Emily Grooms, MA, LMFT
-Psychotherapist-
I created Unity Psychotherapy out of a passion to help others find unity and wholeness in their lives. I believe the best way to facilitate this journey is by prioritizing collaboration and client attunement. Simply put, my clients bring their life expertise, I bring my educational and practical expertise, we both bring our human experience, and together we co-create the connection that is the foundation for healing in the therapeutic relationship.
I deeply believe that every person has wisdom and insights that are integral to their own healing process. I provide a safe, open, curious, and playful environment where my clients are free to explore the depths of human existence - the joy - and the suffering - so as to discover and rediscover what it truly means to feel connected and whole. I help my clients explore the broader systems that they are surrounded by, and encourage and guide my clients in self exploration. Together we create a space that honors personal learning. I prioritize slowing down and taking time to explore with my clients how their mind, body, and spirit can better work together to help them live more fulfilling lives. I tailor my work with each client based on how they show up in this life.
I have studied psychology, the human condition, and expanded states of consciousness for over 10 years. I earned my Master of Arts in psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, from Antioch University with a trauma informed addictions concentration, and my Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Washington with a minor in Gender Women and Sexuality Studies. I have additional training through the EMDR Institute, Seattle Hakomi Education Network, and the Beckley Academy. I am also in self study with Internal Family Systems (IFS) and hope to join a training in the future. I have made it my life's work to be a therapist, and I am profoundly grateful for each and every client that I have the opportunity to work with… I am so happy you are here!
SERVICES
“Let me fall if I must fall. The one I will become will catch me.”
- Baal Shem Tov
INDIVIDUAL
Talk therapy, EMDR, Hakomi, Preparation & Integration
55 minute session - $175.00
I integrate talk therapy, Hakomi, and EMDR in my general approach with individuals and couples. Focus on an individual modality is welcomed and can be arranged at any time during our work together. If you are seeking preparation and integration sessions, a commitment to 2-3 prep and 2-3 integration sessions is recommended as a minimum to get the most out of experiences with non-ordinary states of consciousness.
“We get together on the basis of our similarities; we grow on the basis of our differences.”
- Virginia Satir
COUPLE / RELATIONSHIP
55 minute session - $175.00
I see clients Monday through Friday, and offer daytime and evening appointments. I primarily work with individual adults, older teens, and couples. I also work with other relationship dynamics and families. I am happy to individualize care based on client needs. Sessions involving more than one person are the same rate as couples counseling.
I like to schedule a free 20 minute face-to-face, phone, or video consultation before we decide to establish care. I believe in the importance of client therapist fit and like to give us both time to get to know one another before we decide to work together.
My practice is private pay - I am also an out-of-network provider with many insurers. I offer a sliding scale and set aside a certain number of low rate sessions for those with great financial need. Variable rates can be discussed in person at our first meeting, or at any time during our work together. Sliding scale slots are currently full - this page will be updated as slots become available.
Using out-of-network benefits
Clinical services may be covered in part or in full by your health insurance plan if you have out-of-network coverage. Check your coverage carefully by asking your provider these questions:
- Do I have “out-of-network” mental health insurance benefits?
- What is my deductible and has it been met?
- What is my “co-insurance”?
- How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
- What is the coverage amount per session?
- Do you cover billing code 90837 (for individual counseling) or 90847 (for family/couple counseling)?
- Do you cover services for Emily Grooms, LMFTA, license #MG 60903057; NPI# 1164959987?
- Is approval required from my primary care doctor?
In instances where out-of-network benefits are covered, you will be responsible for payment at the time of service and your insurance will reimburse your expenses. If you are planning on using out-of-network benefits and need documentation, I can provide a super-bill for you to submit to your insurance provider.
Benefits of paying out-of-pocket
Insurance companies mandate a mental health diagnosis, oversee your health records, and may seek access to your information while in therapy. They may also limit your coverage to a set number of therapy sessions per year, regardless of what you might be going through. When considering the implications of using insurance, paying out-of-pocket is a better fit for some.
My office is located in the historic Beeson Building in the heart of downtown Edmonds Ancestral land of the Sdohobsh (Snohomish) past and present.
There is free onsite and street parking. Unfortunately, due to the age of the building, my office is not ADA accessible. If you have any questions about services and are in need of accommodations because of accessibility issues, please contact me and we can discuss any other options that may be available. I also provide Telehealth services for those within the state of Washington who are unable to make it for in person sessions.
APPROACH
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I change.”
