Click here to contact our client care coordinator about working with Sandra!
Specialties include:
-Children, Adolescents & Adults (age 3+)
-LGBTQIA2+ & QTBIPOC
-Identity Development & Self Esteem
-Cross-Cultural & Acculturation Issues
-Intergenerational Trauma
-Life Transitions
-Stress, Anxiety & Depression
-Family & Relationship Issues
-Disabilty & Chronic Illness
-Grief & Loss
-Trauma & Complex Trauma
-Self Harm & Suicidal Ideation
-Neurodivergency (ADHD, Autism, etc)
-Sex & Body Neutral (HAES Informed)
*Conversational Spanish/Aprendiendo Español
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In Person in Auburn & Telehealth
Sandra is in-network with Premera, Cigna, First Choice, Regence LifeWise, Anthem and other Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans and can also bill in network with Kaiser HMO with a single case agreement. Please be aware that Protea Wellness cannot accept insurance for couple's therapy.
Sandra's fees:
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50-minute session for individuals: $195
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50-minute session for families: $195;
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80-minute session for couples: $295.
Sandra Lopez, LMHC, NCC
Pronouns: she/they
Therapy can be weird. And scary. And helpful. And freeing.
I consider myself a collaborator, rather than an expert, to the folks I work with. I find joy in working collaboratively with clients on their counseling journey. You are the expert on yourself and your own life. I am here to help support you by working through past difficult experiences, present challenges, and things that might happen in the future. This can be emotionally challenging and stressful work and I am here to help make it less weird and scary.
I am multiracial, and heavily identify with my Mexican ancestry. I know how difficult it can be to talk to “a stranger” about stress and problems in your life. Talking about problems, seeking help, and caring for our mental health are not things we typically grow up doing. I became a counselor to support my fellow Latine and BIPOC folks do just that. I’m here to help you learn more about yourself and how to start talking about those things because having those conversations can be incredibly helpful and freeing.
My approach...
I have a very down-to-earth nature and I aim to make counseling inviting, accessible, and enjoyable. Transparency and honesty from me are just as important as my client’s honesty and openness with me. When we create a therapeutic relationship where you can talk about life’s issues without judgment, change, growth, and healing can occur more easily.
I draw from several therapeutic modalities to adapt to the unique strengths and needs of folks I work with; I primarily work from Adlerian, person-centered, relational-cultural, and strengths-based modalities. I also like to incorporate narrative therapy, bibliotherapy, as well as breathwork and movement to strengthen the mind-body connection.
For most of my professional career, I have worked with preteens, teens, and young adults who are starting counseling for the very first time. I honor the big change they are making in their life to start talking about life’s issues. I admire their hopes of accepting responsibility for their actions, gaining new skills to deal with difficult people in their life, and wanting to learn more about themselves in general. I believe the counseling space is for learning, exploring, and gaining new perspectives and skills.
I acknowledge that oftentimes the problems we think we have may not always be what they seem and I work with folks to understand more about how the world we live in shapes our experiences in life. The hegemonic norms in our society have created systems of discrimination that can impact us daily. Understanding the intersectionality of our individual and communal identities can help us better understand ourselves, the world as we navigate it, and the difficulties we face in life because of the systems of oppression still in place. I aim to give language to these ideas and help folks understand that they are not the problem, but rather the world we live in causes problems for us.
Professional training & memberships...
I completed my Master of Arts in Education in Counseling, with an emphasis in School Counseling at Seattle University. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Washington State, credential
#LH61544776. I continue to expand my education and training in different areas of interest by reading, attending seminars, and completing in-depth courses in counseling techniques.
I have received and maintain a National Certified Counselor certification from the National Board for Certified Counselors. I am a member of the American Counseling Association, American Mental Health Counselors Association, and Washington Mental Health Counselors Association.