Ray Almeyda, LMHCA

Master’s Level Therapist, Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate 

• Availability: Waitlist for new clients
• Insurances accepted: Premera, Lifewise, Kaiser Permanente, Regence, HMA, and some Blue Cross Blue Shield plans
• Services provided: Individual therapy for children and adolescents

Education and Training:

Ray earned his Master of Arts degree in Applied Child & Adolescent Psychology at the University of Washington, Seattle. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in British Literature at Stony Brook University in Long Island, New York. Ray has traveled to and lived in Brazil and London, England on student-exchange programs. 

Work Experience:

Ray has over thirteen years of teaching experience as a former elementary school educator, teaching every grade from kindergarten to fifth grade in states such as California, Colorado, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington. Through his work over the years at a variety of non-profit organizations, school settings and most recently in the mental health field, Ray has gained invaluable experience and insights into multiple challenges that children, teens and families face in urban and suburban settings. He has experience working with children and adolescents who have faced struggles with Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Attacks, Trauma, Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Grief/Loss and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). 

Works with:

Ray’s work with youth and families is collaborative in nature. As a first-generation high school and collegiate graduate, Ray finds his work with clients to be a calling to help them reach their full, individual human potential. He is passionate about helping to empower a diverse array of youth, aspiring for equitable access to care. 

Treatment Approach:

Ray works to create a safe and supportive environment that fosters respect and dignity for youth and families, while utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Trauma-Informed Care in a client-centered and strengths-based method. Ray incorporates playing games and utilizing art, when appropriate and possible, to establish connections and build strong therapeutic relationships with clients in counseling sessions. Ray views counseling sessions as opportunities to help youth and families reflect on challenges, explore possible directions, collaborate, plan/strategize and empower the clients to build a variety of skillsets and coping strategies to live their full human potential.