l.e. vander black, md
therapist and psychiatrist
Hello! I'm Dr. Black; I use they/she pronouns. I am a physician specializing in psychodynamic therapy (with or without medication management) for transitional age youth and adults. My office is in South Seattle, between Columbia City and Seward Park.
I graduated from medical school at the University of Washington, general psychiatry residency at New York University, and child/adolescent fellowship at Seattle Children's.
My practice focuses on psychodynamic therapy. I am bilingual and provide services in both English and Spanish. I have a special interest in working with young adults and the LGBTQIA+ community. I look forward to meeting you soon!
If you are interested in working together, please contact me at 206-984-3924 to schedule a consultation. I currently have consultation openings for adult patients seeking psychodynamic therapy.
I do not currently have openings for patients under 18 or patients seeking medication management only.
I do not provide crisis services. If you are in need of immediate assistance, please contact the crisis line at 1-800-273-8255.
Services
Therapy
Individual therapy in English or Spanish for adults, adolescents, and transitional age youth
Medications
Collaborative medication management that focuses on your personal goals
Questions
Do you take insurance?
I am currently in-network for Regence, Premera, and First Choice, but please check with your specific insurance plan to confirm this. I am listed as Laura Black in insurance networks. If you have questions about billing or insurance, I am happy to connect you with my biller.
What is your approach to therapy?
Fundamentally, I see treatment as a collaboration where your goals and preferences guide what kind of therapy we do. I work with some clients who prefer a more open-ended exploratory conversation style (psychodynamic psychotherapy), and others who prefer more structured sessions focused on skills (CBT, DBT). I have a background in both and am happy to help you think through what approach would be the most helpful.
I am a general psychiatrist so I enjoy working with a variety of people and mental health conditions. I often work with LGBTQIA+ youth and patients who speak Spanish. I am actively engaged in the question of how to decolonize psychotherapy and move toward liberation-based healing. If you have any questions about my approach I am happy to discuss further.
Don't psychiatrists prescribe medications, not do therapy?
This is a great question! All psychiatrists are trained to prescribe medication, and depending on their interests and training some psychiatrists primarily focus on therapy. I appreciate the role of medications and do prescribe them when needed, but the primary focus of my practice is therapy.
Do you write letters for gender affirming surgery?
Yes. If you're interested in this service, please give me a call to discuss what your needs are and how I can help. Please feel free to contact me regardless of insurance status, etc.
How can I request a new patient appointment?
I currently have new consultation openings for adult patients interested in therapy (with or without medication management). I do not currently have openings for patients under 18 or those seeking medication management only.
The first 2-3 visits are a consultation where I will focus on getting to know you and understanding the reasons you are seeking treatment. At the final consultation visit, I will share my recommendations and we will decide whether it's the right fit to continue working together, or alternatively I will provide you with a referral who better suits your needs.
If you are interested in working together, the first step is to have a brief 10-15 minute phone call to see what your needs are and if my services might be a good fit -- I can be reached at 206-984-3924.