Meet Allyson Zerba | Seattle Therapist & LMHCA

Q: Will my insurance cover sessions?

I'm not currently paneled with insurance providers, but I can provide a superbill for you to submit for out-of-network reimbursement. I recommend contacting your insurer before our first session to understand your coverage — specifically, what's covered for out-of-network mental health services and whether pre-authorization is required.

Allyson Zerba, licensed therapist in Seattle, WA

I didn't take the straight road here.

Twenty-two years of practicing law taught me something that no clinical training program ever could: what it costs to perform competence every single day. I went back to school in 2021 after experiencing a profound personal loss during the pandemic — a loss that changed the direction of my life. I made enormous changes to align my values and skills with the work I do each day.

That experience shapes everything about how I show up in the room.

I work with people who find themselves in challenging or transformative seasons of life. Whatever brought you here, this work begins with the understanding that your system has been doing its best to protect you — and that change is possible.

Many arrive seeking relief and clarity. What they often find, in addition, is a deeper relationship with themselves — and a growing capacity to show up more fully in their relationships with others.

I work with adults and teens (13+), individually and together. My practice is LGBTQIA+ affirming and neurodivergent affirming. All are welcome here.

Allyson Zerba, MA, LMHCA, JD

Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate · MC61644526

Washington State Bar Association · WSBA 29369

What I Believe

the values that shape every session

The counseling relationship is primary.

We may have preferences for counseling interventions and techniques, and we'll find the ones that work best for you. But in therapy, it is the relationship between therapist and client — more than any other factor — that brings about positive change. I want you to feel seen, heard, and supported. I want us to be authentic with each other, to risk imperfection, and to know that we are worthy of grace and compassion. I also love to laugh, and will bring humor into our sessions when it feels right.

My life's purpose is to love and be loved.

My heart is huge and compassionate. I believe that I am worthy of love and compassion from others, and that everyone is worthy of love and compassion from me. That includes you.

You are the expert of you.

You have wisdom and resources always already existing within you. There is a Self within you that is not broken and can never be destroyed. Our job together is to discover and uncover that wisdom, so that you can live with greater connection to yourself, others, and the world around you.

We are small but beautiful members of many living systems.

Within and between these systems, any small change has the potential to bring about significant, widespread changes. I'll be curious to understand what systems — family, cultural, religious — may be impacting your lived experiences, and how your capacity for change extends far beyond our sessions.

It's never too late to change.

I became a therapist at age fifty, after a career that looked nothing like this one. I believe deeply in the possibility of change, because I have lived it. When I sit with you in session, I am genuinely grateful to be there.

FAQs

common questions, answered honestly

What happens after I reach out?

First, we schedule a free 15-minute consultation — online or in person. I'll ask a few questions about what brings you to counseling, and you can ask me anything about me, my practice, or the process. My goal is for both of us to feel good about committing to work together. If my skillset isn't the right fit, I'll help you find someone who is.

From there, we schedule weekly sessions. During the first few sessions we'll get to know each other, build trust, and co-create a treatment plan tailored specifically to your needs and goals.

Do you accept insurance?

I work on an out-of-network basis, which means I'm not paneled with insurance providers. For many clients, this is a meaningful advantage — it means no insurance company dictates how often we meet, how long we work together, or what we focus on. Our work is guided entirely by your needs and goals, not by coverage limits or diagnostic requirements.

I provide a superbill after each session that you can submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement. I recommend contacting your insurer before our first session to understand your out-of-network mental health benefits and whether pre-authorization is required.

What will our sessions actually be like?

Every session is tailored to you. Depending on how you arrive, we might dive right into what feels important, or we might begin with gentle somatic practices — breathing, listening, noticing — to help you settle in. Sessions progress at whatever pace prevents emotional overwhelm.

Consent is at the heart of everything I do. I will never seek to do something "to you," but always "with you." My suggestions during session are just that — suggestions you can take or leave according to what feels right.

How long will therapy take?

It is impossible to say in advance, because therapy is not one size fits all. What I can tell you is that it is not my goal to have clients for life. It is my goal to support you in making the changes necessary to reach your therapeutic goals, in whatever amount of time that takes. When you are getting close to reaching your goals, we'll work together to plan a meaningful and supportive ending to our work.

What to Expect

from reaching out to something starting to shift

You reach out

Send me a message or call — no intake form, no portal, no automated response. I read every message personally and respond within one business day.

We have a free 15-minute consultation

This call is low-stakes and unhurried. I'll ask a little about what brings you in, and you can ask me anything — about my approach, my background, what working together might look like. My goal is for both of us to feel genuinely good about moving forward. If I'm not the right fit, I'll help you find someone who is.

We begin

The first few sessions are about getting to know each other and building trust. We'll co-create a treatment plan tailored to your specific goals — not a generic template, but something shaped around your life, your history, and where you want to go.

Something starts to shift

Most clients notice something changing within the first few sessions — not dramatic transformation, but a different quality of awareness. A little more room between stimulus and response. A growing capacity to be with what's difficult without being overwhelmed by it. The work deepens from there.

Allyson Zerba

What I Believe

FAQs

What to Expect

Ready when you are.