There's the life you've settled for and the one you actually want, and honest, engaged therapy is about closing that gap. I'm Julie Thatcher, and I work with individuals and couples on addiction recovery, trauma, and the relationship strain that often comes with both. I also see adolescents starting at age 12.

You don't have to have it figured out before you walk in the door. I'm trained in EMDR, a treatment that helps the brain reprocess difficult memories so they stop feeling as raw and present-tense as they once did, and I'm a Certified RLT Relational Coach through the Relational Life Institute, now working toward the final level of RLT certification. Relational Life Therapy is a couples approach built around direct, honest communication rather than polite avoidance. For addiction-related work specifically, I also draw on 12-step integration, meeting clients where they already are in that process rather than asking them to choose one framework over the other. I hold a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling and continue building on that training through ongoing EMDR and RLT coursework.

I practice under the supervision of Margaret MacLeod, LMFT, an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, and every case I carry gets a second, credentialed set of eyes as standard practice, not as a backup plan.

People in recovery, trauma survivors, and couples rebuilding trust work with me in Tacoma and across Washington when they want EMDR-trained care and would rather talk about what's actually happening than perform having it together.

Not sure whether EMDR or RLT fits your situation? Ask first, and we'll figure out pacing that fits your actual life. Recovery work in particular tends to move at its own pace, and I'd rather build a plan that actually fits your life than push a timeline that doesn't.