son·der
n. the realization that everyone has a story
Sonder Psychotherapy was founded on the understanding that everyone lives a life as vivid and complex as our own. While our journeys may differ, we are united in the human desire to nurture personal growth and meaningful connection. Along the way, we honor everyone’s inherent worth and dignity and offer an opportunity to share your story.
inclusive, trauma-informed counseling in Bellevue, WA
and online throughout WAshington state
Care for every body, every background, every story.
You're here because part of you believes things can be different, even if you can't quite see how yet.
You're tired of feeling like you're too much for some people and not enough for others.
Because you know that your story isn't over
— and the next chapter can be written differently.
You’re in the right spot.
How we work
At the core of our approach to therapy is a belief that every person's inner world deserves to be witnessed with care and curiosity.
At Sonder Psychotherapy, we provide inclusive, trauma-informed counseling for individuals, couples, and families of all ages and backgrounds — meeting each client where they are and supporting them toward healing, resilience, and a life that feels wholly and authentically their own.
Get to know us
-
Merrill Shattuck
Relationships | Trauma | Life Transitions
-
Emily Altobelli
LGBTQIA+ | Neurodivergence | Gen Z & Millennials
This isn't about becoming someone "different."
The goal was never transformation for its own sake. It's about returning — to your own voice, your own instincts, your own sense of what feels true. Healing isn't addition. More often, it's subtraction — releasing what was never really yours to carry in the first place.
HEre’s what we believe about therapy:
The best investment you can make is in yourself.
Not the productivity hack, the new routine, or the self-help book — though those have their place. We're talking about the deeper work. The kind that changes how you move through the world, how you relate to the people you love, and how you feel when you're alone with your own thoughts. That kind of investment pays dividends for a lifetime.
You are inherently deserving of a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.
Of relationships that feel safe. Of a mind that isn't constantly working against you. Of rest that actually restores you. Of joy that doesn't come with guilt attached. You are deserving of all of it — not when you've earned it, not when things settle down, but right now, exactly as you are.
We at Sonder Psychotherapy honor the land on which we work — the unceded ancestral territory of the Duwamish (Dkhw Duw'Absh) and Snoqualmie Peoples, the original stewards of this region. Their communities and cultures remain vibrant today, and we are grateful for their enduring presence and ongoing relationship with this land.
Just as our practice is built on the belief that every person's story deserves recognition and respect, we acknowledge the stories, sovereignty, and resilience of these tribes and all Coast Salish peoples. In keeping with our values of equity and accountability, we are committed to moving beyond acknowledgment into action — including paying Real Rent to the Duwamish Tribe as one small, ongoing step toward accountability and repair.