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, Open Path from $40 keeps 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 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.

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.

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.

Book a free consult

This is the one place to start. A free 15-minute call, no paperwork and no payment, just a conversation to see whether we're a fit before anything else.

Getting you booked

If we decide to work together, I'll get you onto my calendar, send secure intake paperwork to complete electronically through a private, encrypted system, and send a payment link at your rate. No card is kept on file, and there's no portal to wrestle.

The intake session

Your first full session is a complete 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.

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?

We usually set your next session at the end of a session. If you need to get back on the calendar, just reach out and I'll take care of it.

Fees

Free 15-min consult$0

Initial session$120

Individual session$80

Open Path (reduced fee)$40-$70

A limited number of reduced-fee 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 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 through Open Path Collective, a nonprofit network for people who are uninsured or underinsured. Sessions run $40–$70 on the honor system, no proof needed; members join through Open Path's site for a one-time fee.

Open Path · reduced fee$40-$70

Full fee$80

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.

Need a reduced rate? Just bring it up in your free consult, or mention it when you reach out. It's the honor system, so no proof needed; if you have an Open Path Member ID, have it handy. We'll settle your rate together and I'll send a secure payment link from there.

How payment works

Payment is made securely online through a link I send you; no card is kept on file. After our consult, once we've agreed on a rate, I'll get you on the calendar and send a payment link, paying it reserves your time. If you're using Open Path, we settle your rate in the consult and I send the link at that rate. For established clients, we usually 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.