Common Questions

Ruth Shizuka Lyons is a Somatic Practitioner and Certified Counselor in Bellingham, WA. Here are some questions people may have before beginning — what sessions cost, how insurance works, and what body-centered counseling actually involves. If something isn’t answered here, please ask.

01

Rates, Payment & Insurance

Do you offer a free consultation?

Yes — a free 15-minute call, no cost and no obligation.

I don’t bill insurance directly, but your sessions may be covered under your plan’s out-of-network benefits. I’m glad to give you a receipt to send to your insurance company. I can’t guarantee reimbursement, so it’s worth calling the number on your card and asking about your out-of-network coverage for outpatient counseling.

Sessions are one hour, and the fee is $110, unless we’ve agreed on something else together.

A limited sliding scale is available for those who may be eligible, please ask during your free consultation and we’ll talk it through honestly.

Payment is due at the time of each session, by cash, check, or Zelle.

One hour.

Yes — just let me know and I’ll provide a receipt (sometimes called a superbill) you can send to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement.

Please allow at least 24 hours to cancel; otherwise you may be charged the full session fee.

02

Getting Started & What to Expect

How do we begin?

The first step is a free 15-minute consultation — a low-pressure call to hear what’s bringing you in and see whether we’re a good fit. From there we’ll schedule a first session.

At this time, I see clients in person, here in Bellingham.

We get to know each other and figure out if you want to do this work together. We cover your intake paperwork and I spend time learning about you.

Yes. Most people haven’t. We’ll go at your pace, and I’ll help you tune into senses and ways of knowing yourself that you might be unaware of.

That’s something we decide together and revisit as we go — it depends on what you’re working with and what feels right to you. You’re always in the driver’s seat.

03

My Approach

What does “non-traditional” or “somatic” counseling actually mean?

It means we don’t stop at talk. Somatic counseling brings in movement, sound, tactile sensations, and active listening alongside more familiar tools like cognitive/behavioral techniques for sticky thoughts — all in service of helping you build body-centered awareness, feel more grounded, and reconnect with yourself and the world around you.

Only ever with your permission, and only if and when it feels appropriate to the work we’re doing together. Nothing happens without your explicit go-ahead.

Every session is different. Depending on what you need, our work may draw on movement and breath, sound and expressive arts, grounding and nervous-system support, gentle conversation, and — only ever with your consent — touch-based practices.

I’m a Washington State Certified Counselor and Somatic Practitioner, with a BA in Human Services from Fairhaven College and more than 800 hours of somatic training under somatic therapist Scot Nichols — along with training in nonviolent communication, hospice care, and shamanic practice. You can read the fuller story on my About page.

Yes. My background includes a Chemical Dependency emphasis, and I held a Substance Use Disorder Professional Trainee license for six years — working with people in group settings, at the local detox, and in jails.

Extensively — this is one of the areas I have the deepest experience in, including my time as a Whatcom Hospice Volunteer. I hold a particular care for questions of death and dying, grief and bereavement, and aging.

No. I’m a Certified Counselor and Somatic Practitioner — I don’t diagnose or prescribe.

That’s completely welcome. Talking is always part of the work — the body-centered pieces simply give the talking somewhere deeper to land, and we only ever go where you’re comfortable.

04

Confidentiality & Your Rights

Is what I share confidential?

Yes. I keep your records private and won’t share them with anyone unless you direct me to in writing — with a few narrow exceptions the law requires of every counselor.

I’m required to act if there’s a serious, imminent safety concern — including risk of suicide or a crime — and as a mandated reporter I must report suspected abuse or neglect of a child or a vulnerable adult. I’ll walk you through all of this at the start, so nothing about your privacy is ever a surprise.

Yes, I keep records as the law requires. You’re welcome to see, copy, or ask me to correct your record — and you can ask, in writing, that no records be kept.

You have the right to know roughly how long our work may take, and the right to end it at any time. If you’re ever unhappy with how I’m working with you, please tell me.

A Few Favorite Resources

This is an extremely limited list. Start anywhere, and follow the bunny trails that will lead you to yet more resources.

Books

Man’s Search for Meaning

Viktor E. Frankl
Into the Magic Shop

James R. Doty
The Body Keeps the Score

Bessel van der Kolk
Waking the Tiger

Peter A. Levine
The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook

Edmund Bourne, PhD

Videos & Films

Human

Yann Arthus-Bertrand · 2015
The Power of Vulnerability

Brené Brown · TED
Flow, the Secret to Happiness

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi · TED
Play is More than Just Fun

Stuart Brown · TED

If you’re in crisis

If you’re in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), the Whatcom County Crisis Line at 1-800-584-3578, or go to your nearest emergency room.

For grief support that isn’t an emergency, Whatcom Hospice runs free grief support groups in Whatcom County.

I’m a Certified Counselor credentialed by the Washington State Department of Health (credential CCC.CL.61025453). If you’d like to explore your own mental health counseling journey contact me today to set up a free 15min consultation.

Ruth Shizuka Lyons

Bellingham, WA
Phone: 360.441.4509
Ruth@shizukacounseling.com

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