About
Darby Robertson (she/they)
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) and Substance Use Disorder Professional Trainee (SUDPT) based in Seattle. I provide individual and relationship therapy to adults (18+) throughout Washington State.
I understand the dynamic relationship that can exist between mental health and substance use and pursued dual credentials as an LMHCA and SUDPT to be able to offer holistic behavioral health support to my clients. Whether you’re seeking support related to mental health, substance use, or both, I can help.
I have been in the behavioral health field since 2016, during which time I have had the opportunity to work with clients in a variety of settings and circumstances. I have experience working in crisis services, providing outpatient counseling to individuals and couples, as well as group facilitation. My background allows me to have a unique familiarity with health systems and resource navigation as well as the ability to remain compassionate and grounded in the presence of deep human emotions.
Outside of work, my joy comes from spending time with plants and animals, finding new places to launch my kayak, and the satisfying challenge of a good puzzle.
Approach to Counseling
Treatment Philosophy
My philosophy toward helping is one of collaboration and respect for every human’s inherent resources and capacity for healing. I believe strongly in client-centered work, which means I feel a deep sense of responsibility to support you in ways that center your needs and values, trusting that you know yourself best. My approach is also heavily informed by a systems perspective, meaning I believe people’s emotional wellbeing is inextricably linked to their social, cultural, and political surroundings. Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are the complex culmination of all our past experiences and relationships. We do not exist in a vacuum and therefore healing cannot occur in a vacuum. At the core of my therapeutic approach is my belief that we heal and transform through authentic and empathic connection.
Theoretical Orientation
My goal is to assist you in better understanding yourself, the people around you, and how your relationships and life experiences have shaped who you are. My style is warm, relational, and shame-free. I am experienced in addressing diverse client concerns and believe in tailoring therapy to meet the unique needs of each individual. I use an integrative approach that is grounded in attachment theory and incorporates a variety of therapeutic modalities, including humanistic, feminist, emotion-focused, existential, motivational interviewing, and polyvagal theory to provide personalized, trauma-informed care.
Therapeutic Tenets
I integrate a social justice and anti-oppressive lens into my clinical practice and strive to ensure clients feel wholly seen and supported in all their identities. I am queer-, poly-, and sex-positive, aligned with Health At Every Size (HAES) Principles, and committed to anti-racism. Our identities—numerous, unique, and intersecting—are relevant to the therapeutic space. I welcome conversations around privilege and oppression, recognizing that valuable insight and growth often emerges from productive discomfort. In our work together, I hope to explore how you may have been impacted by broader systems and whether you’ve internalized narratives that could be undermining your ability to show up authentically and experience genuine connection.
The Therapeutic Relationship
As an attachment-focused counselor, our therapeutic relationship is at the center of my practice. It is my profound hope that our work together will help you feel understood, accepted, and empowered. We come to know ourselves best in relationships and I aspire to do my part to ensure that ours can become a secure base and safe haven from which you can bravely explore the parts of your experience that feel challenging, scary, shameful, or unknown. With my approach, and your willingness, we will work together to identify the ways you want to invite change into your life, and how to get there.
Education and Training
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA; MC61466521) and Substance Use Disorder Professional Trainee (SUDPT; CO61374319) in the state of Washington. I received a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Certificate in Addiction Studies from the CACREP-accredited Antioch University Seattle in 2023 and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Washington in 2016.
As an LMHCA and SUDPT, my work is overseen by DOH Approved Supervisors in accordance with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC; 246-809-234 for LMHCAs and 246-811-049 for SUDPTs).
Dr. Dani Baker, PhD, LMFT (LF60143437), ATR-BC is my primary supervisor. I receive supplemental supervision and consultation from Lex Rivers, MSW, LMHC (LH00009747), SUDP (CP00001970).