Family Therapy in Alberta Arts District, Portland, OR

Are you unsatisfied with your relationships or work, and it's not clear why? Are you looking for support with chosen or unchosen transitions? Are you having trouble making changes in your life? I help people explore their needs and values, and to feel empowered to set healthy boundaries with significant others, family members, managers and colleagues. I love helping others clarify their values and find direction. I'm here to support you at a pace that feels right for you.

I incorporate several therapeutic modalities into my work including Gestalt therapy, Internal Family Systems therapy, humanistic and existential theories, and somatic psychotherapy. The process of therapy is not one-size-fits-all. Together, we will explore which approaches feel most resonant for you. Therapy is a process of co-creation between client and therapist. I will bring my most present, grounded, authentic, and compassionate self to session. I am skilled in listening deeply and embodying what Carl Rogers called ‘unconditional positive regard’, a profound acceptance of you, however you are, in this moment.

My approach to counseling is to create a safe space for you and your family to build hope. We will work to raise awareness around the emotions that so often drive our behaviors. As emotional awareness increases we can choose different responses. Rather than the instantaneous reactions that plague many of us, we will be able to respond intentionally and thoughtfully. As we come to understand the emotional basis of our reactions, and choose to change our responses, we can break negative patterns of behavior with our partners, family, children, colleagues, and other people in our lives.

I approach every client's therapy journey through a strengths based lens, building on the truth that clients are resourceful and resilient in their struggle. My approach is person centered, empowering individuals to affect change in themselves, and social-justice and trauma-informed. By recognizing and respecting difference, I work with my clients to identify and achieve their goals. I have worked as a mental health therapist since 2005, with individuals and families in settings including community mental health, hospitals, schools and colleges.

Mackenzie has experience working with individuals and their family members when impacted by trauma and children with behavioral issues including those with anxiety/depression. She has also worked with individuals adjusting to life transitions and people with varying experiences related to race, age and socio economic groups.

I've specialized in helping folks through tough times for over two decades. Through a warm, down-to-earth, collaborative approach I'll partner with you to achieve your goals and find inner peace. By using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a focus on mindfulness and your unique strengths, I can help you understand and modify your thoughts, feelings and behaviors. My areas of expertise include managing anxiety, reducing stress around relationships, family, work and life transitions, improving self esteem, setting boundaries, living with infertility and childlessness, adults with ADHD and living with neurodiverse children and partners.

My practice is focused on helping people have healthier, more productive relationships, whether with a significant other/spouse, friend, family member or co-worker. I believe that relationships form the foundation of our lives, and when those relationships feel threatened, nothing else seems to matter. I work with both individuals as well as couples, providing a safe, relaxed environment, where clients are free to express themselves and try out new ideas without judgment.

Is your child struggling with OCD or anxiety? Are you a teen who feels overwhelmed with stress, academic or social pressure, anxiety, or just feeling like you don’t belong? Are you a parent who wants some concrete tools and strategies to help best support your adolescent? You are not alone and there are things that can help. I provide evidence-based psychotherapy for kids and teens ages 8-18 and their parents. Working with adolescents who struggle with OCD is both my specialty and my passion. My clients also often struggle with depression, chronic pain or illness, trauma, or adjustment to disability in addition to their anxiety.

I work with a variety of concerns including couples and family conflict, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, emotional distress, and the struggle to find purpose and meaning in life. I believe in highlighting the uniqueness of the individual, while understanding that we all function as part of a multitude of larger systems. The relationships we create with ourselves, with others, and with the world around us, can both transform and challenge us. Through this approach, I help individuals, couples, and families find peace and harmony. I will support you while you heal, transcend, and build the life you want.

Richard Nalbandian, Psy.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist as works with individuals located in OR and MA. Dr. Nalbandian has experience working with adults from various backgrounds on issues including anxiety, depression, grief, complex trauma, relationship struggles, family conflict, and personality troubles. He completed his internship and post-doctoral residency in Massachusetts as a fellow at the Albert and Jessie Danielsen Institute at Boston University. Dr. Nalbandian has focused training in and provides psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families. His therapeutic style is collaborative and relational.

Please Note: The only type of OHP that I am able to take is CareOregon. If you are struggling with the impacts of trauma, abuse, or loss (no matter how far in the past), there is hope. Using a trauma-informed, client-centered, and strengths-based approach to counseling, we will create a safe space for collaborative work and healing. We can also use mindfulness, somatic, and creative therapies if you feel drawn to that kind of work. I have particular experience working with people who have been impacted by sexual trauma; PTSD that feels out of control; family/relationship issues; attachment wounding; and significant loss.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and a licensed school psychologist. I hold a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY. Urban and rural, inpatient and outpatient work settings have taught me about the many challenges an individual may face including experiences of oppression and injustice, as well as a deep appreciation for the richness of the human experience. My style is described as warm, analytical and collaborative, balancing deep emotional work with elements of humor and lightness when appropriate. I aim to help clients address the root of complex challenges, in a safe and supported way.

I help children, teens and their families resonate joy, foster a nurturing relationship & access a calm presence in the face of challenges. Obtaining mastery of positive parenting can be difficult & stressful. My clients often feel bewildered about what is most important & anxious about the opinions of others, which leads to negative thinking. People who seek my guidance are desiring life-changing results. I aim to provide a secure & welcoming environment where you can feel recognized, seen & heard. You are entitled to feel self-assured & empowered & live a balanced, satisfying life. Let's collaborate.

I work with individuals who are seeking guidance to process trauma, reduce their stress response, recover from narcissistic abusive relationships/ pathological love relationships, incorporate mindfulness of their body, thoughts, feelings, and energy, and learn communication techniques to interact mindfully and effectively.

I have a passion for working with adolescents and their families to navigate understanding and to promote growth as a system. My experience thus far includes a great emphasis on eating disorders and embodiment.

As your therapist, I am here to listen, support and work collaboratively with you through your journey as you discover your strengths and develop a sense of hope and motivation to take action to improve your life situation, utilizing the resources within and around you. My experience, education and knowledge has afforded me the opportunity to work with you who have experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, domestic violence, family conflict, couples counseling, relationship issues, etc.. I will use various treatment models that will help you to reach your desired goals.

I work with children, teens, and young adults. There are so many ways a young person or family can get stuck. Maybe you’re a caregiver caught in a loop with a child who has trouble with tantrums, sleep, or toileting. Or you’re a middle-schooler, teen, or young adult who can’t do the stuff you care about most because you’re feeling sad, anxious, angry, or having a hard time getting along with people. Or you might be struggling to heal from trauma, manage health problems, or navigate neurodiversity in an unsupportive world. It’s not your fault that you got stuck and it’s not your fault that nothing you tried has worked just yet.

Are you feeling stuck, overwhelmed or hopeless? Can't get your needs met to your satisfaction? Do you find one or more areas of your life to be unfullfilling such as romantic relationship, work, parenting, extended family? Do you have legal or financial struggles or relationship conflicts that affect your mood significantly? I draw on a variety of therapeutic approaches, experience in working with past clients and personal experience to collaborate with you in creating the best healing environment specific for you.

For those of us who have experienced trauma, we have also experienced a secondary trauma by not having a secure attachment figure or sense of safety to help us co-regulate and repair. Our practice provides an accompanied space where you can feel safe(r) to process trauma and begin the lifelong journey towards healing. We are relational therapists and specialize in working with adult clients of color who have experienced racial trauma, intimate partner violence, sexual trauma, narcissistic abuse, childhood abuse and neglect, complex trauma, transracial adoption and/or adoption-related trauma and anxiety and depression.