Telehealth counseling across Washington

Therapy that pays attention.

Person-centered counseling for adults. Honest, direct, and in your corner.

No cost, no paperwork, just a conversation to see if we fit. And if money's tight, sliding scale from $60 and Open Path from $50 keep care within reach.

What this is

Most people come to therapy carrying something they've already turned over a hundred times on their own. My job isn't to hand it back to you with a bow on it.

It's to pay close attention, closer than most people will ever pay you, take what you say seriously, and help you find a version of it that's better organized and easier to carry. You won't always like what I notice. But it'll always be honest, and it'll always be in your corner.

Who I work with

A few people I especially like sitting with.

I particularly enjoy working with men who didn't grow up being asked how they felt and aren't entirely sure they want to start now. You don't have to be good at this for it to work.

I also love working with autistic adults, including people who are only now wondering whether that word fits them. If you've spent your life being managed, translated, or talked down to, you won't get that here.

And I see adults dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and the ordinary heavy stuff that doesn't have a tidy name. I work with couples from a mediation stance, helping two people actually hear each other rather than refereeing.

The first step can be a 15-minute conversation.

About

Marshall Short, LMHCA

I believe the relationship is what actually does the work. So that's where we start.

I came to this work because I'm genuinely interested in people, what they carry, how they got here, and what it would take for the world to hurt a little less for being better organized. I work in a person-centered way, which is a clinical way of saying I think the relationship between us is the thing that heals, not any particular technique.

"I think people heal in the presence of someone who's actually paying attention. I try to be that."

That doesn't mean technique doesn't matter. It means technique is what you steer with, not the engine. When your situation calls for it, I'll bring specific tools, trauma-focused work, practical coping skills, help untangling the systems and paperwork that are wearing you down. But none of it works if we haven't built something real first, so I lead with genuine attention and bring the rest when it fits the problem in front of us.

I'll be direct with you. You won't always like what I notice, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise to keep things comfortable. What I can promise is that it'll always be honest and always be aimed at your corner. A lot of people have had enough of being managed and soothed; if that's you, we'll get along.

There's room in this work for meaning, for story, and for the things people hold sacred. I make space for that without requiring it of anyone. Whatever framework gives your life its shape, you're welcome to bring it into the room.

How I handle the serious stuff

I can hold difficult and even acute situations, and I do it plainly and carefully, with clear documentation and no euphemisms. I also know the limits of telehealth: if what you need is a level of care I can't safely provide remotely, I'll tell you that honestly and help you find it. Being in your corner sometimes means pointing you toward the right door, even when it isn't mine.

The practical details

I'm a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) in Washington State, practicing under the supervision of an approved clinical supervisor. My Washington credential number is MHCA.MC.70123760. I see adults via telehealth throughout Washington. I don't work with children.

Marshall Short, smiling, wearing glasses and a burgundy cardigan, in front of greenery

Getting Started

How it works.

No portals to wrestle, no forms to fight. Just a few clear steps.

Not sure yet? Start with a free consult

The lowest-commitment door is a free 15-minute call. No paperwork, no payment, just a conversation to see whether we're a fit before you book anything. Tap Book a Session and choose the free consultation.

Tap Book a Session

You'll choose whether you're new, returning, using insurance, or need a reduced fee. New full-fee clients complete a secure intake form and sign paperwork electronically, handled through a private, encrypted system, never stored on this website.

The intake session

Your first session is a full assessment. We get clear on what's going on and what kind of care actually fits. Most of the time that's ongoing work with me. Sometimes the honest answer is that you'd be better served by a different level or kind of care, and if so, you'll leave with a written summary of my assessment and a concrete referral. Either way, the assessment is real work and a real result.

Pay securely

Payment is made online through a secure link; no card is kept on file. For most clients, paying is what reserves your time on my calendar.

We meet

You'll get a private, secure video link. We meet from wherever you're comfortable in Washington. That's it, you're in.

Already a patient?

Tap Book a Session and choose Returning to schedule your next appointment directly.

Fees

Free 15-min consult$0

Initial session$225

Individual session$160

Sliding scale$60-$120

Open Path Collective$50-$70

A limited number of reduced-fee and sliding-scale spots are offered to keep care accessible. Payment is made securely at the time of booking. Have Premera or LifeWise? See .

Get in touch

[your practice email]

[your Google Voice number]

A note on privacy: please don't include detailed personal health information in your first message. Phone and email aren't fully secure channels, so we'll move to encrypted, secure communication once we're working together. If you're in crisis or this is an emergency, call or text 988, or call 911.

