Therapists in Irvington, Portland, OR

Welcome. I approach therapy as a collaborative and respectful process to help individuals, couples, and families learn new, adaptive ways to relieve emotional distress from anxiety or depression, illness, loss, grief, and trauma, therefore, becoming much more empowered and successful in their lives. In couples therapy, partners learn to manage and repair conflict, improve sexual intimacy, recover from betrayal, and enhance trust and friendship. Family therapy creates healthy patterns, routines, and behaviors to improve and heal maladaptive family dynamics and learn respectful and loving ways to communicate more successfully.

For most people, strong relationships are an important indicator of health and well-being. When we feel stuck in old patterns that no longer serve us, our connection to others suffers too, which can turn up as depression, anxiety, or simply feeling alone and disconnected. By reconnecting with our essential gifts and strengths through the therapy process, we in turn can offer more to family, friends, and community.

As a therapist I’m drawn to those places of breakdown that so often have the potential to become breakthroughs. Usually these are discovered in the midst of broader life-cycle transitions, moments of grief and loss, seasons of depression or anxiety, or in response to the myriad of social and cultural pressures we face. These experiences can be disorienting, frightening and isolating, but with the support of a trusted companion to help us face the journey they can also reveal our own innate wisdom and strength and serve as the gateway to deeper healing and wholeness.

Moving Through Uncertainty To Rediscover Peace: Hi, I'm Colette. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Portland, Oregon. I specialize in grief/loss and anxiety, and also help people with depression, addictive behaviors and individuals who experience an unhealthy relationship with food. I know first hand the emotional and mental toll that the death of a loved one can take, and the many ways in which anxiety can leave one feeling stuck and isolated. ​​​My practice is all about helping my clients rediscover their place of peace.

I am currently accepting new couples clients (self-pay), and individual clients. I offer a personalized and compassionate approach to therapy, informed by years of professional experience as well as in-depth training in somatic approaches, mindfulness techniques, and psychodynamic theory. Specializing in treating people suffering from trauma and eating disorders, I also work with a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, grief, parenting, low self-esteem, addiction, and marital conflicts. I currently offer telehealth sessions to clients in both Oregon and California, as I am fully licensed in both states.

Are you ready to live a better you? You are taking the first step in attaining peace-of-mind, I respect and applaud you for doing so. I have a Masters degree in Social Work from Portland State University and over 40 years of experience working as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I began my private practice, Pathways to Peace Therapy, over 20 years ago, while also working in community mental health and E.R. crisis intervention for over 15 years. In 2014, I also began working with OCD patients. Working in various mental health settings has been invaluable in providing tools to bring to my clients individual needs and goals.

I have worked in private practice as a clinical psychologist for over thirty years. Most of my clients arrive after trying various types of therapy and find my “explore-in-this-moment” approach refreshing and transformational. By distinguishing old defenses from new experience and encouraging clients to explore both sides of this fork separately, personal development naturally unfolds. In the work, I normalize the human tendency to resist change while offering clients the opportunity to step beyond the world they know to explore at the edge of the unknown, the source of all change.

NOW Accepting new clients! I believe that a good fit and feeling confident with your therapist is the first step in reaching your therapeutic goals. Since 2011, I have worked with a wide array of clients and I have specific experience working with people who experience depression, anxiety, Bipolar, life transitions, stress, self-esteem challenges, women’s issues, trauma, and more. Since everyone is different, I utilize a variety of approaches to help people attain the life they desire and deserve. These include but are not limited to CBT, DBT, EMDR, mindfulness, and solution focused therapy.

Effective, lasting therapy is more than just symptom reduction. Symptoms happen in a context. Understanding that context is the first step to powerfully transform you and your life. My style is warm, playful, compassionate, and deep. I trained at the foremost school of Depth Psychology in the lineage of Carl Jung. I will hold a safe and supportive space for you to approach your edges and face difficulty, while celebrating who you are. Holistic psychotherapy means we work with all of you, not just your symptoms. We will work not only to alleviate your symptoms but to discover and empower who you truly are so you can thrive.

