Art by Gustav Klimt
Alsept Psychiatric PLLC
About this practice and my patients
The Way I Practice
Paula Alsept ARNP PLLC is my professional/“company” name. I’m a licensed and nationally board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner based just north of Seattle. (ARNP is an acronym for Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner.) I have 20 years experience prescribing medication and doing psychotherapy with adults. I provide therapy to patients first, as a person myself, then as someone knowledgeable in areas of psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic treatment.
I approach the therapeutic process by addressing each person's emotional, familial, physical, professional, and social health. As a medication prescriber and a psychotherapist, my initial treatment
focus can be on symptom relief. I evaluate each patient individually with a plan of care tailored to his or her needs. During the course of psychotherapy, I will work with each patient to target the cause of any problematic symptoms, whether they are in the present or the past. For most therapy, my goals are 1) to come together with each patient in a commonly arrived at understanding of the patient’s situation, 2) to strive to both be authentic and honest myself and to empower my patient to be honest and authentic in therapy, 3) to let each patient control the therapy process—unless they feel that they can’t, then that’s when I am there to help—and 4) to show unconditional regard for my patients.
When working with severe manifestations of PTSD I use Cognitive Processing Therapy which is 16 weeks long. CPT, uses a mild, tolerable and adjustable exposure technique that can throught the course of the work relieve the symptoms of flashbacks, decrease or eliminate disassociation and nightmares. Medications, subsequent therapy or therapy referrals are all available during/after CPT.
I also have a toolkit for working with addiction that varies from patient to patient depending on the patient's goals: harm reduction, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, supporting abstinence, or helping them assess whether "California sober" is working for them. Addictions are on the anxiety spectrum which is in my therapeutic realm of comfort and expertise.
MyPatients
I am honored to work with people who I only refer to as "patients" because of the responsibilty I have in the work I do. Many of the people I work with have PTSD from childhood abuse, combat, assault or working on the frontlines as a healthcare worker during COVID. Others have anxiety disorders ranging from OCD to Panic Disorder to addictions. Additionally, many of the people I work with have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Of course, I see many people with other diagnoses as well, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, the gamut. I also help people with conditions that afflict humans (and always have) that have no diagnosis but must be talked out with someone.
Phone: 206.240.5584
Fax: 866.453.0617
E-mail: paula.alsept@gmail.com
Days: Tuesday - Friday