Meet Our Team - Angela Wood
Angela Wood, LMHC
Position at the Hallowell Todaro ADHD Center:
Therapist
How long have you been working at the Hallowell Todaro ADHD Center?
One month
Where did you grow up?
As a young child I lived in California, Missouri, and Oregon, but I lived in Eastern Washington (Tri-Cities) for the majority of middle school and high school.
What are your favorite books / TV shows / movies?
My Favorite book is Letters to A Young Poet, by Ranier Maria Rilke or anything written by Brene’ Brown or Sabrina Ward Harrison. I love so many movies, but I would have to say my all-time favorite is Almost Famous. Favorite TV shows recently are Schitt’s Creek and The Good Place.
What’s your favorite sport and/or sports team?
I grew up playing basketball and started playing soccer in college. These are still my favorite sports to play, while my favorite sport to watch or attend games as a spectator is football! I am a diehard Seahawks and WSU Cougars fan (Go Cougs)!
Complete the following sentences:
When I’m not at work, you can find me....
playing, snuggling, or cleaning up after my (almost-three-year-old) twins.
When I want to de-stress, I...
take walks, go for a run, paint or do something creative, and snuggle my children.
My favorite time of year is...
I am a fan of all four seasons for different reasons, while I would have to say my favorite time of year is fall / football season! Christmas is a very close second!
My favorite thing to cook is...
my uncle’s homemade Bolognese or taco’s. I also love baking.
The best gift I ever received was...
my children! While this answer may seem obvious, it is very much the truth! If I had to choose a material gift, it would have to be a necklace with my children’s birthday inscribed on it (from my husband) or my orbit sander for home projects.
If I could travel anywhere in the world, I’d go to...
Everywhere! But probably Italy first! (During this unprecedented COVID- pandemic we’re in, I would even love to just go visit my parents).
What led you to pursue a career helping others?
I was raised in a house of helpers, which definitely laid the groundwork. To be honest, I never really considered anything outside of the helping professions (other than marine biology-until I learned how many science classes were required 😃). I often joke that I was never good with numbers so I became a therapist. The truth is, after thinking about being a teacher and working as an athletic director, I found that I had more interest in why people think, feel, and do what they do more than teaching them what to think and do. I love storytelling and learning about other’s experiences. I am honored to get the privilege of joining others as they learn more about themselves and how to best navigate their life. I really can’t imagine a better job!
What education, skills, and expertise do you bring to your role?
My undergraduate degree is in sociology and human development. I received my master’s degree in counseling and creative arts therapy from the Pratt Institute. I am a Washington State Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a nationally Registered Creative Arts Therapist (ATR). The majority of my professional career as a counselor has been at Seattle Children’s, where I have worked for the past 17-years. In my time at Children’s, I have worked on the Pediatric Behavioral Medicine Unit (PBMU), Outpatient Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Clinic, the Mental Health Emergency Department, and supported the Psychiatric Consult and Liaison Team on medical floors. I have received advanced training in treating anxiety / OCD, depression, and eating disorders, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Behavioral Activation for Adolescents with Depression, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I), Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), Family-Based Treatment for Anorexia (FBT), and The Incredible Years Parenting Program.
Who/what inspires you?
Authenticity and resiliency. I am inspired by so many people, including my parents, brothers, husband, children, friends, clients and their families. I am inspired by words and metaphors. I am inspired by art and color. I am inspired by people who are willing to own and call out how messy and complicated life can be. I am inspired by those who seek to get curious about their experiences and what they can learn from them.
What’s your personal philosophy/approach toward the work you do?
Stay grounded, get curious, and seek to understand. I learned a long time ago, that everything someone does, says, or feels makes sense given their prior experience. This has helped me work fundamentally from a judgment-free place. When I am working and sharing / holding space with my clients, I often find myself coming back to these words by Brene Brown: “We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to. Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”
What is one small thing people can do to improve their lives and increase their happiness?
BREATHE. Take and make time to breathe. Breathe with intention. I guarantee this one simple act, is a solution in almost every situation. I can also promise this one simple act will never make things worse. Another favorite quote, that I often share with my clients, is from my favorite book by Rilke:
“Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language. Do not now look for the answers. They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question. Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer, some distant day.”
We provide coaching and therapy to help people manage a variety of cognitive and emotional conditions.