Fresh Start Counseling PLLC

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United States
Port Orchard, WA
Fresh Start Counseling PLLC

We offer evidence-based therapy for teens, adults, and couples in Port Orchard and across Washington. Telehealth statewide and in-person avalible.

Specializing in DBT, anxiety, burnout, emotional regulation, and relationship counseling. Insurance Accepted: Aetna, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, First Choice Health, Kaiser, Premera, Regence, and Out of Network

05/06/2026

📣 Ready to Feel More Balanced, Connected, and Confident?

Fresh Start Counseling PLLC — Where meaningful change begins.
🌿 Therapy that’s warm, practical, and empowering.

At Fresh Start Counseling, I’m committed to guiding individuals and couples toward emotional balance, stronger relationships, and deeper connection. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, navigating ADHD challenges, or wanting tools to strengthen your relationship — I’m here to help.

✨ Services I Offer:
• Individual Therapy — Emotional regulation, anxiety support, ADHD coaching using evidence-based DBT skills.
• Couples & Premarital Counseling — Communication, trust, conflict resolution with Gottman Method tools.
• Telehealth Therapy Across Washington — Convenient, private sessions from wherever you are.
• In-Person Therapy in Port Orchard, WA — Meaningful support in a comfortable, safe space.

🌟 Therapy should be collaborative, structured, and focused on real-world change — not just insight. My clients often leave sessions feeling steadier, more confident, and equipped with tools they actually use.

🔗 Learn more & book your first step:
👉 www.freshstart-counseling.com

📞 253-294-3748
📧 katelynn@freshstart-counseling.com

05/04/2026

✨ May the 4th be with you! ✨
And happy May from Port Orchard—today is one of those beautiful spring days that reminds us that change is possible. 🌿☀️

At Fresh Start Counseling, we focus on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)—an evidence-based approach that helps people build real skills for:

🧠 managing overwhelming emotions
💬 improving communication
🌊 reducing anxiety and emotional burnout
🔥 navigating conflict without shutting down or exploding
💛 building a life that feels worth living

DBT isn’t just “talk therapy”—it’s practical, structured, and focused on helping you feel more in control of your emotions and your relationships.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, exhausted, or like your emotions are running the show… you’re not alone—and support is available.

🌱 Learn more or schedule a consultation at:
www.freshstart-counseling.com

✨ May the 4th be with you… and may your coping skills be strong. 😉

05/01/2026

🌞 Happy (almost) summer weather! 🌿

It’s one of those days where the sunshine feels like a deep breath. The kind of weather that reminds us that life can feel lighter… even if things have been heavy lately.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, anxious, emotionally exhausted, or just “off,” consider this your reminder:
you don’t have to wait until you’re at your breaking point to ask for support.

Small steps matter.
Fresh air counts.
Pausing counts.
And so does reaching out. 🤍

Take 5 minutes today to do something that grounds you—step outside, feel the sun, take a slow breath, and check in with yourself.

If you're ready to start therapy, I’d love to support you.

✨ Now accepting new clients for telehealth therapy.

📩 Message me to schedule a free consultation or visit my website to learn more.

04/29/2026

🌿 You Don’t Have to Keep “Pushing Through.” 🌿

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or like your nervous system is always on high alert… you’re not alone.

So many people are functioning on the outside while silently struggling on the inside, managing anxiety, ADHD, relationship stress, burnout, or emotional ups and downs.

Therapy isn’t about “fixing you.”
It’s about helping you understand yourself, regulate your emotions, and build tools that actually work in real life.

At Fresh Start Counseling, I help teens and adults learn skills for:
✨ Anxiety & overthinking
✨ ADHD and emotional regulation
✨ Burnout and stress management
✨ Relationship and communication struggles
✨ Building confidence and healthy boundaries

You deserve support that feels practical, safe, and personalized, not generic advice.

💛 You don’t have to do this alone.

📍Telehealth available in Washington
🌐 Schedule a consultation here:
👉 www.freshstart-counseling.com

04/28/2026

✨ Feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, or emotionally exhausted?
You’re not alone — and you don’t have to keep pushing through it by yourself.

At Fresh Start Counseling, I help adults and teens learn practical tools to manage:

🧠 Anxiety & overthinking
💥 Emotional outbursts or shutdowns
📌 ADHD struggles (motivation, focus, burnout)
🌪️ Stress, relationship conflict, and feeling “too much”
🧩 High-functioning autism support & emotional regulation

Using evidence-based approaches like DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), we focus on real skills you can use in everyday life — not just talking about the problem.

🌿 Therapy is a space to feel understood and learn how to cope differently.

📍Telehealth available in Washington, In-person available in Port Orchard
📅 Now accepting new clients

💬 Want to get started? Message me or schedule a consultation through my website (www.freshstart-counseling.com).

04/26/2026

🌿 Saturday Reminder 🌿

You are allowed to rest.

You don’t have to earn your rest by finishing everything on your to-do list first.
You don’t have to solve every problem today.
And you don’t have to carry everything alone.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do for your mental health is slow down, breathe, and give your nervous system a break.

