Sinead Byrne, LMFT

Sinead Byrne, LMFT

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST
Pronouns: She/Her

As a clinician, Sinead is sustained by the phenomenon of connection; she finds nothing so moving as the coming together of two people in moments of true, unscripted vulnerability. In times when we are too ugly to bear ourselves, too full of shadow and fear, too flushed with pain, or too numb to our own relational impulses, it can be especially challenging to make a reach for connection, to let the truth show in the tremor of the hand. But to be seen in our darkness - to have an important other witness the messy, jagged parts of us, and accept us all the same - has a profoundly healing effect on the psyche, spirit, and body.  
 
Sinead is fascinated by the correlation between an embodied sense of security and healthy risk-taking. She sees therapy as a space where risk is made possible within a broader context of safety. We meet in therapy to sort through darkness and doubt, disrupt problematic patterns, and actively forge a new way forward. Raised in an old-fashioned bed-and-breakfast in upstate New York, Sinead's childhood environment encouraged the development of a respectful, inviting, and attuned demeanor. As an adult, Sinead has spent extensive time alone in nature, moving through boredom, anxiety, and strain, wrestling with herself and ultimately learning to quiet it all down. Her time in the wilderness further settled her spirit and leant her a depth of presence that enables her to remain available, composed, and focused in the therapeutic space.
 
Sinead approaches life and therapy from a systemic perspective. She believes problems and solutions are best understood within their relational, cultural, and environmental context, and sees the interactional space between people as the primary arena for change. Because of this, she is most in her element when working with couples and families who are caught in chronic cycles of conflict or disconnection. She has always been drawn toward both internal experience and relational dynamics, and finds nothing more enlivening than facilitating corrective bonding experiences between a couple, a parent and child, or different parts of oneself.  
 
To this end, Sinead has pursued extensive post-graduate training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) - an evidence-based couple's therapy model, grounded in attachment theory. She has completed EFT Externship and Core Skills training, as well as Level 1 training in Emotionally Focused Family Therapy. Additionally, she is a member of the International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT). She warmly welcomes clients of any gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, age, and ability.
 
Sinead is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Washington state (LF61477538). Her NPI number is 1649893199.