Hunter Hansen

I started out as a volunteer crisis counselor at Crisis Text Line and later worked in text and chat departments for 988. I have a total of 7 years working with people in emotional crisis. I found a lot of fulfillment in being there for people experiencing acute crisis. Over time, I felt the urge to help people in a more long-term format. However, I had my own trauma from being harmed by therapists in the past. I didn’t want to become another person who harms instead of helps. I found the most emotional healing through my theatre background, which naturally pushed me towards Drama Therapy. From there I learned about many other nontraditional forms of therapy, and the genuinely kind people that are within this field.

The person who comes to therapy is and always will be the expert in their own life. I’m not here to change who you are or make you live life the way that I do, I’m here to help you learn about who you want to be and make concrete steps to get there. When I work with couples, families, or other relationships, I consider the relationship itself to be my client. I’m not on any single person’s team, I’m there to support the relationship as a whole. I come from a creative arts background, mostly with drama therapy and poetry therapy. I’m a big fan of using humor and metaphor to help get to the deep core without burning out too quickly on emotional labor.

I work best with clients who are looking for something different than the traditional therapy room. I might suggest imagination games or ask deeply specific questions about language choices. I believe in asking people how they experience the world instead of assuming everyone experiences things one way. I know firsthand the harm a therapist can cause a client. I'm deeply aware of that pain and betrayal of trust. While I enjoy a lighthearted approach, I'm also aware of the power I can hold as a therapist. I’m here for the people who think therapy might not be for them. I can’t make promises that I will be perfect for you, but I can promise that I will take responsibility and have humility.

I’m a linguistics nerd and I adore thinking about lots of nerdy language things. I also enjoy reading books, playing games, and seeing live theatre.