Therapy for chronic illness and pain, not fitting in, and childhood trauma.
A lot has been asked of you. You learned that being loved meant becoming someone easier to understand, easier to accept, who didn't need too much, and didn’t take up too much space.
You're probably exhausted, maybe doubting whether things can actually be different, and just want somewhere to be seen and accepted for who you are, and what’s really going on.
This kind of therapy isn't just about changing your thoughts or doing worksheets. It's about your body slowly learning how to trust itself again, maybe for the first time, and learning that you don't have to trade who you are and what you need for belonging.
In-person therapy in Seattle, and online across Washington state.
Maybe some of this sounds familiar
You're tired of explaining yourself just to be believed. You've spent years working harder than everyone around you just to keep up, while hiding the parts of yourself that felt too risky to show. Maybe it's chronic illness or pain that no one else sees or takes seriously. Maybe it's your gender, your sexuality, the way your mind works, or simply not fitting the mold you were handed or that you see all around you. Maybe you learned a long time ago in a family that didn't have room for all of you, that love came with conditions and your needs came second.
If any of that lands, you're in the right place.
Who I work with
I work with adults who feel different, and who are tired of working so hard for connection and belonging. That includes people living with chronic illness or chronic pain, people exploring their gender or sexuality, people who don't fit the dominant mold around them for any reason, and people still carrying the impact of childhood relational trauma. Often, it's more than one of these at the same time.
I'm not the right fit for every client, and that's okay. But if you've spent your life feeling like you have to explain, shrink, or prove yourself just to be understood, this is who I built my practice for.
Hi, I’m MacPherson
That’s pronounced mack-FUR-son. My pronouns are she/they. I am a white-bodied, queer person living with chronic illness, chronic pain, and a bit of neurospice, and I know firsthand how life changing it is to find a therapist and approach that actually matches who you are, validates your experience, and helps you build a life that feels good.
What working together actually looks like
Clients often tell me I feel warm and conversational, not clinical or scripted. I'm not going to hand you a worksheet and call that healing.
Of course, we'll talk. But we might also laugh, or cry, or rage at the injustice of the world you’ve lived in and what you’ve endured. We'll dream about what you actually need, and gently explore hope, even if hope feels unfamiliar. Depending on what serves you, we might draw, paint, move, breathe, look at art, or listen to music.
We'll also pay attention to what's happening in your body while we do all those things, because your nervous system usually knows things before your mind has language for them. That's what somatic therapy means in practice: noticing what tightens, what braces, what relaxes, and working with that directly.
Through all of it, we'll go slowly. Sensitive memories and tender experiences deserve gentleness, and we'll explore them at a pace that feels safe for you, with the respect they deserve.
This work is strengths based. You've already survived a lot to get here, and that matters as much as your pain. You have incredible skills that we’ll build upon, rather than creating a completely new version of you.
Expect some swearing. Expect some deep empathy. Expect some gentleness when it's needed (and it’s always needed). Expect a space where your identity, your body, and your history don't need justification or defending before we can get to the real work.
How This Helps
Therapy For Living With Chronic Illness and Pain
If you live with chronic illness or chronic pain, you already know how much of your energy goes into just managing it, the appointments, the pacing, the explaining yourself again and again, before you even get to actually living. This isn't about managing your symptoms better. It's about what it takes to trust your body again, and to stop carrying the grief, anger, and exhaustion of this alone.
Therapy For Not Fitting In - Or - Breaking the Mold
You may have spent your whole life feeling like everyone else got instructions you never received. Too different. Too much. Always working harder than everyone else just to keep up. Or you may have just recently started hiding the parts of yourself that feel too risky to show. You already know how exhausting it is to keep translating yourself just to be understood. This isn't about learning to fit in better. It's about what happens when you stop shrinking to make yourself and start working with the parts of you that were never the problem to begin with.
Therapy For Healing From Childhood Trauma
If you grew up learning that love came with conditions, or that the safest thing was to become whoever the room needed you to be, you already know how far that follows you. Into the loneliness that lingers even in good relationships. The guilt and shame that show up without an obvious reason. The self doubt and perfectionism. The quiet habit of putting everyone else first, because your own needs never felt like they mattered enough to say out loud. That isn't a flaw in you, it's exactly what makes sense for someone who learned to earn love instead of simply being given it.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Change often shows up in the body before it does in words. A slight loosening in the chest, or a breath that comes easier, slower, or deeper. We'll pay attention to those quiet felt shifts together, letting your own inner sense of things guide the pace and direction. Working this way, many clients begin to notice changes pretty quickly, though there's no set timeline. What matters in working this way is staying close to what's true for you as it unfolds.
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My office is located in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, and my exact address is: 600 N 36th Street, Suite 423, Seattle, WA 98103. The building is secured, and you need a code to enter. The building, elevator, and my office are ADA compliant.
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I offer both telehealth sessions for anyone located in the state of Washington, and in-person for anyone who wants to travel to my office in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. I am located close to the Burke-Gilman trail, and the following bus routes have stops close by: King County Metro Routes 28, 40, 62. There is both free and paid street parking outside the building.
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Find information about rates, insurance coverage, navigating superbills, and verifying benefts on the Rates page.
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I only bill Washington state Medicaid plans directly, but I am happy to provide you with superbills that you can submit to your insurance for the possibility of reimbursement if it’s available through your plan. Click for more information on navigating superbills and insurance verification of benefits as a client, or why I don’t bill most insurances.
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Yes! I offer a limited amount of reduced rate sessions. To apply for a reduced rate, please select the box for this option when completing the New Client Inquiry Form.
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To see if we might be a good fit to work together, please complete the New Client Inquiry Form. If I think we might be a good fit, I will reach out to schedule a 15-minute consultation (this is free of charge), where we can talk a bit more with each other. If we both agree to do so, we will schedule your first full session (initial intake appointment), and then go from there.
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Our bodies remember things our minds sometimes can't put into words, old stress, old patterns, moments we've carried without even realizing it. In our sessions, we make room for that. Alongside the conversation, we might slow down and check in with what you're noticing physically, or bring in simple movement and breath to help release what's been stuck. We're not trying to skip past talking, but instead inviting your whole self into the process. Then healing isn't just something you understand, it's something you feel happen. Read more about it here.
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Starting therapy can feel like a big step, and it's okay to not know exactly what to expect. The first step is simple: complete the New Client Inquiry Form. If it seems like we might be a good fit, I'll reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consultation, where we can talk a bit more and see if we're a good match to work together. If we both feel good about moving forward, we'll schedule your first full session (called an Initial Intake Appointment), and I'll send over some forms to complete beforehand. In that first session, we'll spend some time exploring your experiences in life and getting clear on the changes you're hoping to make. From there, we'll meet at least once a week to build steady momentum towards your goals and feeling better. But there's no rush and no script to follow. We'll move at a pace that feels right for you, and I'll be here to guide the process along the way.
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Every session is shaped by what feels most important in the moment, what would be most helpful to explore, and what we might continue building on from where we left off in the prior session. Some clients like to begin with movement, grounding, or art, and ease into conversation, while others prefer to start by talking it out. Alongside the conversation or creative expression, we'll also check in with what you're noticing in your body, since it often holds insight that words haven't caught up to yet. Depending on what feels helpful, we might bring in some gentle movement or breath work to help release what's been stuck. Together, we'll find the rhythm that suits you best, session by session. Read more about what to expect during a typical session in the “What working together actually looks like” on the About page.
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Yes! Coming soon.