Therapists in Buckman, Portland, OR

Alexandra is a therapist who guides individuals, couples, poly systems. Raised in a religious context, she navigated personal beliefs around sexual orientation and marriage ideals, forming inclusive perspectives. Alexandra supports clients in exploring identities, life choices, and challenging societal norms. Embracing diverse relationship structures, including ENM/CNM and polyamory, she believes in individualized approaches. Alexandra empowers clients in their unique journeys toward fulfilling lives and genuine connections by modeling and teaching her clients about boundary-setting, communication, and collaborative problem-solving.

I am honored to work with adolescents and their families. The years from 11-18 are a time of big changes and big questions. Everyone struggles during this developmental phase, but some of us need extra care during this time in order to arrive at adulthood ready to thrive. Parental participation in treatment with me is essential, and I tend to be the best fit for parents wanting to be closer to their child, parents who want to work with their child to heal, or parents who feel they just don't know how to help.

Madison has numerous years of experience working with individuals, families, couples, and systems, all who bring their own unique lived experiences including Queer, first responders, trauma survivors and those who experience emotional intensity. She aims to help individuals/families/systems build skills and find their path to the life they are wanting to live. This means together, you will work to identify and utilize strategies to best handle whatever life throws your way.

Every person has amazing inner strength to overcome challenges, and an innate desire to live a meaningful life. Depression, anxiety and trauma can make us lose sight of our strengths and desires, but that can change with the right support. My practice is grounded in being compassionate, non-judgmental, and giving you the necessary tools to bring balance to your mental health. Together, we’ll focus on changing life-patterns to improve general wellness, while also addressing the underlying causes of your problems.

Seeking support takes enormous courage. My approach is a balance of candidness and tenderness to meet your needs. I welcome feedback throughout our work to ensure we are on the right track and will continue to check in to support you in the best way possible. I use a trauma-focused lens- incorporating biological, social and psychological perspectives. Trauma modalities I incorporate, when appropriate, are Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Brainspotting, Attachment Focused Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and mind-body medicine approaches.

You try your best as a parent or teaming up as a couple, yet sometimes feel overwhelmed. You deserve a life which feels balanced, energized, and fun. Our goal is to work together to identify new tools for your "parenting or relationship toolkit" which you can use immediately to positively impact your life at home. Partnered or as a sole parent, we work to identify your unique parenting style and the challenges you are navigating. I have over 25 years of experience working with parents & couples in schools, court, or mental health settings. For parent or couples counseling, schedule a free 30 minute consult at Coach4Parents.com

CURRENTLY ACCEPTING NEW CLIENT! Are you living your best life? Do you sense your life has become unmanageable? Do you struggle in relationships? If your story contains themes of depression, anxiety, addiction, interpersonal issues or just "seem to be stuck right now"; lets have a conversation to see how I can help you to create a better story. I'm a therapist, but I'm also a parent and wife who makes plenty of mistakes. Luckily, perfection isn't necessary or desirable. It often takes only small, positive changes to yield significant benefits. Things can get better, sometimes quickly, if you begin taking steps in the right direction.

When we find ourselves in times of increased stress and uncertainty we often find our personal everyday struggles are magnified making it harder than ever to maintain a sense of hope and stability. Anxiety, depression, and grief may be more intense lately – that is where therapy comes in to help.

I believe that each individual has the potential to reach life satisfaction through self-exploration in therapy. As your therapist, I aspire to help you discover your strengths and navigate challenges within yourself and interpersonal relationships to achieve the fulfillment that everyone strives for. My hope is to support and encourage you towards learning the different parts of who you are and within your relationships so you may feel empowered throughout your life.

I hold certificates in CBT trauma for children and adults, have worked with domestic violence groups, as well as participated in parenting groups and helped lead emotionally focused groups for children ages 5 to 12. I have also counseled couples through issues of trust, dysfunction, and infidelity. In the coming months I look to complete certificate programs in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR, a trauma/PTSD focused protocol), geriatric populations and their unique issues and challenges, as well as refine my trauma skills by continuing in trauma focused interventions through CBT as well as art therapy.

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.

Currently have morning and early afternoon spots available. I believe that when people are given the support, validation, and empathy everyone has the capacity and potential to live a fulfilling life. Grief, anxiety, depression, and personal growth are all manageable with the right support. As a counselor part of my job is to provide that support you may have not gotten before. Through exploration of different life themes we will work together to create the life that you have always envisioned.

Psychotherapy can be a tremendously helpful and rewarding experience for those seeking assistance. It can serve to alleviate anxiety and depression as well as help individuals to feel less conflicted and better able to reach their potential in work and relationships. As a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, I believe it is important to form a safe and reliable alliance from which we can collaboratively work on achieving your objectives.

We help new parents, young children, and teens to create healthier relationships and work together to navigate family conflict, life stressors, and adjustment to change. Do your child's emotions and outbursts seem out of control and too much to handle? Does your teen seem anxious, depressed, or withdrawn? Are you and your partner arguing constantly about parenting? Feeling sad and hopeless, or not bonding with your baby or child like you thought you would? We can help.

At Connections First we have faith in the power of connection: with your inner life and to the outer world through meaningful relationships. We believe that mental health is an effect of feeling more deeply connected to ourselves and to others through the safety of transparent, emotionally honest relationships. How we communicate with ourselves and those we care about determines whether we possess integrity and feel empowered to express ourselves as human beings. Much of our symptoms are the effects of emotional, psychological, and physical isolation and self-alienation which can even happen when we are surrounded by other people.

Embark on a transformative journey with me! Whether you're wrestling with trauma, anxiety, depression, or navigating neurodiversity (ADD/ADHD, autism), I bring a unique blend of empathetic counseling and creative therapy. Picture a personalized experience focused on resilience, coping skills, and self-discovery – your path to a brighter, more fulfilling life awaits.

Have you diligently worked to create a life that thrives, but still feel stuck by childhood or continuing harm? Is your past contributing to anxiety or depression in your current life? Often the coping strategies we form in childhood survive past their "effectiveness date," creating an invisible force that holds us back from thriving. In session, we will create a space for you to explore past, present, and hopes for the future. We will hold both harm and healing, as we create a framework for developing skills and a making adjustments that bring a freedom to thrive. Together we will forge a path that accounts for the beauty and harm.

“You just DON’T Understand!” your teenager screams at you through tears and gritted teeth. Sometimes it’s unclear if your 12-year-old will ever come out of their room or look up from their video game. You’re afraid to call them down for dinner because of the reaction it may elicit. It’s mind bending to think that you – the parent – have to walk on eggshells just to keep the peace. You know it’s hard to be a teenager these days. But it feels like there’s such a divide, you don’t even know how to begin to help them. Once you lose your temper, the whole house descends into chaos. You’d do anything to get through to them.

***NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS*** I work with adults and couples from diverse backgrounds. Using a collaborative, relational approach I help you with your struggles with anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, multicultural identity concerns, and life transitions. The foundation of my approach focuses on developing a shared understanding of your current struggles and how personal, relational, familial, and cultural experiences help shape your unique life circumstances. While doing this I help you expand and enrich your ability to cope so that you may be more empowered to generate change in your life.