Serena Forward-Rodriguez joined Sea Mar in November 2021 as a Licensed Mental Health Therapist providing services to clients in the Sea Mar Puyallup Behavioral Health Clinic. She provides psychotherapy to adults. Save for a brief amount of time spent working in a partial hospitalization program setting, Serena's career since 2015 has been spent in community mental health settings.

Serena holds a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from City University of Seattle. She is currently a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington State.

Serena is passionate about providing affirming therapy services to marginalized populations. She believes a systemic lens that recognizes the role of systemic oppression in the perpetuation of trauma and mental health struggles is foundational to the work. Serena is formally and extensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for emotional dysregulation issues and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for trauma processing. She often integrates concepts from those therapies into her sessions, whether or not a client is engaged in the full evidence-based protocols. Serena uses a blend of CPT, DBT, cognitive-behavioral therapy, person-centered therapy, psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused therapy interventions to build a comprehensive, trauma-informed, and client-centered treatment experience for each client.

In her leisure time, Serena enjoys being out in nature, caring for her two cats, spending time with friends and family, streaming shows on Netflix, and discovering new gluten free foods. She especially enjoys sushi, authentic street tacos, pizza, and sweets.