“No purpose intervenes between I and You, no greed and no anticipation; and longing itself is changed as it plunges from the dream into appearance. Every means is an obstacle. Only where all means have disintegrated encounters occur.”
—Martin Buber
About Me
My name is John Totten. I am a teacher, writer, musician, and perhaps most importantly, a licensed therapist who works with individuals and groups. My offices are in the Ballard and Georgetown neighborhoods in Seattle and I work with all kinds of people with all kinds of concerns, ranging from depression to anxiety to issues of identity and trauma.
You might want to know what kind of therapist I am, and there are all kinds of big words I can use to let you know my theoretical orientation- Existential, relational, interpersonal, psychodynamic. These words simply mean that I like to focus on who you are, who you have been, and who you are becoming in relation to yourself and others around you.
One of the weird things about being a person is that no amount of words will ever describe us. So I encourage you to give me a call and begin to investigate for yourself whether or not you feel we might work together well.
Areas of Focus
I specialize in the following areas.
- Gender/Sexuality
- LGBTQ Issues
- Spirituality
- Depression and Anxiety
- Grief and Loss
- Anger management
Experience
While completing my Master of the Arts in Counseling Psychology at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology in Spring 2012, I worked as a therapist for a year in The Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities. There I worked in the LGBTQ community as an individual counselor as well as a group facilitator working with individuals who were coping with change. I left to work at Sound Mental Health with individuals who were involved in the criminal justice system and probation. My work there focused on issues of domestic violence, anger and depression. I also taught a class to new counselors at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology called Trauma Stewardship. In 2014, I returned to Seattle Counseling Service to continue my work with folks in the LGBTQ community. There, I earned my license as a mental health counselor and became a consultant for sexual minority and African-American populations.
I am currently adjunct faculty at Seattle Pacific University where I have taught various psychology courses and currently teach Community Psychology.
I am fully licensed in the state of Washington (LH 60341597) and am recognized by King County as a sexual minorities consultant.
Fees and Policies
My fee is $160 per 50-minute individual session. Because I want to remain affordable to those who are seeking counseling, I do reserve some slots for clients who have limited income.
If you need the reduced fee and/or a free consultation, please bring that to my attention when you contact me and we can discuss the details before we meet.
Insurance
I accept these forms of insurance:
- LifeWise
- Premera
For other forms of coverage, I am an out-of network provider. Check with your insurance provider for coverage. I can provide invoices or monthly statements for you to submit to your provider for reimbursement upon request.
Cancellation
If you need to cancel our appointment, please contact me 48 hours prior to our session. If you cancel with less than 48 hours notice or do not show up to our session, you will be charged for the session, emergencies excluded.
Supervision
If you are a mental health counselor who is seeking licensure, I am a Washington state certified supervisor. I have extensive experience working in several marginalized populations, including the LGBTQ community and with individuals who are involved with the justice system.
For those therapists who are coming out of relational and interpersonal academic programs, I know that integrating your theoretical view into a system, such as community mental health, can be challenging. I have taught a graduate course at the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology on this topic. My approach to supervision is heavily focused on countertransference and case conceptualization.
My fee for supervision is $125 for a 50-minute session. I will complete all required forms at the end of our time working together.
