Deidre Darling-Shea

About Deidre

Deidre earned a masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Whitworth University and a Bachelors degree in Sociology from Washington State University. She is licensed in the State of Washington as a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate (MG61073725) under the supervision of Dr. Becky Rudd LMHC, LMFT, RPT-S  and Leah Parker MS, LMHC

Deidre has specialized in working with young children and their families. Trained in family therapy along with evidence-based practices for children ages 3- 9, Deidre is well poised to provide exceptional care for a range of childhood mental and behavioral health problems. Her ideal client is a child who is acting out because of minor, or major, life transitions such as a move, divorce in the family, birth of a sibling. Additionally, Deidre's prior experience providing therapy in the schools gives her unique knowledge and skills to help children be success at both school and home.

Deidre's areas of specialty are:

• ADHD
• Anger Management
• Behavioral Issues
• Children and Adolescent
• Chronic Illness
• Coping Skills
• Depression
• Developmental Disorders
• Divorce
• Family Conflict
• Learning Disabilities
• Life Transitions
• Oppositional Defiance
• Parenting
• Peer Relationships
• School Issues
• Self-harming
• Self-esteem
• Spirituality
• Stress

A Message from Deidre

It can be hard to find the perfect counselor to help you through new or returning hardships. As a parent or caregiver, you want your child to feel happy and confident. My goal is to make the counseling process easy and approachable for you and your child. To me, the most important part of counseling is making sure you and your child feel understood and valued. If you and your child feel comfortable when we are together, and you both feel that I can understand where you are coming from then we are on the right track.

I utilize play therapy, art, and other hands-on approaches to get children and families active in our work together. I take special interest in working with children and families challenged by ADHD, ODD, self-harm, sensory sensitivities, giftedness, and other difficulties with executive function (planning, self-control, managing transitions, etc.). I have an integrative approach to counseling which means I use your child’s interests and strengths to make the experience engaging and rewarding. My main style with young children is child-centered play therapy which allows children to express thoughts and feelings they do not have words for, so they feel understood and open to new ways of solving problems. With older children and teens, I will integrate more cognitive styles to help them think in new and more flexible ways and empower their own problem-solving. After we have some time working together, you may notice small changes in your child like less arguing or shorter temper tantrums. When working with your family, I am focused on increasing the connection between family members while strengthening your communication and family structure. I want to help you, as the parent, step into your power as the secure leader of the family. My goal is to help you see how much you can enjoy your children and family with a more skillful approach to life’s difficulties.