Therapists in Portland, OR

Sometimes, as humans, we get wounded in ways that are so deep, they are difficult to name. Perhaps you have lost loved ones along the way, or can't find meaning in your story. Have you ever inventoried your life to discover that it is not what you want it to be? Do you feel haunted by memories? Maybe you engage in self-destructive or numbing behaviors that you wish you could change, but find that making those changes is easier said than done. My goal is to create a trustworthy space where we can work through whatever it is you bring in, on your search for healing, fulfillment, and wholeness.

I am an experienced counselor serving people of different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. As a therapist, I work with individuals, couples, adolescents and families with problems such as depression and sadness, anxiety, grief and loss, challenges in relationships, work-related issues, health related issues, as well as difficulty during transitional periods in life. As a person, I am an open-minded and nonjudgmental individual who enjoys working with people of different genders, orientations, and identifications. I am very compassionate but also utilize my critical thinking skills to help my clients reach their goals and begin to live life as they desire.

You are taking a big step in seeking out counseling! Congratulations!! I believe you will find it to be an integral part of your life journey in seeking out the changes and goals you desire. In sessions, I provide a safe and trusting environment, will empower you to discover unused resources and strengths and will sift through what areas are ineffective and need changing.

I want to start off by saying props to you on taking that first step and acknowledging you need a change. Having that insight is a key component as we embark on this therapeutic relationship. Within this relationship, my role is to help you uncover who you are, determine where you want to go in life, and how to manage all the pivots you will have along the journey.

JoAnna Smith is a licensed clinical social worker who brings strong experience providing behavioral health services to diverse populations. She works from a client-centered, strengths-based lens that centers her client, and supports their personal agency. In addition, she also specializes in culturally-responsive counseling approaches. She earned her Master of Social Work degree from University of Southern California, (USC) Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in Los Angeles, CA, and her Bachelor of Arts, Interdisciplinary Studies, Concordia University.

You're here because you've been thinking about therapy for a while. It takes time to recognize that we are unhappy with the course of our lives and relationships and that meaningful change is even possible. There are reasons why you are feeling the way you are, and we can uncover those reasons and create new paths going forward. In our work together I'll create a safe place for us to explore these feelings and assist you in sifting out those thoughts about self that work for you from those that don't.

I'm a therapist with a real passion for working with women during difficult transitions such as going to college, experiencing heartbreak, becoming pregnant, learning how to be a parent, and separation and divorce. During these times, we discover reserves of inner strength that we never knew we had. If we can open ourselves up to new ways of interacting with painful experiences, it can unlock the door to honest and vulnerable communication and a greater capacity for love. I treat a variety of traumas including acute trauma, childhood or attachment trauma, sexual trauma, and medical trauma.

I enjoy working with clients who feel that their minds have become unmanageable. This experience often arises from a belief that inner conflict and complexity is a problem to be solved rather than a state of affairs to be understood and befriended. Sometimes this unmanageability shows up as anxiety, where the mind dreads bad outcomes and wont allow you to enjoy your life. Other times as depression, where the mind is mired in hopelessness, despair, or resentment. Addictions of various sorts can also arise from this state of affairs, whereby we try to distract or quiet our minds through destructive patterns of behavior.

People come to therapy for many different reasons. Perhaps you wish to know yourself better or to understand what is happening in your relationships. Sometimes depression or anxiety become unmanageable. Emotional pain and suffering are normal aspects of life but it is possible to achieve a more balanced and resilient emotional state and more fulfilling relationships.

Are you living life on autopilot too much of the time? Are you feeling like you have to just keep moving, getting crap done, because if you stop and let yourself really feel you’ll just collapse into a messy pile of tears? Are you feeling like maybe the trauma is winning at the game of hide and seek that you’ve been playing? I specialize in helping women shift away from the distressing hold of trauma, childhood wounds or anxiety, into a joyful and fulfilling life.

Effective therapy depends on a good client-therapist match. We'll work collaboratively to address relationship problems, work stress, life changes, losses, self-worth, anxiety, depression, trauma, and overwhelming emotions. My work is built on a foundation of compassion, pragmatism, and humor. We'll explore new perspectives, and experiment with tools for managing emotions, communicating effectively, and changing behaviors. Together we'll develop a plan for your therapy to meet your goals, in a timeframe that suits your needs.

Together, let's dig deep and find all the things that are holding you back from living your best life. My approach is less of a one-size-fits-all method, and more of a collaborative experience where we will work together to customize your therapy to meet your needs. Are you wanting to manage stress better? Would you like to feel more present in your daily life? Are you wishing you could feel more satisfied with your life? I can help you sort out your priorities and get you on track to move forward with your goals.

I believe each person has the power and knowledge within them to move towards increased wellness and healing. Due to many factors we can lose track of our best selves, feel off course and get overwhelmed. Some of these factors include trauma, chronic stress, oppression, loss, abuse, lack of healthy modeling, low self esteem, reliance on substances and self-medicating, and much more. No matter how we get off course, therapy is a powerful tool that can help us understand how we have come to this specific place in our lives, as well as help us to look at where we want to go and who we want to become moving forward.

Are you overwhelmed and and exhausted? Are you feeling stuck in patterns that are limiting you such as addiction, depression, anxiety or relationship trouble? If so, they may be related to attachment and or trauma. At The Portland Attachment & Trauma Healing Center we use an integrated approach that incorporates interpersonal Neurobiology. We use effective right-brained therapy protocols such as Lifespan Integration and Attachment Focused EMDR to help build self-empathy and self-compassion. We can help. Just give us a call!

I strive to create a warm and inviting relationship with my clients so that everyone in the room feels comfortable with being vulnerable. That takes patience and a delicate touch, but it is worth it! I would love to help you recognize your blind spots that might be inhibiting your growth.

I believe that you are the expert in your own life. My job as your therapist is to help you to find solutions and answers that work for you. I will walk beside you on your path, providing guidance, support and direction when needed. I provide a safe and non-judgmental space where ideas, concepts, and problems can be examined without pressure. I would like for you to think of my expertise and the therapeutic experience as a tool you can use in order to achieve your goals and start to live the kind of positive life you have imagined.

Accepting new clients! I support female-identified individuals ages 14-65 in exploring their holistic experiences related to suffering caused by difficult relationships/loss of an important relationship, adjusting to a recent significant life change, and mental health issues including trauma, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and codependency. I help clients identify and process their emotions, negative self-beliefs, body sensations, and behaviors that relate to the problem and prevent them from moving forward in their life, so new ways of approaching the problem and developing solutions are learned and inner peace is restored.

At The Couples Clinic of Portland, helping people is our passion. We get great satisfaction in helping people improve their lives and relationships. We know from personal experience how restorative and empowering good counseling can be. We are here to collaboratively help you work through whatever you are struggling with, and find your true, empowered self. We also know how difficult it is to find a therapist who has advanced training in couples counseling. As we are dedicated to keeping abreast of the most cutting edge techniques, you are certain to find help here for yourself and for your relationship.

I operate from an existential point of view; I believe we all strive to define the meaning and purpose of our lives and experiences. If you see therapy as a vehicle for healing, meaning-making, and growth, I hope I can hold that space for you, no matter what you're facing. I employ an eclectic approach with a strong grounding in cognitive-behavioral therapy, and align the tools from my experience with your personal goals for our work together. I approach the counseling relationship as a collaborative partnership where we figure out together how to heal and move forward.