Meet Your Therapist

Erin Harley, PhD, MA, LMHCA 

Hello! I'm a mom of two, a cognitive psychologist, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate in Washington State, and the founder of Riverstone Counseling.

I am passionate about helping children, teens, and young adults find relief from anxiety and OCD. When anxiety takes over, life can start to feel smaller—filled with worry, avoidance, perfectionism, compulsive behaviors, or constant reassurance-seeking. My goal is to help you or your child respond differently to anxiety and OCD so that these challenges have less power over daily life, creating more space for confidence, flexibility, and engagement in what matters most.

My approach is grounded in evidence-based treatments, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions). I create a supportive environment where children, teens, and young adults can gradually face fears, build effective coping skills, and develop resilience. When working with children, I often incorporate play, art, and games to strengthen connection and make therapy both engaging and effective.

For parents seeking care for their child, I know how difficult it can be to watch your child struggle and feel unsure about the best way to help. Because anxiety impacts the entire family, I am passionate about partnering with parents throughout the therapeutic process. Together, we work on practical strategies that reduce anxiety's hold on family life, support your child's growing independence, and create lasting change. In some cases, parent-focused treatment can be highly effective even when a child does not participate directly in therapy.

I bring warmth, humor, empathy, and a direct, down-to-earth approach to therapy. If you're wondering whether this kind of support could help, I'd love to connect and explore whether we're a good fit.

More About Erin

Working as a therapist is a second career for me. After earning a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Washington, I spent over two decades working as a researcher and consultant studying how people perceive, think, learn, and interact with the world around them. My background in psychological science continues to shape my work today and strengthens my commitment to providing treatments that are supported by research.

When raising my own children, I saw firsthand how challenging it can be for families to find high-quality parenting support and mental health services. Motivated by a desire to help young people and families navigate these challenges, I returned to graduate school for clinical training and earned a Masters degree in Applied Child and Adolescent Psychology from the University of Washington. There, I received high quality training in evidence-based treatments for anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, and behavioral challenges in youth.

During my graduate training, I provided outpatient therapy to children and adolescents in a community mental health setting and worked closely with caregivers through both individual and group-based parenting interventions. Following graduation, I completed additional specialized training at Rogers Behavioral Health, where I work as a therapist providing evidence-based treatment to children, adolescents, and adults with anxiety, OCD, and depression in Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization (PHP) programs.

Education

  • M.A., Applied Child and Adolescent Psychology, University of Washington

  • Ph.D., Cognitive Psychology, University of Washington

  • B.A., Psychology, Boston University

Licensure

  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate in WA, credential #MC61667533

Professional Training

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety and Depression

  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD

  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for Trauma

  • Parent Behavior Management Training (PBMT) for Disruptive Behaviors

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) - for Child Anxiety and OCD

  • SPACE FTL - Parent-Based Treatment for Highly Dependent Adult Children

Professional Memberships

  • American Psychological Association (APA)

  • American Counseling Association (ACA)

  • Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC)

How to Get Started

  • Click the button below to choose between booking a free 15‑minute consultation or sending us a message with any questions.

  • During our free 15-minute call, I’ll invite you to share why you’re seeking services and answer any questions you may have. If we both feel it’s a good fit, we’ll schedule your first session.

  • We’ll typically start with weekly 53-minute sessions. Sessions are available in person at our Northeast Seattle office (near University Village) or online via telehealth.

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