Marcia Seebachan, MSW, LICSW
marcia@affinitypsych.com
I am excited to have the opportunity to give you a glimpse into my life and work. My name is Marcia (she/her), and I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in both Minnesota and Texas (where I grew up). I feel honored every time a client chooses to show up in therapy, be vulnerable with me, and allow me to be a part of their work to build a life that serves them well. It takes courage to pursue therapy and self-reflection, and to make changes to how you have always done things so that you can move toward the life and relationships you want for yourself. I work with teens and adults individually, and can incorporate some family sessions into our work as appropriate.
I am a cisgender, white, heterosexual woman and understand that this provides me with a limited view of many issues if I rely only on my personal experiences. I am committed to doing the emotional and mental labor of learning about the experiences of those who have navigated life with identities different from mine, and understanding how power dynamics within society have impacted your personal story.
How I Work
You are the expert on your life experiences, goals, and needs. It is my job to bring knowledge and skills to the table that will best support you in working toward your goals. This often involves exploring how your past experiences influence the stories your brain is telling you today about yourself and your interactions with the world around you. You bring strengths to the table, and we can engage those strengths together to empower you. When I am faced with something I don’t understand, I choose curiosity rather than judgment. My focus in our appointments is to show up for you, hold space for your work, witness your story and progress, and honor your courage and vulnerability.
As you take the time to read therapist profiles, trust yourself about what would be a good fit for you- no therapist’s style is a match for every client, and your feedback and preferences matter. I encourage clients to share information with me which can help me tailor our work to your needs.
What Sets Me Apart As a Therapist?
A wide range of life experiences have landed me where I am today, and each brings its own lessons. I see regret as a gift of growth and learning. Humor and laughter are important to how I navigate the overwhelming parts of life, because I have learned to hold joy and pain together. I believe our bodies hold the wisdom to healing, and consider your nervous system to be our expert guide. The foundation of my work is human connection, because all harm experienced in relationships needs relationships to heal and be integrated into who we are today. Only you can appreciate the consequences of the choices in your life, so I will never make decisions for you. Instead I help you determine the choices which will best serve your own values and needs. I am familiar with the difficulties that come with navigating a world that does not understand how your brain works, particularly for those who learn of their neurodivergence in adulthood. Identifying how those dynamics impacted you throughout life is important to understanding and celebrating yourself.
I have experience with medical trauma both professionally (in hospitals, mental health, and child welfare) and personally (as both a medical patient and caregiver). This gives me insight into how to best support others through their similar experiences. This will not mean that I *know* what you are going through, but rather that I can draw from what I have felt or witnessed in similar situations to support and anticipate your needs. Your story is unique to you and I have a great desire to see you and understand how you have been impacted by your experiences. We are much more than our most painful experiences, and my desire for you is that yours do not dominate your life and identity.
