MEET RYDER

Ryder DeFranco has been a Kittitas County resident since her CWU college days. She loves her community and offers services online, in her downtown Ellensburg office, and through her equine-centered homestead out in the Badger Pocket area of Ellensburg. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master's degree in clinical social work from Walla Walla University and a Bachelor of Science in Social Services from Central Washington University. 

 

Ryder’s compassionate, client-centered therapy at DeFranco Counseling, specializes in topics such as anxiety, depression, trauma, intimate and work relationships, and major life transitions. Using a solution-focused approach, she integrates evidence-based interventions, including CBT, CPT, DBT, mindfulness, and EMDR, to guide clients toward meaningful growth and healing. 

 

Ryder has had a variety of life experiences that have deepened her knowledge of people and their issues. Before establishing her private practice, Ryder worked at Kittitas Valley Healthcare in Home Health and Hospice, working in bereavement, and assisting with advanced care planning. She also has experience leading group and individual therapy at Walla Walla State Penitentiary, and crisis intervention and supporting individuals in acute care settings at Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health. 

 

Therapists benefit from their own life experiences and Ryder’s passion for helping others began as a young adult when she benefited from life-coaching. The difference it made in her life inspired her to provide the same quality of care to others. Her love and life with horses also directed her further training in Equine-assisted therapy, which she offers as a branch of her practice. 

 

As a married mother of two young children, in a ranch family,  Ryder understands the importance of work-life balance and the tensions that come from navigating the demands of modern life. She is a firm believer in the kind of open communication that creates a safe, supportive environment to explore both positive and challenging emotions. Her commitment to fostering a non-judgmental space for personal growth is what drew her to her brand of counseling, and why she continues to help others find peace, clarity , and joy in their lives.