Mental health issues are on the rise. At the Y, we’re here to support you on your path to living your happiest and healthiest life—inside and out.  

We’re here for what you need, under one umbrella.  

Counseling is an incredibly useful tool that helps with a range of issues, from anxiety to sleep to relationships to trauma. The Y Social Impact Center provides mental health and addiction counseling, individual therapy, family therapy, group therapy, and psychiatric medication management for all ages, both members and non-members of the Y.  

Not sure if counseling is right for you? Here are 7 great reasons to get started. 

1. You’ve gone through a big life change 

Change of any kind — even if it’s positive — can lead to emotional and physical stress. Change creates confusion because you’re all of a sudden in a situation where you don’t know what to expect. A professional can help you through a situation that feels insurmountable. 

2. You’re repeating unhealthy behavior or thought patterns 

Counseling can help you examine your actions, better understand their motivations, and formulate a plan for change. Things like recurring thoughts, negative self-talk and substance use are all extremely common and counseling can help you to build new patterns.  

3. You feel like your life is being interrupted by trauma from your past 

Some people who experience trauma are affected by it in immediate and obvious ways. But post-traumatic stress can manifest in many different ways. It can be subtle and insidious, according to the National Institutes of Health. Many people will have some combination of both instant and delayed reactions, and in some cases those delayed reactions can happen long after the fact. 

4. You have big decisions to make 

If you’re having a lot of trouble deciding whether or not to get a divorce, have a baby or stop drinking, it might be a choice that’s too big to make on your own. A good therapist won’t make the choice for you — that’s not their job. What they will do is work with you so that you can figure out the right answer for yourself. A Y therapist provides you with support, and a neutral space to talk and tools to figure out what it is you really want. 

5. Your relationship feels unhealthy or has just ended 

It can be easy to forget or minimize when you’re not living through it, but heartbreak can be incredibly painful. That’s normal. A therapist can also help you examine the specific issues in your relationship. Do you unconsciously seek out partners with the same unhealthy qualities? Have you experienced the same kinds of issues in different relationships? If you feel like you’re repeating the same mistakes, that’s a sign that you could use some help. 

Couples therapy can also be a good way to maintain a happy relationship. You don’t need to be in crisis to seek out a therapist who can help you ensure you’re communicating effectively, showing your partner you care in a way that will resonate with them and handling conflict in healthy ways. 

6. Your physical health is interfering with your mental health 

In situations where your physical well-being is tied to your mental state — for things like insomnia, weight loss, menopause and so on — counseling can help. If a physical condition is negatively affecting your mental state — if you’re living with chronic pain, for example, and it’s taking a toll on your mood — a therapist might be able to help you with coping mechanisms. If you’re suffering from insomnia, there may be some emotional reasons that a therapist can help you address. 

7. You’re worried you might have a mental illness 

If this is something you’re worried about, or if you read a list of symptoms of a specific illness and you feel like it applies to you, now is a great time to reach out to the Y counselors and connect to someone who can help answer your questions.  

Why Counseling at the Y? 

Whole Person Health - The Y is much more than a gym, the Y offers care for the whole person, spirit, mind, and body. 

Expertise - The Y has been serving the needs of children and families in King County since 1944. We have the history and the expertise of licensed, mental health and substance use disorder professionals, including children specialists to meet you where you're at. 

Access and Affordability - We accept Medicaid, many private insurances, and offer sliding scale fees for those without insurance. You can access counseling virtually, from the comfort of your own home or in-branch services, making behavioral health accessible and equitable for all. 

Counseling is an incredible tool for helping us to feel our best in spirit, mind and body. By investing in ourselves, we can find new pathways to our best ways of living.  

If counseling is something you’re considering, but you’d like more information, please reach out.  

Start by getting in touch:  

• Learn more about Counseling
• Use our secure and confidential online form to get started or to refer someone.
• Email counseling@seattleymca.org 
• Call (206) 382-5340 Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM 

Need help right now? 

If you or someone you know is currently experiencing a behavioral health crisis, please call the King County 24-Hour Crisis Hotline at 866-427-4747.  

Our partner Crisis Connections monitors the phone at all hours and will quickly connect you with us or other quality provider based upon your needs. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need immediate help.