Family Therapy in Foster, Portland, OR

My goal is to empower those who often find themselves in the margins in our society. My work often focuses on identity issues with LGBTQ individuals, couples or moresomes, and I work with folks in an affirming way that integrates principles of justice and equity. I utilize Narrative and Emotionally Focused systemic approaches in therapy to help my clients celebrate aspects of their identity that are often marginalized by society.

A person considering counseling is already making the first step of trying to achieve, or return to, a healthier and happier equilibrium. I believe that “loosening up” and releasing the many things we hold, particularly unconsciously, allow us to activate that capacity and return to, or discover, a healthier state of being. Top-down, this would involve uncovering our various thought patterns, reactions, and story that we have about ourselves. Bottom-up, it involves noticing and feeling - the various ways our body is in relation to how we are mentally.

Mental health concerns for aging persons can become crippling. Older adults who experience depression and anxiety will likely continue to do so until its addressed through assessment, diagnosis and treatment by a clinician. Symptoms that indicate depression and anxiety in older adults can include feeling sad or down, feeling lonely, tearfulness, excessive fears and worries, decreases in appetite and weight, extreme mood changes, withdraw from friends, family, and social events, and frequently talking abut death. Now accepting new patients!

Get better, heal, and integrate. My role is to help you become your fullest version of yourself. My ideal clients are ready to look at new ways of encountering old problems. I enjoy working with many identities, including my own LGBTQIA+ and Latinx communities. Relationships, sexuality, identity, trauma, anxiety, kink, and neurodiversity are recurrent therapy themes. At times in our lives it is key to have the competent support of an advocate to walk through tough life experiences. I see individuals, relationships, and groups.

I'm really glad you're here. It's a big deal to look for a therapist, especially when you're having a hard time. I want to make it as easy as possible for you to feel out whether reaching out to me makes sense for you. + Here are some facts: I've been in the field for about 12 years. That means I have solid experience. I've worked in all sorts of settings, including with people who are in crisis, have survived trauma and abuse, are immigrants, are college students, are unhoused, are really young. I'm unlikely to be overwhelmed by what you're dealing with. I will be your ally. I care deeply and sincerely about the people I work with.

Life is full of change and I am passionate about working with women throughout various difficult life transitions including, puberty, going to college, starting a new job/career, pregnancy, postpartum anxiety/depression, adjustment to parenthood and grief and loss. Anxiety, depression or stress and overwhelm can creep up during these moments and we will work together to get you the tools you need to cope and thrive. You are the expert on your own life and I am here to help you explore and process difficult issues, build upon your own inner resources and gain new skills to help navigate your emotions.

You may have worked your issues for a few years, or 10 or more: you’ve started to heal the childhood trauma and you’re experiencing a pretty good sense of stability in your life. But you’re ready for another round of work. Some things are pulling at you or prodding you and you’d like to get some guidance in taking the next step towards waking up in your deeper parts. Perhaps you’d like support in stepping out of the culture of blame that is so rampant right now. Maybe you’d like some help in bringing more kindness and generosity into your relationships and the world. You are wanting to be doing more of what you took birth to do.

I work with children and adults, with the goal of helping them find more peace, joy, and meaning within their lives. In addition to talk therapy, I also use play and art therapy with children to help them express themselves when they can’t yet find the words.

I focus on helping people who are feeling stuck, not good enough, or anxious shift their lives to make positive changes. I believe people inherently have the potential for growth and healing. Our time together will explore the root of the challenges, identify problem patterns, and help you come out the other side into a new chapter of your life.

Talk therapy is a brave endeavor and can be extremely creative and rewarding. The most important part of my approach is creating an effective working partnership with you, so that you can get the most out of therapy. Ongoing distress in our lives can bring us to therapy, and with good work can lead us to both acceptance and long-term psychological flexibility and wellness. Many people find this path to be an exciting and generative one. It can even be fun at times. With my training from around the world, I specialize in creating unique clinical formulations to aid clients in fostering shifts in their lives.

Are you seeking a safe, supportive connection to help you address what is interfering with achievement of your full potential, healing and growth? My focus is to build positive therapeutic relationships with my clients, support and guide you to identify your strengths, with intention of creating constructive solutions that promote balance and hope. There are times in our lives where getting additional support can help address life's painful events, transitions, issues and/or patterns that are no longer serving us.

Are you out of balance? Not fully present: stuck in the past or dread the future? Do you want to feel comfortable with yourself and live authentically so you enjoy time alone and with others? I can help you move beyond talk therapy and learn to communicate with your timeless, internal wisdom; to integrate your body, heart and soul so you respond rather than react to life situations. Therapies I offer include Somatic Experiencing and EMDR (Eye Movement Densisitization Reprocessing) for trauma healing, depth psychology and dream work to uncover your unconscious strengths to navigate life with purpose and joy.

I am an Insight oriented, GLBTQIA friendly and anti-racist practitioner. I focus on long-term change and improved well-being while working towards "here and now" self-compassion, self-care and behavioral changes to achieve lasting change. I strive to promote advocacy, social justice and inherent self worth with each client. I work with clients concerned with substance use/abuse, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, life transitions, trauma and emotional regulation concerns among other areas of concern. You may see more about my areas of focus in my profile.