Telehealth counseling across Washington

Therapy that pays attention.

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

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.

When you're ready, the first step is simple.

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.

Tap Book a Session

You'll choose whether you're a new or returning client. New 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

Initial session$225

Individual session$160

Sliding scale$60-$120

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.

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 5:00 to 9:00 PM, and Saturdays 1:00 to 6:00 PM, all Pacific time.

Sliding scale

Cost should be less of a barrier to care.

A limited number of reduced-fee spots are available on a sliding scale. Your rate is set by income, using the brackets below. To qualify for a reduced tier, I'll ask for your two most recent paystubs (or a tax return or bank statement) through a secure channel. I verify your tier, note it in your record, and securely dispose of the documents, I don't keep your financial paperwork.

Household income under $35,000$60

$35,000 to $55,000$90

$55,000 to $80,000$120

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 tier.

How payment works

Payment is made securely online; no card is kept on file. New clients and self-scheduled sessions are paid at the time of booking, paying is what reserves your time. 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.