Welcome
to inside passage Counseling
We are stronger together.
Whether you are in search of individual therapy, couples therapy, or family therapy, Inside Passage Counseling can help.
Welcome
to inside passage Counseling
We are stronger together.
Whether you are in search of individual therapy, couples therapy, or family therapy, Inside Passage Counseling can help.
About Inside Passage Counseling
Licensed Mental Health Counselors in Bellingham, WA.
Now accepting new clients for both in-person and online sessions.
Since 1938, the Harvard Study of Adult Development has been investigating what makes people flourish. It’s the longest in-depth longitudinal study on human life ever done, and from this research comes a simple and profound conclusion: Good relationships lead to health and happiness.
At Inside Passage Relationship Counseling, we know that deep, loving connections–with yourself, and within your closest relationships–lead to vibrant mental, emotional, and physical health. That’s why, since 2006 we’ve been leaders in providing high-quality relationship counseling that can truly strengthen and revitalize your well-being.
Whether you are experiencing problems in your personal, professional or intimate life, Inside Passage Counseling can help you learn to mindfully explore the inner paths of your heart so that you can live a more authentically connected, healthy life.
Our Mission
At Inside Passage Counseling, it is our mission to help clients build secure bonds within themselves and within their most important relationships through empirically and clinically validated therapy methods. Our deepest hope is to act as a beacon that guides our clients toward the well-being that comes with deep, authentic connection.
Inside Passage Counseling Services
Inside Passage Relationship Counseling is a collective of independent therapists focused on providing the highest quality counseling services to individuals, couples, and families. Our specialty focus is supporting healthy, healing relationships with one’s self (emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and body), and with one’s most important primary relationships (partner, spouse, children, parents, and family).
Therapy for:
Couples and
Marriages
- Communication
- Emotional Connection
- Sexual Connection
- Infidelity and Betrayal
- Trust Issues
- Pre-Marital Counseling
- Fertility, Preparing for Childbirth, and the Postpartum Period
- Life Transitions
- Remarriage
Adult and Teen
Individuals
- Low Self-Esteem
- Anxiety and Depression
- Pain Reprocessing
- Trauma and PTSD
- Grief
- Postpartum Depression or Anxiety
- Life transitions
- Sexuality
- Self-Identity
- Relationship Issues
- Boundaries
- Addiction Recovery
- Codependency
- Emotional Regulation
Families
- Parenting support
- Transitions
- Adjusting to divorce
- Communication
- Boundaries
- Attachment issues
- Family support for children and teens
Inside Passage Therapists strive to:
- Create a safe, non-judgmental space for you to share your feelings
- Inspire you to see new perspectives
- Help you focus your attention on what is going to help you heal
- Guide you to practice new ways of relating that can lead to positive outcomes
- Encourage you to show up, be honest, and stay open-minded
- Motivate you to persevere when you inevitably have a difficult session
- Hold space for you to share your hopes, challenges, and feelings about your sessions
- Express praise for your positive results
Meet Our Collective of Independent Therapists
Therapists are listed in alphabetical order.
Inside Passage Relationship Counseling is the practice umbrella for a collective of WA State licensed counselors and therapists. The therapists on the Inside Passage team boast a wide variety of training in evidence-based therapies such as Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and trauma therapies such as EMDR and Pain Reprocessing Therapy.
Our therapists are hand-selected by our founder Heather Varnau, LMHC for their quality of character and dedication to mindfulness-based, attachment-oriented, trauma-informed approaches to working with individuals, couples, and families.
Larke Blanton, M.Div, MA
(She/Her)
Larke will be joining us as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate in WA State. With a Master’s of Divinity degree, as well as a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, Larke helps couples improve communication, navigate conflict, and strengthen their connection to each other. Trained in The Gottman Method, Integrative Experiential Couples Therapy, and Narrative Therapy, Larke specializes in working with couples in pre-marital counseling, supporting couples with PTSD and grief, and can incorporate faith and spirituality where it fits for her clients as a strength and foundation for their therapy. Larke strives to create a space where couples feel seen, heard, accepted, empowered, brave, and affirmed.
Available by telehealth only.
Stephanie Bracamonte, LMFT
(She/Her)
Stephanie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 20 years of professional, clinical experience. Taking a systemic approach to improving family dynamics and communication, reducing conflict and building connection, Stephanie works with couples, families and individuals to promote self-awareness and personal growth. With a kind, non-judgmental, and direct style, Stephanie has advanced training in a variety of models including Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) and Gottman Method Therapy.
Bridget Burns, MA, LMHCA
(She/Her)
Bridget is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate in WA State. Coming from a 20-year background in working with children, parents, and families in an educational setting and a Master’s degree in Counseling, Bridget specializes in helping couples with parenting concerns and non-traditional relationship structures. Trained in The Gottman Method, Integrative Experiential Couples Therapy, IFS, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Bridget strives to create a space where couples feel safe and comfortable enough to receive support with the challenges they face and are guided to deepen their connection to themselves and each other.
