Hi, I'm glad you're here! I’m Brynn Blanchard (she/her), a therapist in private practice based on Bainbridge Island, Washington. I offer compassionate, evidence-informed therapy both virtually via secure telehealth sessions in Washington state and in-person at my cozy office near the Coppertop business complex.

I specialize in supporting parents navigating some of life’s most complex challenges — from chronic pediatric illness and parenting neurodiverse children, to gender identity exploration and youth experiencing gender dysphoria. Whether you're facing a major life transition, feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or depression, or seeking guidance through trauma recovery, I’m here to walk alongside you. It's a path I know from personal experience, and I know how frustrating it can be to feel alone in a challenging journey.

Together, we’ll create a safe, nonjudgmental space to explore your experiences, process your emotions, and develop practical strategies to build resilience and healing.

When I finished my Master's degree in Counseling in 1996, I had no idea the life journey that would lead me to open a private practice. I spent my first years applying my counseling skills in school and nonprofit settings to support youth, and later found my way to rewarding opportunities in nonprofit leadership at organizations like Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Seattle Humane where the human-animal bond became abundantly clear to me.

One of my children became very ill following Covid with what would eventually, after 19 months and many misdiagnoses, be determined to be a post-infectious medical condition known as PANS/PANDAS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome.) PANS is thought to be caused by a misdirected immune response resulting in an attack on the basal ganglia by the body's autoantibodies and leading to brain inflammation and a constellation of neuropsychiatric symptoms. My personal experience led me to open my practice to support other parents pursuing challenging medical, psychiatric, and behavioral issues in their families.

A parent-led approach is sometimes needed when children cannot fully participate in therapy. I've trained in the SPACE treatment model with the founder, Dr. Eli Lebowitz, of the Yale Child Study Center. SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) focuses more on the behavior you can change as a parent - your own! This evidence-based model has at its core a deep respect for the parent-child connection.

In addition to private practice, I serve as the Washington Coordinator for the Northwest PANDAS/PANS Network and on the public education committee for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). Locally, I've served on the Seattle Children's Advisory Board for the Department of Psychiatry and supported Bainbridge Pride and Rainbow Crew Northwest programs.

Training & Therapeutic Approaches

• MA Ed in Counseling, 1996

• SPACE-Trained (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

• Demystifying  PANDAS and PANS Membership with Dr. Nancy O'Hara

Member

• Anxiety and Depression  Association of America

• Clinician Impact Circle, Neuroimmune Institute

• Washington  Mental Health Counselors  Association
  
  

I take an integrative, personalized approach—grounded in empathy, trauma-informed care, and collaborative partnership.