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Ricky Guadarrama

Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate
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Ricky Guadarrama, M.Div, LMHCA

Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate
(253) 777-1997

As a husband, father, counselor, pastor, soldier, and Army Chaplain, I have experience interacting with a variety of personalities and cultures. I also have the gift of being impartial and will listen to you and your story without judgment. With God’s direction, I will offer truth with grace, which allows for healing and change. As we enter this counseling journey, my full intent is to help you find healing and freedom. Your healing is my top priority. Ultimately, it is my goal for you to find a rich relationship with Jesus that will sustain you for the rest of your life.

Lacey - Mon & WedOnline (WA only) - Mon & Wed

About

I provide professional, faith-based counseling for children, teens, couples, adult individuals, and families dealing with a wide range of issues and concerns. Whether you’re looking for premarital counseling, marriage therapy, treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), support for overcoming symptoms of anxiety or depression, tools for anger management, or ways to address other challenges, I would be honored to help.

My Goal as a Christian Counselor

We live in a fallen creation that includes many different struggles. I am passionate about helping people see where God is in their lives and helping them find freedom from their past sins, hurts, and whatever unresolved conflicts may be in their lives. It is my hope that through our time together, you will gain a deeper relationship with your Heavenly Father and be reminded of how good He is. My desire is for you to be able to truly say, “I am free and the joy of the Lord is my strength.”

What I Offer in Christian Counseling

I offer a welcoming, judgment-free space where you can feel comfortable and free to offload your burdens, no matter what they may be. In our sessions, we will work together to develop a plan on how to proceed with your healing. We will establish reasonable and realistic milestones to achieve your healing through a “crawl, walk, and run” phase planning. With a heart of understanding, I offer accountability to help you accomplish your goals and experience the transformation you desire, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

My Approach to Christian Counseling

I approach Christian counseling with the understanding that I am not the ultimate healer or problem solver for my clients. Only through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit is it possible for individuals to find the ability to forgive those who hurt them, seek forgiveness from those they hurt, and use their weakness to the glory of God. It is Jesus who does this, and I am just the facilitator for the Lord to use so my clients can experience these encounters with Jesus.

Biography

Qualifications & Experience

I hold a Master’s in Divinity from Faith International University & Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry Leadership from Northwest University. I am also an Ordained Pastor. I have been in the United States Army for 20 years and have been serving as a Chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserves for the past five years.

My Call to Christian Counseling

Being a counselor is a gift I feel I received from the Lord, and I want to use this gift to bless, help, and minister to more people. I also want to use this gift to be a good steward of all the gifts I received from the Lord and to honor God with it.

More About Me/On a Personal Note

I enjoy spending time with my wife and children, studying the Bible, and learning about American history. I also enjoy watching movies and working out because I really enjoy tacos.

Services and Specialities

Areas of Expertise/Specialties

  • Abandonment and Neglect
  • ADHD
  • Aging and Geriatric Issues
  • Anger Management
  • Anxiety
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Chemical Dependency
  • Coaching
  • Counseling for Children
  • Counseling for Teens
  • Couples Counseling
  • Codependency
  • Depression
  • Family Counseling
  • Grief and Loss
  • Group Counseling
  • Individual Counseling
  • Infidelity and Affairs
  • Marriage Counseling
  • Men’s Issues
  • Online Counseling
  • Personal Development
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Premarital Counseling
  • Professional Development
  • Sex and Porn Addiction
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Spiritual Development
  • Trauma
  • Weight Loss

Men’s Issues

In the world today, men are lost regarding how to become a godly man. Most men do not know what it means to be a man according to how God designed men to be or how to fulfill their role in His creation. Learning how to become the man God created you to be to lead, love, provide for, and protect your loved ones according to God’s design is one of the most important things you can do to fully change your life and the lives around you.

Premarital Counseling

“And they lived happily ever after.” This is a lie I like to address in premarital counseling. The truth is, marriage is a lifelong journey that will always have its challenges, while allowing a husband and wife to grow together. My goal for premarital counseling is to get couples to begin to communicate in a way that will bless their marriage, along with learning healthy boundaries. In our sessions, I will facilitate conversations that will prepare you for the challenges marriage will bring, including but not limited to finances, in-laws’ involvement, child rearing, and more.

Spiritual Development

Scripture teaches, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jerimiah 29:13). As a pastor, I know the importance of what it means to grow in faith. It is important that people learn not just what they believe, but why they believe it. Understanding the theology behind your faith will help you know where God is in your life, see how He moves in your life, and learn to trust Him more.

Marriage Counseling

Jesus taught, “But at the beginning of creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Mark 10:6-9). Marriage has many challenges that can be difficult. My goal in marriage counseling is to help couples understand each other. We will discuss ways to communicate better, set healthy boundaries for your relationship, and learn to resolve conflict in a beneficial and biblical way.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

As an Army Chaplain, I have met many soldiers in my 20-year career who have suffered from PTSD. PTSD is serious, and learning to heal from past trauma is vital to living a healthy life. By allowing Christ into the conversation, it is my belief that people can find healing in the peace that is promised by Jesus when He taught, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). My goal for those who suffer from PTSD is that they will learn to rest in Jesus and know that Jesus can and will heal them.

Payment and Forms

Sessions: I offer 53-minute sessions. Sessions can be held more than once per week, weekly, or every other week. Scheduling options are discussed in greater detail during your Risk-Free Initial Session.

Availability (by office location):

  • Lacey – Mondays and Wednesdays
  • Online (WA Only) – Mondays and Wednesdays

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for individuals, couples, and groups looking to pursue counseling with me. Please note that there is a fee for the Risk-Free Initial Session as it is a clinical hour and reimbursable to most insurance companies, but if you choose not to reschedule and continue therapy after the initial session, the entire fee for the session will be waived. For ongoing treatment, the full fee per session is required at the time of service.

Insurance: As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA), some insurance companies will reimburse for a portion of my services (as an Out-of-Network Provider). Please consult with your insurance provider as to whether they specifically cover adolescents, individuals, and couples.

Receipts/Statements: In the event you require a printed or digital receipt, I will provide receipts for personal use, insurance reimbursement, Flex Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

Payment options: Cash, Check, or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & American Express). A fee of up to 4% per transaction may be added for credit card payments.

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