My Journey:
Iris Hogan, MSW, LICSW
Meet Iris Hogan, Therapist & Guide for Women's Healing
My Story
Just days after graduating with my MSW, I found myself sitting in a hospital family interview room across from a young woman, her voice barely audible, her eyes downcast. She was hurting—and yet, beneath that pain, there was resilience. I had the privilege of walking beside her as she slowly rebuilt her sense of self, her strength, and her life. That early experience planted something powerful in me: the deep honor and responsibility of supporting someone on their path to healing.
That moment continues to guide my work. As a therapist, I am continually moved by the courage and honesty of the women I work with. You don’t need to be "broken" to seek therapy—just human.
Clinical Experience
- Practice Location: Seattle & statewide via secure telehealth
- Career Start: WVU’s Department of Behavioral Medicine – trauma-focused treatment
- Guiding Lens: Rooted in values of compassion, acceptance, curiosity, and practicality, my approach integrates evidence-based modalities. I strive to meet each client with authenticity and attunement, offering a supportive space for both healing and growth.
- Life-Informed Practice: Being a European immigrant, raising a child with complex medical needs, parenting a neurospicy young adult, and navigating life as a dyslexic woman have all shaped my lens as a therapist—grounding my work in deep empathy, lived experience, and a belief in the power of healing through connection.
- Clinical Focus: Trauma, reproductive and maternal mental health, anxiety, life transitions, and EMDR
- Past Roles: Therapist in hospitals, schools, outpatient clinics, and private practice
- Also Offering: Consultation & trauma-informed training for healthcare professionals and working as an adjunct trauma therapist
My Approach to Healing
Every woman’s healing journey is unique. I draw on evidence‑based therapies and deep compassion to honour your story and empower you to grow. My goal is to help you reconnect with yourself, build resilience and move forward in alignment with your values.
- Mindfulness & compassion: We will cultivate awareness of thoughts, emotions and body sensations without judgment and practice self‑kindness. Mindfulness helps calm the nervous system and makes space for change, while compassion counteracts shame and self‑criticism.
- Attachment‑informed therapy: By exploring your early relationships and current patterns, we can heal relational wounds and build a more secure sense of connection. Understanding your attachment style helps you respond differently to triggers in the present.
- ACT & CBT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) supports you in accepting uncomfortable feelings and committing to actions rooted in your values. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) teaches you to notice unhelpful thought patterns and replace them with balanced, realistic perspectives.
- Trauma‑informed care & EMDR: Safety is at the centre of my work. Trauma‑informed care means creating a non‑judgmental space where your voice leads the way. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) gently helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer dominate your present.
Your therapy is tailored to you—guided by your strengths, values and readiness for change. We’ll move at a pace that feels right and adjust our focus as your needs evolve.
Why This Works for Women
Women often balance multiple roles—partner, parent, caregiver, professional—while navigating the unique challenges of fertility, pregnancy, postpartum transitions and hormonal changes. These experiences can activate old wounds and lead to anxiety, depression or trauma responses. An integrative, trauma‑informed approach meets these challenges holistically:
- Mind–body connection: Mindfulness and compassionate awareness help you tune into early bodily cues of stress or overwhelm, allowing you to intervene before emotions take over.
- Reframing narratives: ACT and CBT provide tools to rewrite limiting beliefs and release unrealistic expectations often placed on women and mothers.
- Healing attachment wounds: Understanding attachment dynamics can improve relationships with partners and children, fostering secure bonds and healthier communication.
- Processing trauma: EMDR and trauma‑informed techniques address both big and small traumas—including birth trauma or past abuse—so that you can move forward without being hijacked by old memories.
By weaving these approaches together, therapy supports your mental health, strengthens your relationships and honours the complexity of women’s lives.
Credentials & Affiliations
- MSW, West Virginia University (1991)
- MA in Public Administration, WVU (1992)
- Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Washington State (LW #60334819)
- Certified Trauma Therapist (WVU, 960-hour training)
- EMDR Trained, Levels I & II
Professional Memberships:
- National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
- Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW)
- Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS)
- Postpartum Support International (PSI)
- Perinatal Support Washington
- Resolve
- TFMR Support Association
How I Balance
Now that my kids are in the early stages of adulting, I’m enjoying the chance to reconnect with other things that bring me joy. I love getting outside to hike, bike, or kayak—especially near water. Travel, exploring new places, new foods and spontaneous adventures with friends and my husband help me feel grounded and curious. I also find calm in meditation, yoga, watercolor painting, time with family, and curling up with a good book on rainy days.
A Personal Glimpse
Outside of the therapy room, you’ll often find me with my sweet golden retriever Mowgli by my side. Whether we're on a walk, hike, by the water, or just soaking in a quiet moment, these little pauses keep me present, grounded, and grateful.
Let’s Connect
Your story matters. If you’re ready to begin your own healing journey, I’d be honored to walk with you.
➡️