- CARL ROGERS
Challenges are our biggest teachers, they give us a window into where we need to heal that otherwise would remain outside of our reach…
My approach comes from a mindfulness, somatic, systemic, humanistic, and anti-oppression perspective that views our needs by considering family, society, and culture, and how these influences impact us as we move through life. I am sensitive to identities in regards to age, race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, class, spirituality, and religion, and legacy traumas such as colonization, patriarchy, individualism, and materialism, and how these identities and experiences impact the way we think and feel about ourselves and the world we live in. I also consider neuroscience, body awareness, and other healing philosophies as avenues to support deep and lasting experiential understandings.
We are impacted by the systems around us in subtle and not so subtle ways. Through an awareness of understanding the ways in which we react to and embody these interactions with others, we can begin to embrace vast opportunities to grow and learn about ourselves and the systems we live in. I believe each person possesses the wisdom they need to be the best version of themselves, yet, messages, and trauma from the outside oftentimes get turned inside as well. These oppressions instill deep hurts that can make a person question the right to their innate humanness: the right to their own thought processes, sense of belonging, lovability, safety, freedom to choose, and hopefulness. When we are distanced from our innate human qualities, we forget we have wisdom. Through experiencing the process of attunement, and trauma healing with ones own mind, body, and spirit, both in individual and relational work, I believe that lasting and empowering healing can happen, and that unity of self can be restored.
Mindfulness can be an extremely useful tool to explore personal life challenges and to gain a stronger awareness of our relationship with self and others. Mindful awareness involves learning to observe in a curious, compassionate, and nonjudgemental way so as to strengthen insight and understanding. With increased mindful awareness, we are able to observe patterns that no longer serve us and create opportunities for new patterns that do. Strengthening the "observing mind" increases clairty-and-ease in our ability to learn from, and lean into experiences so we can live more authentically and joyfully. In relationship, mindfulness can help us better understand how multiple perspectives and experiences intertwine to create opportunities for growth and healing. Lastly, mindful awareness helps us embody experiential understandings by attuning to, strengthening, and integrating into our lives positive changes from the psychotherapy experience.
When we slow down and learn the language of the body, we are more likely to experience lasting growth and change. By deepening our listening abilities, we are better attuned to receive the messages that our bodies and soma provide us. This kind of quiet and curious listening is a pathway into our subconscious awareness and deepens our healing processes.
In addition to traditional psychotherapy for individuals and couples, I also specialize in EMDR, Hakomi, and hold a safe space for individuals looking to therapeutically prepare for and integrate experiences with psychedelics, plant medicines, and other non ordinary states of consciousness. Under no circumstances do I administer or offer psychedelic substances to clients, I offer a safe space for preparation and integration sessions only.
ABOUT ME
“Tell me, what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
- Mary Oliver
My backgrounD
I am a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and aunt. I am of mixed European, Scandinavian, and Celtic background, and am on a lifelong journey of reconnecting to my unique ancestral heritage, culture, and spirituality. I grew up within the lush and misty Redwood forest, and along the wild and pristine Pacific Ocean beaches of Northern California. I live with my husband and our daughter, and our two cats and two dogs. I love spending time in nature, being near water, making spontaneous music, art as life, moving my body, and spending time with my dear ones. I create spaces, food, interactions, and day to day activities with attention to the art form within all expressions. This shows up in interior design, cooking, arranging, doing, and being, in a mindful and intentional way. My favorite beverage is warm water, and my favorite meal is lasagna. I am a student of life, and committed to a practice of lifelong healing and growth.
I have extensive experience with meditation, and have taken several courses and studied in the tradition of Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka whose teacher was Sayagyi U Ba Khin. I have maintained a personal practice for nearly a decade.
I have practiced yoga for 20 years. I am currently studying and practicing Sivinanda yoga in the tradition of Adi Sankaracharya, and have plans to receive teacher training to become a certified Sivinanda yoga instructor in the future.
I have worked with and studied addiction and substance abuse with an emphasis on the impacts of trauma and addiction. I view addiction as a spiritual and relational illness, and as a mental health issue. I work with individuals, couples, and families impacted by addiction. I consider client needs and find it extremely important to work collaboratively with those struggling to overcome addiction. I also support my clients in finding appropriate resources and will make referrals to outside care when necessary.
