Therapy for Personal Growth in Washington
Understand your values and what truly drives you to help build mental flexibility and create a more fulfilling life.
Therapy for Personal Growth: Exploring What Truly Makes You, You.
Some people come to therapy to manage stress, anxiety, or past trauma. Others? They’re trying to figure out who they actually are—what matters to them, what drives them, and how to move through the world in a way that feels real. Maybe you’ve spent so much time meeting other people’s expectations that you’ve lost touch with what you actually want. Or maybe you’re realizing that the version of yourself you’ve been holding onto doesn’t quite fit anymore. If that sounds like you, welcome. Therapy can be a space to sort through the noise, understand yourself on a deeper level, and build a life that actually feels like yours.
Beyond "Finding Your Purpose"
A lot of self-help talk is about "finding your purpose." But let’s be honest—that can feel like an overwhelming, all-or-nothing question that leaves you stuck. Instead, personal growth therapy is about getting curious about yourself. What do you value? What are the patterns in your life that actually feel good? What kind of person do you want to be, regardless of external expectations?
Beyond "Finding Your Purpose"
A lot of self-help talk is about "finding your purpose." But let’s be honest—that can feel like an overwhelming, all-or-nothing question that leaves you stuck. Instead, personal growth therapy is about getting curious about yourself. What do you value? What are the patterns in your life that actually feel good? What kind of person do you want to be, regardless of external expectations?
Identity, Values, and Meaning (Without the Buzzwords)
Identity: Who are you when you’re not performing for anyone else? What identities resonate with you, and which ones have you outgrown?
Core Values: What do you actually care about—not what you think you should care about, but what genuinely matters to you?
Meaning-Making: Life doesn’t come pre-packaged with meaning; we make it as we go. What gives your life a sense of direction, even when things feel uncertain?
Mental Flexibility: Instead of locking into rigid ideas about yourself or your future, how can you adapt and stay open to growth?
How Do You Grow? The Lasting Impact of Self-Work
Personal growth isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing process. Some ways to foster it include:
Self-Reflection: Journaling, therapy, or even deep conversations with trusted people can help you uncover what really matters to you.
Trying New Things: Growth often happens when you step outside your comfort zone and challenge old habits.
Setting Boundaries: Saying no to things that don’t align with your values makes space for what actually does.
Being Open to Change: Personal growth isn’t about becoming a different person—it’s about becoming more yourself as you learn and evolve.
Practicing Self-Compassion: Growth isn’t about perfection—it’s about accepting yourself as you are while making room for change.
Growth is Exciting, But Not Always Comfortable
Here’s what you might experience along the way:
Outgrowing relationships or roles
As you gain clarity on your values and needs, you might realize that some friendships, jobs, or commitments no longer align with who you’re becoming.
Feeling lost before you feel clear
Questioning old patterns can feel unsettling before it leads to insight. Growth often means sitting with uncertainty before things start making sense.
Greater confidence and peace
The more you understand yourself, the more grounded you become in your decisions—less overthinking, more self-trust.
A deeper meaning and fulfillment
Even in everyday life, when your actions align with your values, life tends to feel more intentional and rewarding.
Increased resilience
As you grow, you build the skills to navigate life’s challenges with more flexibility and trust in yourself.
Shifting priorities and goals
What once felt important may start to lose its grip on you, making space for new aspirations and interests.
When You Don’t Know Yourself, It Shows Up
Lack of self-knowledge isn’t just an abstract problem—it often manifests in ways that affect your daily life and mental health. Anxiety, for example, can stem from feeling disconnected from your own wants and needs, leading to constant second-guessing and overanalyzing decisions. Depression can deepen when life feels directionless or when you're living according to other people’s expectations rather than your own. Even burnout can be a sign that you're pushing toward goals that don’t actually align with what matters to you.
Understanding yourself better doesn’t mean you’ll never struggle, but it does make it easier to navigate challenges in a way that feels more aligned with who you are.
Let’s Figure It Out Together
You don’t need to have it all mapped out—most of us don’t. But if you’re looking for a space to explore who you are and how you want to show up in the world (without the pressure to have everything "figured out"), therapy might be a good place to start.
Curious? Let’s talk.
Your Specialized Therapists
Sam McCann, LMHCA (she/her)
Specializing neurodiversity-affirming therapy for late and self diagnosed ADHD and Autistic adults.
Sonia Chavez, LMHCA (she/her)
Specializing in therapy for over thinkers and deep feelers focusing on life transitions, relationship changes, and personal growth.