Michelle Kjolso, LMHCA
License #MC70081886
Hi, I’m Michelle, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate. I’m a Seattle-area native and earned my BA in Social & Human Services from Western Washington University and my MA in Counseling from Seattle University.
I’ve had the privilege of working with children, teens, and young adults throughout my career as a behavior specialist, social worker, and currently as a school counselor. Supporting this age group is a true passion of mine, and it’s given me a deep appreciation for the challenges and strengths young people experience at every stage of development.
Outside of my professional life, I’m a mom of three adult children and have been married for 25 years. In my free time, I enjoy reading, listening to 90’s hip hop, camping, road trips, reality TV, and visiting any beach I can.
A fun fact about my family: there’s almost always one of us wearing a pair of Vans - it’s become a bit of a family trademark.
I look forward to meeting you and learning more about you.
Why Altera? It means “other” or “alter” and represents change, new possibilities, and another path forward.
Supervised by Michelle Henderson, LH.60736785
Empowering Adolescents & Young Adults
I am deeply passionate about working with adolescents and young adults during what is often the most transformative time of life. You’re navigating a whirlwind of transitions—from the high-pressures of school and career to the messy, evolving world of friendships and romantic relationships.
This stage of life is a lot to carry on your own. Between the "always-on" nature of our world and the quest to define who you are apart from who the world told you to be, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and anxious. My goal is to help you find the tools to handle life’s transitions with more clarity, less overwhelm, and a real sense of self-worth.
What Therapy with Me Looks Like
Therapy with me is a space where you can show up as you are - no pressure, no judgment. We’ll move at your pace and focus on what’s going on in your life right now-whether that’s stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, family struggles, school pressure, or figuring out how to navigate adulthood.
We’ll start by getting a clearer sense of what you’re experiencing day to day and how it’s all connected - especially how stress and past experiences can show up in both your mind and body. This might look like overthinking, shutting down, feeling anxious or low, irritability, or feeling constantly on edge. We’ll also look at how your nervous system responds to life experiences and why certain patterns keep showing up.
From there, we’ll begin to understand where these patterns come from, including how earlier experiences and chronic stress may still be impacting how you think, feel, and react in your life today.
Together, we’ll figure out your triggers, build coping skills that fit your real life, and develop tools you can use outside of therapy.
The goal is for you to feel more grounded, more confident in yourself, and better able to handle whatever life throws at you.
Areas of Focus:
Anxiety • Peer relationships • Perfectionism & fear of failure• Depression • Identity development • Social media stress• School stress • Low self-esteem • Loneliness & disconnection• Emotion regulation • Body image concerns • Anger & irritability• Family conflict • Life transitions • Behavioral challenges• Grief & loss • Trauma & adverse experiences • Substance use• Boundaries, motivation & direction
The Power of "Enough"
In a world that constantly asks you to be more - more productive, more social, more "perfect" - it is easy to feel like you are failing a test you never signed up for. This "hustle for worthiness" is often at the root of the burnout, anxiousness, and disconnect you might be feeling.
Moving through the "Stuck" Moments
We work to address the specific patterns that keep you feeling stalled or overwhelmed in your daily life. Some ways they may show up include:
Anxiety: That "always-on" feeling – overthinking every interaction or feeling like your nervous system can’t find the off-switch.
Depression & Disconnect: Struggling with low motivation and brain fog, or feeling like you’re just going through the motions.
Stress & Burnout: The exhaustion of perfectionism and the feeling that you're constantly falling behind no matter how hard you work.
Email: Michelle@Alteracounseling.com
Phone: (425) 546-1419
Filling out this form is a simple way to set up your free 30-minute consultation. I look forward to meeting you and talking about how we can make positive changes together.
Based in Lynnwood, WA
Serving all of Washington
Common Questions
Do you provide sessions virtually?
Yes. At this time, I offer counseling exclusively through secure video sessions, allowing you to receive consistent, confidential support from wherever you are.
What are your office hours?
To better support my clients, I am currently offering evening and weekend hours.
Tuesday , Wednesday & Thursday: 5:30 PM– 8:30 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 1:00 PM– 7:00 PM
Do you accept insurance?
I don’t accept insurance but I offer self-pay with a steep sliding scale to make sessions more manageable. I can provide a superbill for possible reimbursement, and we’ll go over everything together during your first session.
How long is each session and how much does each session cost?
Each session is 50 minutes and I charge $50.00-$90.00 per session.