Hi, I'm Ilan.

I’m an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor and Registered Nurse, and I believe therapy is ultimately about relationship, curiosity, and connection. My approach is holistic and trauma-informed, grounded in the belief that each person is more than a diagnosis, a difficult experience, or a single chapter of their life.

I see therapy as a journey we take together. I don’t see myself as someone who has all the answers, but rather as a fellow traveler who brings clinical training, life experience, curiosity, and perspective to the process. You are the expert on your own experience. My role is to help create a space where you can slow down, look more deeply, and develop a greater understanding of yourself and the patterns that shape your life.

A Different Path to Counseling

My path to becoming a therapist was not a straight line. Before entering the counseling field, I spent 12 years as a nurse and EMT, working in emergency rooms and ambulances, hospice and palliative care, integrative and functional medicine, homeless shelters, and music festivals. I also had the opportunity to work in global health settings in Ghana, Uganda, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Working with people during some of the most vulnerable and significant moments of their lives taught me the importance of being present, listening deeply, and meeting people exactly where they are. These experiences continue to influence how I practice counseling today.

I hold a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Bastyr University and a Bachelor of Science in Holistic Nursing from Cal Poly Humboldt. My clinical approach incorporates trauma-informed care, EMDR, mindfulness, transpersonal psychology, archetypal exploration, CBT, and DBT.

Seeing the Whole Person

I believe our emotional, physical, relational, cultural, and spiritual lives are interconnected. Sometimes what brings someone into therapy is only the surface of a deeper story. Together, we can explore what may be underneath recurring patterns, difficult emotions, relationship struggles, or periods of transition.

I work with clients ages 16 and older from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and identities. I welcome people who are looking for a space to better understand themselves, process difficult experiences, navigate change, or feel more connected to their lives and relationships.

Psychedelic Integration & Transformative Experiences

Psychedelic work has been an important part of my personal and professional journey for more than a decade. Over a 10-year span, I served as a guardian, nurse, and ceremonial musician for hundreds of psychedelic-assisted therapy sessions and ceremonies.

These experiences gave me the opportunity to witness the depth and complexity of psychedelic experiences from multiple perspectives. I have seen how profound, challenging, meaningful, and sometimes confusing these experiences can be, both during the experience itself and in the days, weeks, and months that follow.

My role in psychedelic integration is not to tell you what an experience means, but to help you explore it with curiosity and discernment. Together, we can make space for what emerged, explore how it may connect to your life and relationships, and consider how insights or realizations might be thoughtfully integrated into everyday life.

Outside the Therapy Room

I believe that who we are outside of our work is part of who we bring into the therapeutic relationship. I find a great deal of connection and inspiration through spending time in nature, traveling, and experiencing different cultures.

Music has also been an important part of my life. I play guitar, sing, and am learning to play the kora, a 21-string West African harp. These interests remind me of the importance of curiosity, creativity, play, and remaining open to experiences that challenge us to see the world in new ways.