Heather Rist, LMHC, Therapist in Edmonds, Washington

Heather Rist helps teens, adults, and older adults across Washington navigate life’s challenges with warmth, insight, and practical strategies for healing and growth. As a therapist at LifeStance Health, she creates a supportive space where clients can explore difficult emotions, strengthen resilience, and develop tools to move forward with greater confidence. Heather commonly works with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma-related concerns, while also helping clients manage a variety of other mental health and life transition challenges. Heather is especially passionate about supporting individuals through significant life transitions. Whether someone is adjusting to midlife changes, navigating later-life transitions, coping with shifts in health, or finding their footing after major personal changes, she understands that periods of transition can bring both uncertainty and opportunity. She works collaboratively with clients to help them process change, clarify their values, and build a meaningful path forward. Her therapeutic approach is individualized and grounded in evidence-based care. Heather integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help clients understand patterns, develop healthier coping skills, and work toward lasting emotional wellness. In addition to treating anxiety, depression, and trauma, she provides support for concerns such as grief, postpartum depression and anxiety, women’s issues, health-related stress, and other emotional and behavioral challenges. Heather believes that effective therapy is built on trust, authentic connection, and respect for each client’s unique story. She views counseling as a partnership and strives to help clients feel heard, understood, and empowered as they work toward their goals. Her approach balances compassion with practical tools that clients can apply in everyday life. Outside of her clinical work, Heather enjoys beach combing in search of hag stones, dancing in her kitchen or to live music, playing board games with her family, listening to audiobooks and podcasts while walking her tiny dog, and learning to paint. These creative and restorative activities reflect her appreciation for curiosity, connection, and lifelong growth.