Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) Therapists in Southwest, Portland, OR

Change is possible. A diagnosis of OCD or another anxiety disorder can be scary and confusing. It can feel like your life is defined by dread, worry, fear, and exhaustion. Much of your energy and time are likely spent trying to present to the outside world as “successful” and “having it all together”. Internally, you may feel disconnected from your core self, your innate purpose and potential, and the ability to enjoy simple moments in your life. Anxiety doesn’t have to define who you are as a human. Therapy is courageous work. I’m glad you’re here making this first step.

If eating disorders, like binge eating, excessive dieting, or worrying about food, weight & shape feel like they have taken over your life, I can help you regain a sense of balance, control and peace. There are many unhealthy messages about how our bodies "should" look or what we "should" or "shouldn't" eat. It is my goal to help guide you back to the inner wisdom of your own body, so that eating begins to feel like a nourishing, and even joyful, experience. In addition to therapy for eating disorders, I also work with bariatric surgery patients, and clients who need help with anxiety, depression, stress, or life transitions.

Everyone has times in their life when they need help. Therapy can help you get back on track, build skills to navigate daily life, increase your confidence, and build connections with others. I integrate a physiological and mindfulness approach into counseling to give you applicable skills for change. Please note my primary office is currently located in Florida. I am licensed in Oregon and provide online and phone counseling to Oregon residents. My therapy dog assistant is also available to participate in video sessions.

My aim is to create an environment where you feel safe to explore your problems without being judged. Once we have established a working relationship built on mutual trust, honesty, and respect, my goals are to help you better understand your problems, identify obstacles that have inhibited your capacity for growth, and support you in the process of making positive and often times difficult life changes. With the right therapist you should expect to feel more alive and authentic, be able to seek out and sustain more fulfilling relationships, and gain increased levels of self- acceptance and confidence.

Sometimes it’s painful to face things about ourselves or our situations that we would rather ignore. It's worth it to face them because it gives us the opportunity to look at things from a different perspective, to ask different questions, to challenge ourselves, and ultimately to get more of what we want out of life. Understanding where we've been and how we got here is important, but in order to feel better, we often have to do something different. In therapy we can learn to identify what the options are, evaluate the risks and benefits of different options, and make the best choice for ourselves.

None of us come out of childhood without some cuts and bruises. Sometimes physical, but more oftentimes emotional. For many, these emotional wounds are still tender, open, lightly dressed with a bandage, forgotten, or even neglected. So when these emotions get touched we find ourselves reacting in ways that aren’t in line with the kind of person we want to be.

Everyone has a different path in therapy. No matter what issues you are struggling with, it is possible to find peace and achieve a more meaningful life. Some of the things I enjoy working with include: childhood trauma, attachment issues, OCD, PTSD, men's issues, LGBTQIA+ issues, divorce, parenting, grief and loss, life transitions, depression, and anxiety.

I am a clinical psychologist licensed at the doctoral level in Oregon. I specialize in providing the most up to date interventions supported by research. My approach to psychotherapy is evidence-based, compassionate, and tailored to your needs. I consider therapy a collaborative process and would love to work with you to create meaningful and lasting changes. While I am a generalist, I have particular expertise in the areas of trauma/PTSD, women's mental health/gender equity concerns, substance use, anxiety, depression, and OCD. I am committed to anti-racist practice, women's empowerment, and welcome clients from all backgrounds.

Your willingness to seek help is a courageous step towards healing & change. I believe in the transformative power of a therapeutic relationship and view it as our combined effort. I use LGBTQIA+ affirming, social justice-oriented, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approaches to foster a safe, consistent and curious environment that supports your wisdom while guiding your pursuit of valued and meaningful living. Our partnership will include my extensive education & advanced training working with individuals who have been adversely impacted by relational and attachment disruptions, abuse/neglect and complex traumatic experiences.

Dr. Brad Schultz is a licensed Psychologist, and Director of Operations at Collective Care Clinic, LLC. He is an expert in the treatment of OCD and Anxiety-related disorders uses up-to-date evidence- based treatment modalities: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (E/RP), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ( ACT ). He seeks to create a supportive, curious, and relational space in order to target your main areas of concern.

Taking New Clients: Everyone has the essential ingredients for positive change. Individuals and couples who seek my support are in a difficult moment or intersection in life; seeking resolution between internal and external pressures; seeking satisfaction and harmony in relationships, identity, career, society, etc. I support clients who seek to deepen and broaden their perspective on who they are and who they want to become by examining self-limiting narratives, refining self-mastery, and cultivating self-compassion. BIPOC and multicultural clients often seek my support as well as those who want more from therapy than just insight.

Therapy is about creating opportunity for different choices. I partner with people so they can find out what’s going on beneath the surface in their lives. When you’re feeling stuck or out of control, and your old ways of coping don't seem to be working, we can create a plan. We can examine why things are the way they are and what it will take to make a different choice. I can’t take away the problem, but I can help you learn a different way of dealing with it. While I primarily use an ACT ( Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) framework, no single therapeutic modality is 'correct' so I work to be flexible and blends multiple styles.