Claire de Leon, LMHC
Claire is a Licensed mental health counselor (LH60618686), approaches therapy with trauma-informed lense where safety, trust and collaboration are essential principles to therapy work. She has been working in the mental health field for 20+ years, providing mental, behavioral and emotional support.
AREAS OF FOCUS
Selective Mutism
Social Anxiety
Parent coaching and support
Oppression and cultural issues
Complex Trauma
Supervision
Email: malaya@counselingmind.co
Phone: (425) 202 - 5485
Aside from insurances above, she works as an out-of-network provider and accepts payment at the time of each session.
If you plan to use your out-of-network benefits, Claire will be happy to provide a superbill (an insurance receipt) that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
Please check with your insurance provider in advance to confirm your mental health coverage and reimbursement options.
Private Pay/Out of Network
Assessment $220
Individual Sessions $165
Parent Sessions $165
Group Sessions $55
Supervision $80
Payment Methods
Cash
Check
Credit
FEES AND INSURANCE
Claire is credentialed with some insurance companies including:
Payment options
⭐ In-Network
What it means:
We’ve made a contract with your insurance company. That contract sets the prices for services and determines how much your insurance will cover.
“Being in-network means I have an agreement with your insurance company. They set the rates, and your insurance usually covers a portion of the cost after any copay or deductible. You generally pay less when using an in-network provider.”
⭐ Out-of-Network
What it means:
We do not have a contract with your insurance company, but some plans still provide partial reimbursement.
“Being out-of-network means I don’t have a pricing agreement with your insurance. You pay my full fee up front, and depending on your benefits, your insurance may reimburse you for part of the cost. I can give you a ‘superbill’ you can submit to your insurer for possible reimbursement.”
⭐ Private Pay (Self-Pay)
What it means:
You pay directly for services without involving insurance. “Private pay means you pay for sessions yourself. Insurance isn’t billed, and no information is shared with your insurance company. This option gives you the most flexibility and privacy because treatment decisions aren’t influenced by insurance rules.”
Therapy Approach for Children and Parent Coaching
What to expect in my first session is getting to know your family., I meet with parents first to understand your concerns and child’s history, For children, our session looks like engaging them in different types of play, the power of child-directed play helps me in their natural language to help them express and regulate their thoughts, feelings, build confidence and work through challenges.
On the 2nd phase of our collaboration work, our session is tailored on learning the ‘why’ of the behaviors and learning strategies to foster trust and positive coaching. This includes includes parents providing brief updates prior to sessions, parent coaching meeting monthly, and parents attending the session completely or the last 15 minutes of the session as children are encouraged to teach what they learned.
This may also include visiting and collaborating with school personnel and primary care providers or other community resources as needed. Meeting regularly is still crucial, at this stage and I encourage you to make up a session within the same week to continue our work and progress together.
The last phase of our session is when there is when the ‘passing the baton’ has happened, where parents are able to understand the ‘why’ of the behaviors and be able to co-regulate and support their children’s needs.
Therapy Approach for Teens and Adults
What to expect in my first session is getting to know you , exploring your history and how it has impacted you. I focus on establishing rapport and safety, both internally and externally. This is the beginning phase of our treatment. As we discover your needs and finding your path, I can provide psychoeducation through talk therapy, videos, guided worksheets .This is the beginning phase of your work and ideally we meet weekly.
On the 2nd phase of our collaboration work, our session is tailored on identifying how your needs are to be met and walking with you in your path. This may include guided imagery, sand tray therapy, in-vivo exposure, mindfulness meditation, and learning different type of skills .The bulk of the work is outside of therapy, and may include brief check ins, diary cards, bullet journaling or free writing. Meeting regularly is still crucial, at this stage and I encourage you to make up a session within the same week to continue our work and progress together.
The last phase of our session is when there is a cadence of living a life worth living, and we meet either monthly or as needed.
Types of Services
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Children are amazing individuals learning and engaging in their world. At this time, they are still developing the language and interpretation of how the world works. I provide a structured, safe place and engage children with play therapy. I use a variety of materials and activities to help them understand and process their emotions, build social and emotional skills, and resolve psychological and interpersonal conflicts.
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I focus on rapport and building your trust to learn about your world and how this has impacted you. I do my best to support you in prioritizing internal and external safety, identifying your needs, learning and practicing how to regulate and repair ruptures within you and your relationships with others.
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I value the importance of having a cohesive understanding of you or your child’s needs. I do my best to make time to observe, coordinate care and seek collateral information in order to improve clinical outcomes and ensuring holistic care.
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It is a structured relationship-based process where experienced clinicians guide new therapists to help develop skills, ensure ethical practice, and support their professional well-being.
About Claire
I am a licensed mental health counselor providing therapy for children, teens, and adults. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Washington and earned her Master’s degree at City University of Seattle.
I am a 1st generation Filipina, with learned from experience of culture shock, racism, and acculturation. I found and learned the value of support, resources, and strength not just from my own experience, but from clients, families, and colleagues. I am grateful to have work experiences in non-profit agencies, and working with the team and supervisees. In transition to private practice, I found the need to continue and specialize in supporting clients struggling with severe anxiety such as Selective Mutism, social anxiety, complex trauma , and support others in this field.
I enjoy spending time playing and being in nature with my family. I also recently learned playing D&D and love gardening, and DIY home projects-though some still half completed. I grew up with fear of cats but this past couple of years, I have a newfound love being a cat parent.
As a therapist, I provided services in non-profit agencies and working in school-based counseling, and crisis interventions in the community or at home. It is important for me to have collaboration with medical providers, families, schools, and community partners. I specialize in Child Mental Health, Selective Mutism Specialist, Asian Pacific Islander population, As a clinical supervisor for 4 years, I have supported interns and clinical staff providing clinical supervision, observation, training and group consultations.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Graduated with Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at University of WA - 2002
Childhaven - 2003
Gentiva Rehab WIthout Walls - 2006
Graduated with Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at City University of Seattle 2008
Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority Services - 2009
Asian Counseling and Referral Service - 2010-2022
Cognitive Behavior Training (CBT+) and Parent Management Training - 2014 Harborview for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - 2016 Linehan Institute Behavioral Tech
Supervision Certificate - 2018 University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute
Eating Disorder Training Level 2- 2021 Seattle Children’s Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic
Parent-Child Interactive Therapy for Selective Mutism (PCIT- SM) - 2021 Selective Mutism Training Institute through Selective Mutism Association
If you are interested in working with Claire, feel free to log in her website and request appointment: