About Thayer OPS
Thayer Organizational & Psychological Services (Thayer OPS) is a Seattle-based psychology practice that exists for people living in high-pressure worlds—kids and teens in complicated schools and families, young adults juggling identity and survival, and adults whose professional success and inner experience don’t match.
We focus on the kinds of problems that don’t stay in one box. Trauma, suicidality, ADHD, burnout, and relationship patterns tend to show up across home, school, work, and community. Our work is about understanding those patterns in context, not judging you for them.
What We Believe About People & Problems
At the core of this practice is a simple belief: your reactions make sense in light of what you’ve lived through.
We all develop stories about ourselves, our families, our identities, our work, and what is or isn’t “allowed” to hurt. Those stories are shaped by trauma, culture, systems, mental health labels, and the roles we’ve had to play. Sometimes they protect us. Sometimes they keep us stuck, numb, or on edge.
Our job isn’t to decide whether your story is “right.” It’s to understand how your mind, body, and environment have been working together, and to help you experiment with other ways of relating to yourself and the world.
We assume:
- People are doing the best they can with the tools they’ve had.
- Systems (families, workplaces, communities, policies) matter as much as individual effort.
Big feelings, suicidality, and burnout deserve direct, honest conversations without panic, shaming, or minimizing.
Who We Are a Good Fit For
People who find this practice helpful usually come not because they fit neatly into one category, but because something in life, work, family, or relationships has become too hard to keep carrying the same way.
When life feels too heavy to carry alone
Many clients come in feeling overwhelmed, shut down, burned out, or afraid of how bad things have gotten. This may include trauma, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, chronic anxiety, or the sense that life is becoming harder to hold together than it used to be.
When work, school, or pressure starts costing too much
Some people find us because they are high-achieving, highly responsible, or constantly relied on by others—and the strain is catching up with them. This may look like burnout, perfectionism, numbness, irritability, ADHD-related struggles, or feeling like success has come at the expense of their relationships, health, or sense of self.
When attention, organization, or follow-through are getting in the way
We also work with children, teens, and adults who are trying to understand whether ADHD, executive functioning challenges, or learning differences are part of the picture. Sometimes people come in looking for clarity through assessment; other times they already know the issue and want more effective support.
When family life feels stuck or strained
Families often reach out when emotions, behavior, school stress, or communication patterns are creating friction at home. Sometimes that means working directly with a child or teen; other times it means helping parents or caregivers better understand what is happening and how to respond in a more grounded, effective way.
When identity, belonging, or relationships need more room
Many clients come in wanting care that can hold the complexity of identity, sexuality, gender, and relationship structure without pathologizing it. We offer queer-affirming and poly-friendly care for people who are tired of having to explain or defend the shape of their lives before the real work can begin.
When relationships are under strain
We work with couples and partners who care about each other but feel caught in painful patterns—conflict, distance, repeated ruptures, or the sense that something important has gone missing. Trauma, neurodivergence, cultural differences, and stress often shape these dynamics, and we make room for all of that in the work.
If you read this and think, “That’s kind of me, but not exactly,” you’re probably in the right place. Most of our clients don’t fit neatly into a single category.
Our Guiding Principles
Community-Supported Access
High-quality care shouldn’t be reserved for the most resourced. Our practice is funded through a mix of full-fee work, sponsorships, and donations so that a significant portion of our time can go to reduced-fee or pro-bono care for youth, families, and communities who are often left out.
Whole-Person, Whole-System Care
Mental health doesn’t live in a vacuum. We work to understand each person within their relationships, schools, work, culture, and history. When it’s helpful, we collaborate with those systems so that change is supported in real life, not just in session.
Stewardship of Trust
Letting a therapist into your life, your family, or your system is a big deal, and we don’t take that trust for granted. We see our role as careful stewards of that access: honest about limits, transparent about decisions, and consistently oriented toward your safety, dignity, and goals.
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