If your week felt overwhelming, today can simply be about resetting.

✨ Take a walk
✨ Drink your coffee slowly
✨ Spend time with someone who makes you feel safe
✨ Or just sit in a quiet moment

Your mental health matters every day—not just when things feel hard.

— Katelynn Saunders, MA, LMHC
Fresh Start Counseling

❤️

04/24/2026

✨ You don’t have to “hit rock bottom” to start therapy. ✨

A lot of people wait until things feel unbearable before reaching out.

But therapy isn’t just for crisis.
Therapy is for the in-between moments too…

🧠 When you feel overwhelmed but can’t explain why
💬 When communication in your relationship keeps turning into conflict
😞 When you’re functioning… but barely
⏳ When you keep saying, “I’ll deal with it later.”
💛 When you’re tired of carrying everything alone

Therapy is a space to slow down, get honest, and learn skills that actually help you feel better, not just survive the week.

You deserve support before you burn out.

If you’ve been thinking about starting therapy, consider this your sign. 🌿

📩 Message me to inquire about availability (www.freshstart-counseling.com)

04/22/2026

💬 Why Doesn’t Insurance Cover Couples Counseling?
This is one of the most common questions I get — and it’s a valid one.
Most insurance companies only cover therapy that is considered “medically necessary,” meaning it must be tied to a mental health diagnosis for one individual (like anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc.).
Couples counseling focuses on the relationship, not diagnosing one partner — so it usually doesn’t meet insurance requirements.
💸 Let’s talk real numbers:
❤️ Couples Counseling (1 year example):
• 24 sessions x $200/session = $4,800
• Gottman Assessment setup fee = $150
➡️ Total = $4,950 for the year
💔 Divorce (average cost in the U.S.):
• Typically $15,000–$30,000+
(and can be much higher in high-conflict cases)
✨ Couples counseling isn’t just an expense — it’s often an investment in communication, emotional safety, and long-term relationship health.
And in many cases, it costs a fraction of what divorce can cost financially… not to mention emotionally.
📩 If you have questions about getting started, feel free to reach out.

04/20/2026

🔥 DBT Reminder for This Heat Wave 🔥
It’s been HOT lately… and if you’ve noticed yourself feeling more irritable, overwhelmed, emotional, or exhausted, you’re not imagining it.

When our bodies are stressed (heat, dehydration, poor sleep), our emotional regulation skills get harder to access.

🌿 DBT Skill Tip: PLEASE Skills
One of the most overlooked DBT tools is taking care of your physical body so your emotions don’t hit “max level” so quickly.

✅ Stay hydrated
✅ Eat regularly
✅ Get rest when you can
✅ Take breaks in the shade or AC
✅ Notice if your fuse feels shorter than usual

💡 DBT truth: Sometimes the most effective coping skill is meeting a basic need first.

Be gentle with yourself; your nervous system is doing its best.

If you’re feeling emotionally drained or stuck in survival mode, DBT therapy can help you build skills that work even when life feels intense.

🌞 Take care of your mind by taking care of your body.

04/18/2026

✨ Feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or emotionally exhausted? ✨

If your mind feels like it’s running 24/7…
If you’re struggling to stay organized, motivated, or focused…
If you keep thinking, “Why can’t I just get it together?”

You’re not alone, and you’re not broken.

Therapy can help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface and build real tools to cope differently.

I support teens and adults with:
🌿 Anxiety & stress
🧠 ADHD & executive functioning
💛 Emotional regulation
🧩 Neurodivergent support
🚧 Boundaries & relationship patterns

Using DBT-informed strategies, we focus on practical skills you can apply in real life, not just talk about it.

📍 Port Orchard, Washington State
💻 Telehealth available
📩 Schedule a consultation WWW.FreshStart-Counseling.com

You deserve support that actually helps.

04/15/2026

✨ DBT Skill of the Day: STOP ✨
When emotions hit fast, your brain wants to react immediately.
But reacting isn’t always the same as responding.

🛑 S – STOP
Pause. Don’t act yet.

🧍‍♀️ T – TAKE A STEP BACK
Breathe. Walk away if you need to. Create space.

👀 O – OBSERVE
What am I feeling? What thoughts are showing up?
What’s happening in my body right now?

🧠 P – PROCEED MINDFULLY
Ask yourself: What choice will help me long-term, not just right now?

💡This skill is simple, but powerful. It can prevent impulsive texts, emotional outbursts, shutdowns, or regretful decisions.

Today’s reminder: You don’t have to respond to everything immediately.
You’re allowed to pause.

🌿 Save this for later + share with someone who needs it.

Address

1700 SE Mile Hill Drive Ste 207
Port Orchard, WA
98366

Opening Hours

Sunday	09:00 - 17:00
Monday	10:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	10:00 - 15:00
Wednesday	10:00 - 15:00
Thursday	10:00 - 15:00

Telephone

+12532943748

Website

https://meetmonarch.com/therapist/katelynn-saunders-kosta-ma-lmhc, http://www.freshstart-counseling.com/, https://fortre

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