Southeast Youth and Family Services

We currently have counseling openings for children and youth who either attend the Seattle School District or have a Seattle address. We offer in-person and virtual appointments. You can email referrals or inquiries to [email protected].

Our ParentChild+ program has openings for African American, East African, and Latinx families with kids 16 months - 3-year-olds. You can make a referral here: https://seyfs.org/waitlist-form/

A Message from our Marketing and Development Director:

After four rewarding years of introducing and inviting the community into relationship, my time at Southeast Youth and Family Services as the Marketing and Development Director has come to a close. I am so thankful for all the community members and corporate partners I’ve had the honor of serving. Sacrificially giving of your time, talents and treasures to support healthy children and families inspired me daily, and I have no doubt that the work will carry on in this new season.

I’m also thankful for the time I’ve had with my colleagues and the space they gave me to develop ideas, try new things, and pursue dreams bigger than what we’d attempted before. I’m proud that together we’ve established Southeast as an important nonprofit of the community, who is visibly doing impactful work.

I look forward to Southeast Youth and Family Services continuing to change lives and supporting the development of healthy families in our community. Our community is better because Southeast is in it.

Jennifer Thor

Congratulations to one of our incredible counselors, Taye Degefu, on receiving a Kwanzaa Award! We’ve always known how exceptional he is, and he truly deserves every bit of this well-earned recognition.

It's Almost Time!

There are only hours left to make a tax-deductible gift this year. Your gift helps us to continue saying yes to:

The toddler who would otherwise start kindergarten steps behind their peers.

The teenager who is hurting themself because they don’t know any other options to help with their pain.

The immigrant parents who need support understanding their teen who is growing up in a culture vastly different than their own childhood.

What Good Has Come Out of 2025? 👀

This year has been challenging in many ways, but we wanted to take a moment and focus on the progress we’ve been able to make, and the lives changed through our work. Will you join us in celebrating these successes?

A personal story:

“As someone that suffers from significant trauma and recurring mental health issues, I’ve never had the most positive experiences with talk therapy but my therapist at Southeast has genuinely changed my life for the better. My experience with (my counselor) has been transformative, to say the least, and I feel so very lucky to have access to their resources and support.”

Would you please consider making a year-end gift to help us finish the year strong and launch us with hope into 2026? We appreciate all of you who choose to donate your hard-earned money to support our work. You are invaluable to us, and every gift is such an encouragement.

Donate here: https://seyfs.org/donate/ -form

Happy Kwanzaa!
May your home be filled with joy, remembrance, and renewed commitment today and throughout the coming year.

Merry Christmas!! ⛄🎅🏿🤶🏿
We hope everyone has a day filled with love, laughter and family.

Happy Hanukkah to our neighbors who celebrate!

Have you made it to the Seattle Center yet this holiday season? Head that direction tomorrow at noon, and your kids can watch ice carving!

https://seattlecenter.com/events/featured-events/winterfest

Thank you to Third Place Books Seward Park and Chuck’s Hop Shop Seward Park for partnering with us again for a Holiday Giving Tree! Stop by to pick out a book to donate to Southeast! Many of the selected books support emotional learning, value diversity, and affirm the worth of our kids.

*Also, watch for more info about a new monthly story time coming your way in 2026, from a partnership with Third Place Books and Southeast Youth and Family Services!