You may be an adult who is empowered in some areas but stuck in others or you may be someone struggling to find meaning in your life. Who ever you are, you are the navigator of your life. Your personal narrative is front and center and you decide what isn't working. Together we will dis-empower the stories in your life that no longer serve you and craft the narrative that is most affirming of who you are or who you want to be.

​​I strongly believe that people are designed to move towards healing when given the opportunity. Over time, life experiences, outdated beliefs, and new habits get us out of alignment with what feels true to ourselves. Within the safety and support of the therapeutic relationship, I help my clients increase awareness of these misalignments and re-activate their internal healing mechanisms.

I hold PhD in Clinical Psychology and a Master's Degree in Psychology. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I support my clients in achieving greater well being by honing what is genuinely unique and important to them. I teach practices that boost resiliency to stress and inspire self-esteem and self-compassion to bloom. I support my clients in breaking through blocks and in unleashing authentic and dynamic self-expression, so that their values are congruent with their behavior and their intentions and desires become experiences that are truly lived.

Do you feel as though you are your own worst enemy? When in the midst of a problem or stressful situation, does it seem like you make matters worse by being self-critical or saying self-defeating things to yourself? When we are going through something painful or difficult to accept, our internal dialogue sometimes becomes judgmental and self-critical, causing us to feel overwhelmed and doubt our ability to manage things on our own. Often we do not notice how the relationship we have with ourselves affects our ability to cope, solve problems, and live the life we want.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who provides client-centered therapy for adult clients. I have experience with a range of challenges including trauma, mood, anxiety, relationships, LGBTQ, life transitions, social justice, and addictions. After earning a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Sociology from University of Oregon I pursued a Masters of Social Work from Portland State University and graduated with honors. Immediately following graduation I pursued my licensure and have been practicing in Bend since 2010.

As a somatic, trauma-informed, and person-centered therapist, I take a holistic approach to therapy. My clients tend to have a history of complex trauma that impacts both their relationships with others and their relationship with themselves. I'll support you in uncovering underlying patterns and finding relief from experiences such as relationship issues, depression, anxiety, and feelings of low self-worth, as well as help you move through life with patterns that feel more aligned with your goals. From a somatic perspective, I safely incorporate body awareness on the path towards greater self-confidence and empowerment.

You've been in therapy before and your life has really improved, but something still lingers... that thing that you're worried will "never change." Perhaps you've struggled to feel served or represented by the majority of the current therapy industry because of your personal or political values. You're self-motivated and know how to engage in the work, and now you've delved into spiritual growth with curiosity and are looking to integrate that into therapy. You're not interested in identifying with a diagnosis, labels, or symptoms... you're on a quest to resolve a problem with the way you think and feel, so you can be WHOLE.

I love working with adolescents, adult individuals, and families. I enjoy helping teens and families navigate the changes of adolescence, while working to engage parents around their teenager's change process. While adolescence can challenge families, it's also a developmental phase filled with exciting and inspiring change. My work with adults often focuses on relationship issues, anxiety, stress management, and issues related to emotional expression. I work well with adults who are motivated to change behavior, and are wanting some extra help. My clients appreciate my grounded presence, and my strengths-based approach.

It may not be easy to begin seeing a therapist, particularly if you are dealing with a difficult transition, relationship problem, grief, anxiety or depression. I strive to offer a safe, accepting, and respectful environment for addressing your issues. I will support you in discovering your own strengths, wisdom and inner resources and can offer tools for coping, growth and change, learned through over 20 years of clinical practice, and my own life experience. I believe in a collaborative process in which we can identify your goals, work through challenges, and create a plan for change.

Welcome. I practice from a paradigm that explores and honors all parts of us to promote healing of the body, mind, and soul. My focus is on deepening insight into thoughts, feelings, emotions, and the body's story to experience more understanding and compassion for oneself. I believe we are good enough just as we are, and I also understand that there may be patterns, behaviors and symptoms that we may want to shift to help us live fuller, more expansive, peaceful lives. My hope is to cultivate healing, through the safety and support of our therapeutic relationship, and for my clients to rediscover their own inner healer.