AFTYN LEYDER (She/Her)
LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR ASSOCIATE
My therapeutic identity is rooted in my story. I was born in Flint, Michigan and raised in a culturally mixed home as a biracial Black woman, constantly moving between worlds and learning to make meaning of complexity. Those early experiences taught me what it’s like to search for belonging, carry multiple identities, and hold questions that don’t always have easy answers. They continue to guide the way I sit with clients—with curiosity, humility, and deep respect for the fullness of their stories.
Loss, major transitions, and the growing edges of parenthood have also shaped how I understand healing. I know how disorienting it can feel when life shifts unexpectedly or when old wounds resurface at new stages of life. Because of this, I’m especially drawn to supporting people navigating identity, grief, trauma, and moments of profound change. I care deeply about working with individuals and communities who have been pushed to the margins, approaching this work through a liberation-focused and culturally grounded lens.
In the therapy room, I strive to create a space that feels both steady and spacious—a place where clients can safely explore the narratives that have shaped them and discover new possibilities for who they’re becoming. My work draws from a narrative-focused psychodynamic perspective, trauma-informed CBT, DBT (including work with teens), play therapy foundations, trauma-informed care frameworks, and a growing foundation in parts work. I also warmly welcome conversations about faith, spirituality, and worldview, honoring the ways these beliefs shape identity, meaning, and connection.
I work with teens and adults, particularly those within communities of color, who are addressing trauma, anxiety, depression, attachment wounds, identity development, relational concerns, and life transitions. At the core of my approach is the belief that therapy is a place to come home to yourself—to connect with your inner truth, process the experiences that have shaped you, and cultivate the capacity not only to heal, but to thrive in community and in relationship with others.
I hold a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology and have completed specialized training in Trauma-Focused CBT, DBT for teens, decolonized and liberation-centered practice, trauma-informed care, and play therapy. I provide telehealth services with limited in-person availability.
Rate: $135 / 50-minute session