Oscar Secrist

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Oscar is not currently accepting new clients. Please visit our therapist page to view our available therapists. 

I am passionate about working with people from all walks of life, though I am proud to have a particular focus on serving the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender individuals. I am trained in providing trauma-informed care that helps clients heal from old wounds so they can live in the present and create a healthy, satisfying life. Issues I treat include: t/Trauma, gender dysphoria, anxiety, mood disorders (special focus on bipolar disorder), minority stress, attachment wounds, neurodiversity-related challenges, and existential dread. 

My aim is to help clients embrace their strengths while developing a deeper sense of connection to themselves and to others. Therapy should be collaborative, creative and tailored to each client's unique needs. My integrative, evidence-based approach draws from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Experiencing (SE), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT).   No two clients are ever the same, which is why the foundation of my practice is rooted in honoring each individual’s unique experiences. I will never fully know what it is like to walk in your shoes, nor you mine. What I can do is listen deeply and walk alongside you as you take this important journey of self-discovery. My clients tell me they appreciate my ability to help them uncover themes and patterns in their story so that they can begin to craft their own narrative. In the therapeutic space, my greatest personal strengths are warmth, creativity, curiosity, and humor.   

I was raised in West Virginia and spent my twenties living in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. I am now proud to call the PNW my home! When I’m not working, I love taking my pup Zuzu on long walks around the gorgeous parks in Seattle. My favorite things include cooking (ask me about the time I almost set fire to the kitchen while making beignets!), music (especially folk, punk, and indie), theater, and spending time being silly with good friends.

After completing my graduate internship at Seattle Counseling Service, the oldest LGBTQ+ counseling center in the nation, I accepted a full-time position with SCS upon graduating. My time there was spent providing psychotherapy, case management, and crisis intervention to a diverse client base. While I am heartbroken at the news of SCS shutting down in May 2022, I am excited to join Optimism Counseling and begin this new journey!

I graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 2008 with a BA in Philosophy. In 2021, I earned my M.Ed. in Counseling from University of Puget Sound. I continue to expand on my education by reading widely, keeping abreast of research in the field to provide the best evidence-based care, and participating in workshops, seminars, and other structured trainings.

$145 per individual session payable via credit, debit, FSA, or HSA account.   

Insurance:  I am currently an in-network provider with Premera and Lifewise and considered out-of-network for most other major insurance plans. If I am out-of-network with your insurer, I can provide a superbill which you can submit for reimbursement.       

*Please note that under the federal No Surprises Act, all clients have a right to a written and verbal Good Faith Estimate. For more information about Good Faith Estimates, please click the link below.