Stacey Hannigan, LMHC

You survived the past. Start thriving in the present.

Online grief, trauma and anxiety therapy for adults in Washington and Iowa.

Schedule your free consultation
Stacey Hannigan, smiling, in a mustard top with a blue pendant
When talking isn't enough

This isn't your first rodeo.

You've done therapy before. You told the story, maybe more than once, and you understood it better afterward. Understanding it didn't make it hurt any less, though, and your body still reacts like it's happening right now.

Memories show up uninvited, usually at the worst possible moment.
You assume the worst about people, because historically, that's been the safe bet.
Some part of you is still convinced the world isn't safe, no matter how calm things look.

That's where EMDR comes in. It works with your body and your brain together, so what got stuck can finally finish processing. Most of the people I work with are trauma survivors, and a lot of them are grieving too. (The two tend to travel together.)

How I work

You are not broken. You don't need fixing. You need room to heal.

My style is warm and direct. I'm gentle with the tender stuff and honest when it counts, and I'll probably make you laugh at least once when you least expect it.

You won't find judgment, criticism or shame here. Whatever you bring, you can say it out loud, and my eyebrows will stay exactly where they are.

I will honor your story, in all its messiness, and we'll work through it together.
Why I do this work

I know what Before and After feels like.

I lost my husband, and then my father, in less than two years. I'm not telling you that so you'll worry about me, or so this becomes my story. I'm telling you because there are things you won't have to explain here. Grief and trauma both rearrange a life, and I know that territory from the inside. When you bring the hardest parts of yours into the room, I'm not going to flinch, and I'm not going to make it about me.

Guiding principles

What you can count on.

All are welcome here

Your religion (or lack of one), gender identity, sexual orientation, relationship structure and cultural background are all welcome. You deserve care that's safe and nonjudgmental, without having to educate your therapist first.

Your own path to healing

There's no one-size-fits-all here. Therapy bends to fit you, and it's usually only one part of how people heal. The rest happens in your life, your relationships, and whatever brings you back to yourself.

A real connection

Therapy should feel like talking with a real person, because it is. I'm not a blank screen with a clipboard. Without connection, there is no healing.

Credentials

The paperwork behind the practice.

Education & licensure

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Washington, #LH60412589 Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Iowa, #133100 MS, Counseling Psychology, Alaska Pacific University, 2009

Training & certifications

EMDR trained since 2017 Advanced training in grief work Level 1 clinical hypnosis, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis Primary Care Behavioral Health Certificate, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2009 Specialized training in trauma, complex trauma and dissociation; facilitating EMDR Intensives; LGBTQ2IA+ clinical issues; and telehealth

Professional associations

National Certified Counselor (NCC), since 2015 Member, EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), since 2018
Ways to work together

Find the fit for where you are.

Aperture – Grief Tending One-on-one grief therapy with 60, 90 or 120-minute sessions. Explore Aperture → EMDR Weekly EMDR therapy for trauma, anxiety and the memories that won't stay in the past. About EMDR → EMDR Intensives Concentrated EMDR work over a shorter stretch of time. About intensives →

Come as you are.

Start with a free 15–20 minute video consult. No pressure, and no tidying up first.

Schedule your free consultation