Dr. James Dillon

Dr. Dillon has been practicing as a therapist for over 25 years and is honored to provide a safe place for you to explore your difficulties and make meaningful life changes. He has several clinical specialties including trauma, problematic sexual behavior, couples therapy, sexual concerns, and supporting LGBTQ clients. Providing a warm, safe environment is of the upmost importance to Dr. Dillon. He is exceptionally skilled at helping individuals recognize, feel, and share their emotions, an essential component for making profound changes in therapy. He knows how hard it is to be vulnerable and express your feelings and believes in the significant impact therapy can have on your relationships and on your well-being. He will teach you the skills necessary for healing, making connections, and living a joyful life.

As a specialist in problematic sexual behavior, Dr. Dillon helps individuals struggling with out of control sexual behavior to stop the destructive cycle, gain deeper insight into their compulsive patterns, learn skills to safely experience their emotions, and helps them to repair their relationships. Often past traumas and an inability to connect and share emotions can contribute to a secret sexual life that is outside of your values. If your sexual behaviors feel out of control are you're struggling to heal yourself and your relationship, Dr. Dillon can provide empirically based tools and strategies to guide you.

Dr. Dillon is also passionate about helping couples connect, shift unhelpful relationship dynamics, and communicate on a deeper level. He enjoys helping couples repair relationship ruptures after betrayal, infidelity, or other areas of concern. He supports couples through the reconciliation process after infidelity and uses a structured process to help couples make sense of what happened, heal the painful wounds, build empathy and restore trust. He blends his expertise for emotional attunement and the Gottman Method in his work with couples.

Dr. Dillon has extensive expertise in supporting clients impacted by trauma, particularly sexual abuse and sexual assault, and ensures a safe space for clients to process the most painful life events. Using a compassionate approach and evidenced based strategies he can help you get back what was lost and address areas of your life that are still suffering. Dr. Dillon believes we are all influenced by our environment, and identifying the various factors that affect how you view yourself, the world in which you live, and the connection you have with others is an important component of therapy. He utilizes an integrative approach to therapy, drawing heavily on Cognitive-Behavioral, Humanistic, EMDR, Dialectical-Behavior Therapy, as well as trauma-informed and interpersonal strategies to provide treatment that fits your needs best.

For clients struggling with sexual concerns, Dr. Dillon treats a range of intimacy and sexual struggles to help individuals and couples achieve fulfilling sexual experiences. He brings a compassionate and non-judgmental approach to treating issues such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, sexual shame, and sexual trauma. With sensitivity and expertise, he works collaboratively with clients to explore the underlying causes of these challenges and develop tailored strategies to achieve the sex life they desire. Whether it's restoring confidence and pleasure in sexual encounters, resolving feelings of shame and guilt, or processing traumatic experiences, Dr. Dillon provides a safe space for clients to explore their sexuality and reclaim agency over their bodies and relationships. Through holistic and evidence-based interventions, he empowers clients to overcome obstacles and cultivate deeper connections, fostering a positive and affirming sexual identity.

Dr. Dillon has an extensive clinical career which includes program development, supervision, and individual/group therapy in correctional settings, military bases, and VAs. In addition, he has trained and worked with those experiencing substance use and addiction. Dr Dillon realizes the importance of the impact of oppression on the needs of marginalized populations, and he has a longstanding interest in issues affecting the LGBTQ community. He helps LGBTQ clients with self-identity struggles, self-acceptance & coming out. Other interests include moral injury and men's maladaptive core beleifs around masculinity.

Dr. Dillon earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center in Loma Linda, CA, and his postdoctoral fellowship in Interdisciplinary Treatment of Substance Abuse at the Puget Sound VA Healthcare System in Seattle, WA. Dr. Dillon worked in the Veterans Intensive PTSD Program at the Puget Sound VA Healthcare System American Lake Division and the Seattle Vet Center prior to working at Pacific Behavioral Healthcare.

Education & Credentials

• Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

• Washington State Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LPsy) ​

If you would like to learn more about how Dr. Dillon can help you or wish to set up an appointment, please call or send us a message!