Benjamin Deu, MA, LMHC | Biography
Professional Training and Counseling Experience
Benjamin Deu is full-time Licensed Mental Health Counselor and entrepreneurial co-founder of Greenlake Counseling, Inc. and Seattle Christian Counseling. Since 2005 he has been a full-time private mental health practices in Bothell Washington and Seattle-Greenlake. As of the end of 2010 Benjamin has provided over 8,000 counseling sessions working with clients of all ages and currently prefers working male and female adults, and couples. Benjamin has a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from the University of Nations in Hawaii and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Mars Hill Graduate School in Washington.
Post-Graduate Experience
Post graduate, Benjamin worked under the Supervision of Doug Hansen, LCSW who has been an analytic psychotherapist and counselor for 28 years. This clinical supervision significantly informed Benjamin’s work with individual clients. Benjamin has also consulted weekly with a group of five licensed practitioners that has recently begun to focus more intensely on the dynamics of couples therapy and consultation with Dr. David Schnarch and Dr. Dan Allender.
Pre-Graduate Studies and Experience
As part of his master’s program, he interned at Compass Health, a community mental health agency in Edmonds.
During his internship, he counseled children and their parents in both individual and group settings. Before attending graduate school, Benjamin participated in an emersion counseling course in The Netherlands, provided outreach to recovering alcoholics in Germany, and acted as a team-captain with the Association for Christian Character Development (ACCD), an international program designed to help people clarify their life’s vision. During his volunteer work with the ACCD, he acted as a team leader helping individuals evaluate and strengthen concepts of promise, commitment, and negotiation within their relationships. In the United States and The Netherlands, Benjamin taught observation, interpretation, and application skills as they pertain to reading and understanding how context influences the meaning of text within the Bible.
Integrating Christian Faith and Psychotherapy
Through a Christian upbringing, Benjamin has found faith to be an integral part of his decision-making, curiosity, and professional growth. He believes strongly in personal choice and feels that a person can redirect their life at any time. Benjamin relies primarily on mental health concepts within clinical settings. However, his diverse training allows clients to bring their faith into the therapeutic relationship, if desired. Benjamin’s colleagues note that he displays unconditional acceptance, energy, and insight to his clients. He helps people recognize that life is a continual balance between stability and growth through connection, hope, and assessment of personal experience.
Life Experience
Benjamin’s experience of overseas studies has helped him to understand how culture and environment impact a person. His dynamic blend of theological studies, mental health training, and 6 years of missionary travel impact his ability to connect with a variety of clients. In addition, his personal experiences of cross-cultural marriage, being a musician, an entrepreneur and business owner allow him to understand the world from numerous angles.
