Meghan Szczebak, PsyD.
Clinical Psychologist, Psychotherapist
Meghan Szczebak, Psy.D
I am a Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist practicing in Edmonds, Washington. I attended Antioch University Seattle, earning a Doctorate in Psychology specializing in Existential therapy in 2013, and a Master’s in counseling in 2005. Prior to working in private practice, I spent 13 years in various areas of community mental health, including working with incarcerated women, homeless youth, domestic violence survivors, transgender and nonbinary youth, inpatient psychiatric care, crisis assessment and treatment, and individuals experiencing addiction. I spent seven years in clinical research, with specific training and studies in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, ADHD, Autism, Tourette's, and Major Depressive Disorder.
Licensed Psychologist (PY60404549)
Washington State Approved Clinical Supervisor
Washington State Centers of Excellence (COE) Autism Evaluation Certification
Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) Certified Evaluator
Services:
Individual Psychotherapy
Areas of focus
Neurodiversity issues and affirming therapy
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) and Inferential Cognitive Behavioral for OCD and phobias
Depth Psychology
Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders
Life Transitions
Self-Esteem
Depth Psychology
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are”
-Joseph Campbell
To me, practicing from a Depth Psychology orientation means seeing symptoms or suffering, not as a problem itself, but as a result of a person’s striving towards wholeness. Just as a fever is a way for a body to rid itself from infection, psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depression and addiction are our psyche’s best effort to manage deeper issues. While it is sometimes adequate just to treat the fever, real and lasting healing occurs when the underlying conflict can be discovered and explored. Often this means not rejecting or suppressing the “symptoms” but finding ways to understand what purpose they may be serving in our lives. As Carl Rogers said, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change”.
Becoming whole: All living creatures have a deep and intuitive instinct towards health and growth. Even in midst of suffering, our unconscious is always working to heal us. When a strong feeling we don’t understand, an odd coincidence, or a dream gives us comfort or a new outlook, we have been guided by our unconscious. My approach is to work with you to develop and deepen your relationship to the well-spring of creativity, truth, and healing that exists within each of us. The goal is not perfection but wholeness, leading to a richer, more vibrant sense of yourself and your path in life. My role as a psychotherapist is to listen as you tell me about yourself and your life. Since you are the best authority on yourself, I will always trust your word. I may see things slightly different from you, or encourage you to push into areas that feel scary or uncomfortable. However, I do this from a place of collaboration and dialogue, not a position of authority or judgement. I do not believe that I know what is right for you. Some part of you knows, and together we will find it.
Depth Psychotherapy
There are many types of therapy, and many are very effective at addressing issues like trauma, addiction, relationship, conflict or issues with family of origin. Depth psychotherapy is preferable when the problems one is experiencing are long standing, repetitive, and significantly interfere with life. Examples of this would include getting into one unsatisfying relationship after another, chronic failure to achieve goals and reach one's potential, a long history of vague anxiety and depression, or a feeling that one cannot “be oneself”, or act spontaneously. While there are many types of therapy that address specific behavioral issues, crises or trauma, Depth psychology approaches are often better able to alter more pervasive general dissatisfaction, or a better fit for people who wish for a more expansive experience of their psychic life.
Neurodiversity and Neurodivergence
Neurodiversity refers to the range of difference in thinking, perceiving experiencing the world. Everyone is on a spectrum of neurodiversity, but those who deviate from the typical patterns are in any structured, consistent way are referred to as neurodivergent. This to people with diagnoses like Autism, ADHD, OCD, Tourette’s or Dyslexia This discrepancy becomes even more pronounced in women and people of color, many of whom were missed by educators or providers trained to spot symptoms/patterns more often seen in white males. In truth, neurodivergent people are everywhere. Many of them are flying under the radar, working in every field, and contributing to our society and economy, all the while figuring out how to work in a system that is set up for neurotypical people. Some are able to do this with extraordinary success, building amazing careers in computer science, activism, entertainment, and business.
While it’s great to highlight the achievements of these high-profile individuals, it’s important to acknowledge that living and working places built by and for neurotypical people often presents unique challenges to neurodiverse people, and most of us don’t have the advantages of billions of dollars and personal assistants.
When these challenges manifest in outward presentations, they get called “symptoms”. There is an enormous array of presentations, but they may look like chronic overstimulation and burn out, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, fatigue, irritability, social avoidance, or memory difficulties. People with Learning Disorders often find themselves struggling with doubts, traumas and insecurities even after achieving success in their careers or personal lives. Conflict and misunderstandings with partners or family can be common as well.
I specialize in working with people who are neurodiverse, or think they might be, to examine their experience from lens of difference, and awareness, not deficit. In addition to focusing on the impact of being a neurodiverse individual in a neurotypical world, I provide assessment for Autism, ADHD, OCD and Tourette’s from a strengths-based, non-pathologizing perspective.
In Person Sessions
I am seeing clients in-person at my office at the 19730-64th Ave W. Suite 321, Lynnwood, WA 09036.
Fees
I am in network with Primera insurance. Clients who do not have Primera insurance attend therapy on an out-of-network basis or pay for sessions out of pocket. If you would like to use your Primera or out-of-network benefits, please contact your insurance company prior to our first meeting. If you are out-of-network, ask what the out-of-network reimbursement would be for outpatient in-person or online psychotherapy. The specific amount of this reimbursement depends on your plan. I will provide you with the statements your insurance requires.
My hourly fee is $175 an hour.
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
Start Therapy Online or In Person
If what I shared here resonates with you, I would like to learn more about you and hear your story. I am currently accepting clients for online and in-person therapy at my office in Edmonds. To start your therapy journey, follow these simple steps:
Contact Inland Sea Psychological Services to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit
Online appointments available Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesday AM, Thursday Am and Fridays. In-Person appointments available Monday, Tuesday and Friday at the Castle Building, 19730 64th Ave W, Suite 321 Lynnwood, WA 98036
Start your journey
