Kelsey O'Neill

Short Biography

Hey, I’m Kelsey (she/her). I am a licensed mental health counselor in Seattle, Washington. I completed my master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Bastyr University, where my studies heavily emphasized connecting mental health, somatic (body-focused) healing, and social determinants of health. Prior to starting Rain Shadow Therapy, I provided therapy for adolescents and adults struggling with eating disorders, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and trauma in residential treatment, partial hospitalization programs, and intensive outpatient care. I truly love being a therapist and consider myself exceedingly lucky to do this as a job. As a queer and neurodivergent woman, I know how life changing therapy can be. I am a lifelong learner; I thrive when I am expanding my skills and knowledge. Both in and out of work, I strive to examine my own biases and privileges, and to practice deconstructing harmful and oppressive beliefs. Outside of work, you can find me playing around with recipes in the kitchen, reading fantasy books, singing along (badly but enthusiastically) to musicals, exploring trails with my dog, Lou, and cuddling with my cat, Truffle.

Therapy Philosophy

I firmly believe that you are the expert of your own experience. Therapy is not one-size-fits-all; I see you as a whole person that is deeply impacted by a variety of systems, from your immediate family, to larger socioeconomic and geopolitical environments. I utilize collaborative and integrative approaches to therapy, pulling from several modalities such as attachment-based therapy, expressive arts, somatic therapy, emotion-focused therapy, trauma-informed care, person-centered, and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), while employing an intersectional feminist and anti-oppressive systemic framework. I welcome clients of all sexualities, gender identities, races, ethnicities, and body sizes.

Special Training & Certifications

I work with folks who are going through all sorts of challenges, but here are a few concerns that I work with most frequently: - Childhood trauma + familial dysfunction - Political stress and overwhelm - Perfectionism and burnout - Life transitions - Self-criticism, shame, or worthlessness - Disordered eating, chronic dieting, body image issues - Body acceptance, liberation, and experiences of fatphobia - Recovering from sexual assault or abuse

Clinical Focus / Specialties

Therapist Methodology

Core Values