense of safety.

Internal Family Systems helps to access your inner wisdom in ways that enable deeper understanding and self-compassion. Techniques include looking inward to discover emotional depths and outwardly to understand inherited patterns.

Family Modalities
Collaborative and Proactive Solutions, Strategic Therapy, Structural Therapy, and the STAY model.

All theories I work from are based in systems theory which honors the impact of multiple levels on us including socioeconomics, health, generational experiences, education, gender, race, age, culture, religion, and more.

Education & Experience

Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy from Antioch University Seattle. The mission of the AUS is to prepare and train knowledgeable, skilled, self-aware, ethical, and anti-racist therapists.

Trauma Counseling Certificate from Antioch University Seattle with training in Childhood Trauma, Neurobiology of Trauma, Polyvagal Theory (somatic), Internal Family Systems, Indigenous Wisdom, Social Justice, Restorative Justice and Community Building.

Person of the Therapist training, created by Dr. Harry Aponte, is a 9-month course for therapists to dig deep into our lived experiences and practice Knowledge of Self, Access of Self, and Use of Self to help us stay grounded and aware while supporting clients. POTT centers the idea of the Wounded Healer, that the wounds within therapists are powerful tools for empathy and strategy.

Internship with Sound Bel-Red supporting teens and their parents through challenges including divorce, financial hardship, social and relational difficulties, neurodivergence, suicidal ideation, immigration status, stress of schooling and pressure to succeed.

Crisis Text Line crisis counselors support texters through moments of intense overwhelm using safety planning, mindfulness, resource finding, and connecting through warmth and humanity.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, Wa.

Producer at Pine Street Codeworks, an independent game studio.

Owner & designer at snookus design.