Merry Capozzolo, MS, LMHC
(She/Her)
As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington state, Merry has advanced training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and Lifespan Integration Therapy. Merry specializes in guiding couples, families and individuals through the challenges that come with transitions, loss and trauma. Using attachment-based, trauma-informed approaches, she will walk alongside you, helping you to regulate strong emotions, strengthen your most important relationships, and grow your personal confidence.
Kelley Flynn, MA,
(She/Her)
Kelley will be joining us as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate in WA State. Kelley is passionate about working with couples from all backgrounds and brings with her the life experience of being married for 25 years and raising a family. With a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, she has knowledge and experience with couple concerns such as infertility, infidelity, aging parents and the transition to parenthood and what it takes to move through those struggles in a way that can bring a couple closer together. Trained in The Gottman Method and Integrative Experiential Couples Therapy, Kelley brings a calming presence to the room and strives to remain present, fair, and empathic in her work with clients.
Available by telehealth only
Laura Gambrel, PhD, LMHC
(She/Her)
Laura has over 16 years of professional experience as an advanced clinician, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, researcher, and scholar. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Laura brings a holistic and systemic approach to working with clients, and specializes in helping couples transform communication patterns and strengthen their connection. With a warm, grounded, and direct style, Laura has advanced training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, PREPARE/ENRICH, and Mindfulness Instruction.
Available by telehealth only.
Gretchen Miller, MA
(she/they)
Gretchen will be joining us as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate in WA State. With a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, Gretchen helps couples improve communication, navigate conflict, and strengthen emotional and sexual connection. Trained in The Gottman Method and Integrative Experiential Couples Therapy, Gretchen is skilled at relationship-building with her clients. She uses a combination of intuition, art, and evidence-based approaches to develop a tailored treatment for each couple. Gretchen draws from her experience as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and specializes in working with marginalized sexual and gender identities and diverse partnerships like non-monogamous couple configurations.
Available by telehealth only.
Emily Patterson, LICSW, LMSW
(She/Her)
Emily is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker dedicated to supporting her clients in their desire to find more wholeness, aliveness, acceptance, and peace within themselves. Utilizing multiple modalities including CBT, Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy, EMDR, AEDP, and mindfulness techniques, Emily works with individual adult clients recovering from trauma and PTSD, life transitions, doubt, grief, anxiety, overwhelm, and fear. With a grounded, non-judgmental, and skillful style, Emily successfully collaborates with her clients to heal and recover from painful life events and meet their personal goals.
Jeni Quigg, MA, LMHC
(She/Her)
Jeni graduated with a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy 20 years ago and has has worked in a variety of settings. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Jeni now works in private practice with individual adults and families, providing self-soothing techniques, deep trauma release work, mind-body collaboration in healing for autoimmune disease, and mindfulness instruction. With a warm, flexible, and welcoming style, Jeni has advanced training in Pain Reprocessing Therapy for chronic pain, Hand in Hand Parenting, and Trauma Release Therapy. Her passion is helping clients learn how to connect to their most wise and compassionate self.
Megan Rhea, MS, LMHC
(She/Her)
Coming from a background in education, Megan is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a Master’s degree in Marital and Family therapy. Using attachment informed methods, Megan is passionate about helping individuals and couples reach their full potential, both within themselves and within their most important relationships. With a warm, safe, and comforting style, Megan has advanced training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), and Gottman Method Couples Therapy.
Kate Smith, MA
(She/Her)
Kate will be joining us as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate in WA State. Coming from a background in working with adults, Kate helps individuals with depression, anxiety, and self-esteem issues improve their relationship to themselves and others. She specializes in helping clients heal complex trauma, childhood sexual abuse, and recover from unhealthy relationships. She also works with young adults who may feel a lack of direction in their lives. Trained in EMDR, IFS, and Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Kate’s energy puts clients immediately at ease.
Keri Wallace, MA, LMHC
(She/Her)
Keri is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 20 years of experience in a variety of settings. Keri specializes in working with couples, teens, individual adults, and families. She treats complex trauma and PTSD, relationship issues, and challenges around divorce, co-parenting, and blended families. Trained in a number of different methods including Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) and EMDR, Keri provides her clients with a safe, stable, supportive environment and guides them toward new perspectives, stimulating a greater sense of self-worth and connection.
Combined Education and Training
Diversity and Inclusion
We strive to have an anti-racist and LBGTIQ+ inclusive practice. We welcome couples, relationships, families, and individuals with a variety of sexual orientations, gender identities, love styles, and relationship configurations.
Getting Started
We want to make it as easy as possible for you to get the assistance you need.
Here is a step-by-step process to guide you in knowing what to expect.
Professional Endorsements
Rates and Insurance
The fees for 50-minute sessions range from $160-$225, depending on the service type and therapist. We are not contracted with health insurance companies and do not bill health insurance directly. We provide insurance receipts for individual counseling, only. We’re sorry but we do not provide insurance receipts for couples therapy.