Hours

Built around people who work.

Most therapy happens during the workday, which doesn't help much if you have a job. I see clients evenings and weekends instead: weekdays 3:30 to 9:00 PM, and Saturdays 1:00 to 6:00 PM, all Pacific time.

Reduced-fee care

Cost should be less of a barrier to care.

A limited number of reduced-fee spots are available on the honor system, no paperwork and no proof. There are two ways to land a lower rate: my own sliding scale, set by household income using the brackets below, or Open Path Collective, a nonprofit network for people who are uninsured or underinsured (sessions $50–$70; members join through Open Path's site for a one-time fee). Either way, the process on my end is the same.

Sliding scale · income under $35,000$60

Sliding scale · $35,000 to $55,000$90

Sliding scale · $55,000 to $80,000$120

Open Path Collective$50-$70

Over $80,000 (full fee)$160

Rates shown are per 60-minute session. As with full-fee care, the initial intake session (about 90 minutes) is charged at a higher rate, roughly 1.4x your session rate.

Need a reduced rate? Tap Book a Session, choose I need reduced-fee or Open Path, and fill out one short form, tell me how you found me and include your Open Path Member ID if you have one. It's the honor system, so no proof needed. I'll follow up within a business day with your rate and a secure payment link, and you book from there.

How payment works

Payment is made securely online; no card is kept on file. Full-fee new clients and self-scheduled sessions are paid at the time of booking, paying is what reserves your time. If you're using the sliding scale or Open Path, you'll fill out a short intake form first; I'll send you a payment link at your rate, and paying it reserves your slot. For established clients, we often schedule your next session together at the end of a session; you'll be sent a payment link at your rate and have until the day of the appointment to pay.

A scheduled session will go forward even if it hasn't been paid yet; I won't lock you out of care over a payment. A new session can't be scheduled until any outstanding balance is paid, and if a balance lingers and we haven't talked about it, I'll reach out, usually because it's worth a conversation, not because I'm chasing a bill.

Measurement-based care

I keep track of whether this is working.

Before every session, I'll send you a few short questionnaires. They let us see whether the work is actually helping instead of guessing, and they track how things are moving from one week to the next. I'd rather you fill them out before we meet so we don't spend session time on them. If you don't get to it, you can do them at the start of session instead; that's your time, and how you use it is your call.

Discharge

How the work ends.

If 30 days go by with no scheduled session and no word from you, I'll reach out to check in. If I still don't hear back, I'll treat our work as complete and close your file. It isn't a penalty; it keeps an honest picture of who's actively in care and frees the time for someone who's waiting. You're always welcome back later, reaching out reopens the door.

If you're having financial difficulty and need a lower tier, talk to me directly, over the phone or in session. Your care matters to me, and financial hardship by itself will never be the reason our work together ends.

Insurance

Using your insurance.

In-network with Premera and LifeWise. Here's how we confirm your coverage before we start.

Plans I accept

In-network with Premera and LifeWise.

If you're covered by Premera Blue Cross or LifeWise Health Plan of Washington, your sessions may be largely covered, often just a copay or coinsurance once any deductible is met. The cleanest way to know for sure is to let me check your benefits for you, so you go in knowing what you'll actually owe.

Aetna and Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) are in the works. If that's your coverage, reach out and I'll tell you honestly where things stand.

How it works

Email me your insurance details

Tap Verify My Insurance and it opens a pre-filled email. Just fill in your name, date of birth, carrier, member ID, and group number, and attach photos of the front and back of your card. That's everything I need to check your coverage.

I check your benefits

My billing partner and I verify what your plan actually covers, your copay or coinsurance, any remaining deductible, and that telehealth is included. This usually takes a business day or two.

I follow up, and you book

You'll get a plain-language summary of your coverage and what to expect out of pocket, plus a link to book your first session. No fine print, no surprises.

A note on privacy: regular email isn't a fully secure channel, so sending your card this way is your choice. If you'd rather not, call me and we'll verify your coverage over the phone instead. Once we're working together, all our communication moves to a secure, encrypted, HIPAA-covered system. If you're in crisis or this is an emergency, call or text 988, or call 911.

Not using insurance?

That's completely fine, plenty of clients pay out of pocket. Self-pay is $160 a session, with a sliding scale from $60 and Open Path from $50 if cost is tight. See for the details.

Book a Session

Let's get you booked.

Pick the option that fits. No wrong door.