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Darliene Ilforah

Licensed Social Work Associate & Independent Clinical
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Darliene is currently not accepting new clients

Darliene Ilforah, MSW, LSWAIC

Licensed Social Work Associate & Independent Clinical
(253) 251-9161

As a licensed social worker with over 23 years of experience, I offer a listening ear and faith in God’s ability to transform your life. My desire is for you to experience overall physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being. I will partner with you to identify the areas in your life that would benefit from change, and help you establish a feasible plan to implement those changes. We all have struggles of some form or another, and that’s when we need extra support. I am here to offer that extra support so you can live the life God is calling you to live in Christ.

Kent - Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat

About

I love people, and I love hearing about their journeys through life. Sometimes there are struggles; however, there are also successes that should be celebrated. Though we may dread difficulties, we can also look at difficult situations as opportunities for growth. When we let God lead us through life in good times as well as painful situations, we can find comfort and peace knowing that He is a good Father who loves His children unconditionally. As your counselor, I will help you identify and celebrate your successes and rely on the Lord’s strength and grace to grow in Christ through the challenges you face.

My Goal as a Christian Counselor

My goal as your counselor is to empower, inspire, and motivate you to reach your full potential. My desire is for you to experience and enjoy health in every area of your life – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. As we work together to identify areas of growth, I will help you establish a treatment plan that will build on your strengths and help you achieve the goals you have set for yourself.

What I Offer in Christian Counseling

I offer a safe, judgement-free space where you can share what is on your mind and heart. When we meet, I will invite you to share how your week is going. Once we identify things that went well, I will work to empower you to grow in the areas you’ve been successful. If things did not go well, I will work to empower you to grow in the areas where you want to improve.

My Approach to Christian Counseling

As a Christian counselor, I believe there is a connection between our body, mind, and spirit. In order for us to experience total healing, all three of these areas need to be addressed. Sometimes our spiritual lives suffer if we become physically sick or if our thought lives are not operating in a healthy space. I will work with you to nurture all three components that make up who you are as a human being created in God’s image. With God’s help and intervention, it’s possible for you to experience the healing and change you desire.

Biography

Qualifications & Experience

I have a Master’s in Social Work from from University of Washington School of Social Work and a B.A. in Psychology from Seattle Pacific University. I’ve been a social worker for 23 years. I worked in child welfare for ten years before going into psychiatric and medical social work for the past thirteen years. My most recent role has been as an Emergency Department social worker.

My Call to Christian Counseling

I’ve been blessed to have many individuals walk with me through my life’s journey. I don’t think that I could have made it to where I am without the support from my family, friends, and church body. God wants us to support one another, and my desire as a counselor is to partner with individuals as they journey through life.

More About Me/On a Personal Note

I have a son and daughter-in-law, two daughters, and three granddaughters. I am family-focused, and try to maintain close relationships with my loved ones. I love spending time with family, traveling overseas, and teaching Zumba.

Services and Specialities

Areas of Expertise/Specialties

  • Aging and Geriatric Issues
  • Anger Management
  • Anxiety
  • Chemical Dependency
  • Coaching
  • Counseling for Teens
  • Couples Counseling
  • Family Counseling
  • Grief and Loss
  • Group Counseling
  • Individual Counseling
  • Marriage Counseling
  • Online Counseling
  • Personal Development
  • Professional Development
  • Relationship Issues
  • Spiritual Development
  • Weight Loss
  • Women’s Issues

Anxiety

Anxiety can consume our lives to the point where we become stuck. Then comes fear, shame, and loneliness as we draw away from others. A person who experiences anxiety may have a difficult time just sitting still. Through our sessions together, you can learn to equip yourself with the knowledge and skills needed to manage your anxiety. While it is not easy to overcome anxiety, I am here to partner with you as you grow and learn how to get to a place of peace.

Grief and Loss

Loss is difficult. Sometimes we lose loved ones, health, jobs, or relationships. Many times, it may seem like others close to you want to help, but they don’t know what to say or do. One of the most helpful things we can do is to realize how important it is to tell ourselves that it is okay to feel pain. We should also understand that it is okay to feel anger and reject our situations. Through grief counseling you can gain a better understanding of the grieving process and know that you are not alone.

Professional Development

As we progress in our journey through life, we arrive at places where we want to make a change. Sometimes we change jobs, living situations, or daily routines. We do this because are looking for something different, or even improvement in certain areas. Professional development is one area in which we seek change. One of the obstacles we face is identifying what we really want to do. Are we looking for job satisfaction, higher wages, flexibility in schedules, better opportunities for advancement, or something else? Through counseling for professional development, we will work together to identify your goals and develop a clear plan for you to be able to reach those goals.

Weight Loss

Weight loss is not easy. It takes time and hard work. There is no magic formula to receive the desired outcome. Change is possible when we step back and develop strategies to achieve living a healthy lifestyle. As your counselor, I can help you identify and achieve the lifestyle changes that will help you accomplish your desired outcome.

Aging and Geriatrics

Aging results in many different emotions. We can feel happiness when we look at our children and their children growing and walking through life. We can also feel loneliness as we have less contact with our children. Then there is the loss of functioning as our bodies age. We fear what may happen when we are no longer able to care for ourselves—where we will we live, and how we will pay for it. Having these discussions and planning early will calm our emotions and reduce the fear of unknown. As your counselor, I will help you work through the variety of emotions you are experiencing and help you find ways to enjoy this season of life with God’s help.

Payment and Forms

Sessions: I offer 53-minute sessions. Sessions can be held more than once per week, weekly, or every other week. Scheduling options are discussed in greater detail during your Risk-Free Initial Session.

Availability (by office location):

  • Kent – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for individuals, couples, and groups looking to pursue counseling with me. Please note that there is a fee for the Risk-Free Initial Session as it is a clinical hour and reimbursable to most insurance companies, but if you choose not to reschedule and continue therapy after the initial session the entire fee for the session will be waived. For ongoing treatment the full fee per session is required at the time of service.

Insurance: As a Licensed Social Work Associate & Independent Clinical (LSWAIC), some insurance companies will reimburse for a portion of my services (as an Out of Network Provider). Please consult with your insurance provider as to whether they specifically cover adolescents, individuals and couples.

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