Meet Our Team - Sandra Elise Andress
Sandra Elise Andress
Position at the Hallowell Todaro ADHD Center:
Therapist
How long have you been working at Hallowell Todaro ADHD?
Two weeks
Where did you grow up?
Bellingham, WA
What are some of your favorite books, movies, and/or TV shows?
Too many.
What is your favorite sport and/or sports team?
Trail running, mountain biking, kayaking/rowing and x-country skiing.
Complete the following sentences:
When I’m not at work, you can find me...
in the mountains - hiking, skiing, biking or running; spending time with my family and friends, or in the yoga studio.
When I want to de-stress, I...
meditate, walk/hike/run, do yoga, cook, go to the movies or hang out with friends.
My favorite time of year is...
SPRING!
My favorite thing to cook is:
cookies.
The best gift I ever received was:
being in Iceland for the annual baby puffin rescue!
If I could travel anywhere in the world, I’d go to...
almost anywhere I have not been. Perhaps Corfu, Uruguay or Argentina.
What led you to pursue a career in helping others?
Initially, to be a better family member, mother and human. However it became a passion for helping kids and families navigate the world with more joy, presence and resourcefulness.
What education, skills and expertise do you bring to your role?
I have been gathering education, skills and experience along the way to become a therapist invested in the overall wellbeing of children and their most important people. I have an MA in Counseling Education & Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University and a license in marriage and family therapy. I have focused my continuing education on Interpersonal Neurobiology, narrative therapy, the somatics of safety, working with family systems as they navigate life’s challenges - including foster care, adoption and divorce. I am a restorative yoga teacher with over 500+ teacher training hours working with children, adults and families. Lastly, I am completing a MA in Anthropology at WWU with an interest in the intersection of wellbeing, culture, childhood and education. My thesis is focused on understanding how educators experience embodied safety in a classroom with neurodiverse students. I am particularly interested in how the brain and body respond to co-regulation.
Who/what inspires you?
Lori Desautes at Butler University and her work in educational neuroscience. Bettina Love - abolitionist teaching and the pursuit of educational freedom. All the works of bell hooks. Raine Eisler on partnership vs. domination. Resma Menakum - intergenerational racialized trauma. And the healing justice work of Prentis Hemphil, Adrienne Marie Brown, Cara Page and Kazu Haga. Anthropologists - Eve Tuck and Tim Ingold. Yoga - Judith Lasater. Meditation - Rev. angel Kyodo williams. James Baldwin. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Stacy Abrahms, Kendrick Lamar, AOC and Jasmine Crockett :-) Last but definitely not the least - my kids, mom, dad and best friend.
What’s your personal philosophy/approach toward the work you do?
Compassionate curiosity, generative questions and a collaborative exploration of how one’s body, brain, relationships and systems interact with one’s experience of the world.
What is one small thing people can do to increase their happiness?
Nurture relationships that are inspirational, prioritize care and amplify joy.
We provide a range of support for people with ADHD.