I have a curiosity for neuroscience and seek out cutting edge research to further expand on my understanding of how the mind and brain work together with the rest of the body within human experience. Having research and science that support theories in therapy and other healing practices makes it really exciting to be a therapist! I also consider holistic practices and have an interest in somatic and energy therapies. I am open to working with clients who may prefer alternative medicine, who are interested in plant medicine and integration work, or who may have other non-traditional views and intersts.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND MEMBERSHIP
Hakomi method level 1
Hakomi method level 2
EMDR Institute training 1
EMDR Institute training 2
EMDR Somatic and Energetic Resourcing level 1
Gottman level 1
Beckley Academy Foundations in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy certificate
AAMFT American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
WAMFT Washington Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
Reiki level 1
Reiki level 2
Study abroad France, Psychology and Buddhist philosophy
Study abroad Chile, Psychology and healthcare
King county crisis line volunteer
Contact
Current clients may use the link below to access scheduling and messaging services in their secure client portal.
I see clients in person in my downtown Edmonds office and online via a HIPPA compliant video platform.
Please reach out if you would like to connect:
emily@unitypsychotherapy.com
(425)616-3009
406 Main Street Suite 111a Edmonds, WA 98020
I have deep gratitude for the land I work and live on, and its ancestral stewards, the Sdohobsh (Snohomish) people of the North Salish Sea region, past and present.
INspiration
“To love is to recognize yourself in another.”
- Eckhart Tolle
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I change.”
- Carl Rogers
One
By Shawnee Kellie
One word can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream;
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald Spring.
One smile can bring a friendship,
One handclasp can lift a soul;
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One cheer can obtain a goal.
One vote can change a Nation,
One sunbeam can lift a room;
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One look can change two lives;
One kiss can make love bloom.
One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer;
One hope can raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what’s true;
One life can make a difference,
One life is me and you. . .
“When I understand myself, I understand you, and out of that understanding comes love.”
- Juddu Krishnamurti
The Guest House
By Jellaludin Rumi
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrow,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
Meet them all at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
Because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
“Feeling everything deeply doesn’t mean you’re fragile. It means you’re still alive and it’s your turn to experience the universe, and you’re brave enough to participate fully in that chance.”
- Jennifer Williamson
It’s Up to You
By Linda E. Knight
This life is the only one you're given.
Look for opportunities to grow, and never be discouraged in your efforts to do so.
Replace your weaknesses with positives; take life broken pieces and re-create your dreams.
Never measure the future by the past; let yesterday become a memory and tomorrow a promise.
Begin each day by focusing on all that is good, and you'll be in a position to handle whatever comes along.
Take responsibility for your actions; never make excuses for not being the best you can be.
If you should slip, be comforted by the thought that we all do at times.
Determine your tomorrow by the choices you make today, and you'll find yourself living in joy and triumph.
“We cannot live in the past; it is gone. Nor can we live in the future; it is forever beyond our grasp. We can live only in the present. If we are unaware of our present actions, we are condemned to repeating the mistakes of the past and can never succeed in attaining our dreams for the future.”
- S.N. Goenka
Pausing to be present with the life energy
coursing through your body
is living poetry.
It feels like Life is breathing you,
and the whole thing is a poem.
You know that you are blessed
and you see yourself everywhere.
- Jennifer Williamson
“Document the moments when you feel most in love with yourself - what you’re wearing, who you’re around, what you’re doing. Recreate and repeat.”
- warsan Shire
Sometimes you will amaze yourself.
Sometimes you will disappoint yourself.
Accept and allow both to happen.
That’t the only way
You will grow yourself.
- Nidhi Kush Shah
“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing it’s best, night and day, to make you like everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.”
E.E. Cummings
Note to self
by Nidhi kush shah
You don’t always have to be
The best version of yourself.
Sometimes you just need to
Be yourself.
And thats perfectly alright too.
“The secret to being yourself is to do what comes naturally to you nothing more, nothing less.”
- Nidhi kush shah
It Takes Courage
Anonymous
It takes strength to be firm, it takes courage to be gentle.
It takes strength to conquer, it takes courage to surrender.
It takes strength to be certain, it takes courage to have doubt.
It takes strength to fit it, it takes courage to stand out.
It takes strength to feel a friends pain, it takes courage to feel your own pain.
It takes strength to endure abuse, it takes courage to stop it.
It takes strength to stand alone, it takes courage to lean on another.
It takes strength to love, it takes courage to be loved.
It takes strength to survive, it takes courage to live.
“Believe in yourself so fiercely that when others look at you they start believing in themselves too.”
- Nidhi kush shan
Like seeds on the wind
our intentions
spread far and wide
unfurling their power
as they go
until they find the environment
balanced just right
for our dreams
to take root
and begin to grow
- cristen rodgers
“The person brave enough to share when something hurts is the emblem of courage, not fragility.”