Therapists in Portland, OR

I specialize in providing emotion focused therapy for couples who are interested in working on issues related to communication, trust, infidelity, connection, and intimacy. I also work with individuals who are looking to heal their relationship with food, body image, stress, anxiety, substance use, depression, and manage responses to complex trauma. I welcome folx of all types, including LGBTQI and poly/ENM identifying individuals and couples. People who work with me enjoy integrating mindfulness and humor into the therapeutic tableau.

While I may have a waitlist, please don't hesitate to reach out! I hold high value in your journey and acknowledge that healing isn’t linear. The human experience is complex, and my goal is to create a space that allows you to explore your story. Maybe your pain comes from childhood trauma, family or social stressors, work pressure, partner wounding in relationships, or a specific incident impacting your life right now. Together, we will unpack intergenerational legacies passed through family that impact intimacy, closeness, and how you relate to those around you.

Telehealth available in Oregon and California. The process of therapy is as unique and nuanced as the stories of each of our lives. Who we are and who we might discover ourselves to be are at the center of each therapeutic journey. I tailor my therapeutic approach to fit your unique story, the specific challenges you arrive with, and the goals you seek to reach. I offer a space free from judgment where you can speak openly, unhampered by social mores and conventional expectations. I work with individuals, couples, and teenagers. Telehealth available in Oregon and California.

I work with people who have struggled with domestic violence, trauma, abuse, relationship issues, PTSD, addiction, problematic drug or alcohol use, depression, shame, men's issues, and working with systems. I help people achieve the freedom and success that they desire.

**Currently focusing on web-based video sessions during Covid-19 issues - let's all be safe** We, as humans, create long-lasting patterns of beliefs and actions to help cope with life’s difficulties. However, as time passes, these deeply rooted patterns can cause growing pains. They also, unfortunately, become shadowed and intertwined in our selves. Like a tree’s thick roots, they need to be carefully excavated, nurtured, and soothed before they can be changed. My goal is to help you to see the internal struggle with your patterns and ease the pain around them so you can fill your day with joy and happiness.

I work with a wide range of people. My clients like deep work, As a Process Oriented therapist and teacher I use dreamwork, symptoms work, bodywork, movement, relationship work, conflict work, inner work and meditation, art and creativity, and many other methods based on the individuals client's process. I work with individuals, couples, and families. I have helped develop Process Oriented family therapy; Process Oriented sex and intimacy work; Process Oriented personal and historical trauma work; Process oriented coma and brain injury work, I have written 11 books on these topics. My work integrates mind body and spirit.

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.

The therapeutic relationship is crucial to the healing process, whether the problem is with external relationships, traumatic experience, or one's relationship with the self. I use psychoanalytic principles and relational dynamics to explore the internal conflicts and patterns that are at the root of emotional, psychological and relational problems. I am also sensitive to spirituality and the existential problems inherent in being human, and how these affect us all. I have a special interest in the psychology of twins and intersubjective relating in general.

I help individuals and couples clarify and strengthen their relationship goals. Learning how to build more satisfying relationships leads to lasting change and empowerment. Old, less helpful ways of thinking are replaced with new, more realistic ideas of self-acceptance and how to rely on others. The result is a clearer picture of one's strengths, limitations, and belonging in the world.

From struggling to THRIVING. Become more fully "yourself." Enjoy relationship satisfaction. Strengthen connection to something bigger that is meaningful. Get relief from depression and anxiety (really!). Improve effectiveness at work. Feel more at home in your body, content. Mindful and present. LAUGH. Choosing a therapist that is both really good AND a great fit is important. There is a difference here you will experience from the get go. The office is in a 1930's Cape Cod style house...inviting & comfortable. With warmth and character. David is unusually relational and "real." Sessions are 60, 75 or 90 minutes rather than 50.

While I treat a wide variety of psychological disorders, I also specialize in working with individuals and couples who are experiencing pre- and post-natal mood and anxiety disorders. Getting pregnant, giving birth, and raising a child are all stressful experiences and depression and anxiety are actually quite common. My goal is to assist clients in learning how to manage stress, and provide clients with emotional support and the right skills to help clients and/or their partners thrive.

I treat adults experiencing a variety of life's challenges, including relationship problems, transition challenges, career worries, money-related difficulties, health concerns, anxiety, and depression. This work combines practical guidance, problem solving and education. My therapeutic style is collaborative. Together, we look for insight into the origins of unwanted behavioral, emotional, and relationship patterns, then use that new knowledge to develop strategies to help you get "unstuck" and move forward in your life.

Trying to be a happy, healthy, creative human in today’s world requires new skills to face new challenges. Overwhelming anxiety, depression, and relationship instability are often products of our ancient nervous system struggling to adapt to an environment with new rules, new pressures, and old wounds. As a species we are subjected to increasing pressure to perform, produce, and project a life that is at once effortless and perfect. The reality is far from this however, and humans need support, love, and patience in the face of failure in order to thrive.

My deepest professional aspiration is to enable others to discover their own motivations for change and to find within themselves the ability to take responsibility for their thought life and thus find the power to take actions and thereby make dramatic and transformative changes in their lives. In working with individuals, couples, and groups, my aim is to foster self-esteem, coping skills and encourage building positive and supportive relationships. I work with individual clients, couples, and lead weekly therapy groups. Deep lasting change that is already beginning iswithin your grasp. Reach out, I'd be honored to work with you.

Do you feel trapped by circumstances beyond your control? Are you unable to escape negative thoughts? Have you forgotten why you made the decisions that led you to this moment? Talk therapy can offer a way forward. Therapy can be a safe space to catch your breath, to talk out ideas that feel strange or risky, and to devise a new strategy for reconnecting with your best self. I'll do my best to help no matter what you're facing but right now I'm especially enthusiastic about working with young adults and professionals coping with ADHD, men's issues, relationship issues, bipolar disorder, depression, anger management and anxiety.

As a psychologist with over 40 years in practice, I have worked with many kinds of people with many kinds of problems: depression, anxiety, childhood physical and sexual abuse, relationship difficulties, addictions. I work with late adolescents, adults and seniors. My orientation is integrative, with much experience in psychodynamic therapies, Gestalt Therapy and am certified in EMDR. I have offered phone and internet video therapy for many years for those who lived outside my area, including people in other countries. During the coronavirus epidemic, I am working completely online or by phone.

Challenges we encounter in our lives are indicators of being "stuck" in our personal and relational growth. Psychotherapy can help us get "unstuck".... My approach is process and relationally oriented - "solutions" can come from changing our relationships with ourselves and others in our lives, and restructuring ourselves as we work with our life challenges. Depression, anxiety, trauma, men's issues, relationship strain, addictions -substances/alcohol, gambling, shopping, pornography, gaming. My experience can be helpful - psychotherapist, crisis worker, clinical supervisor, administrator, manager, policy analyst and educator.

Let's talk. Let's keep it real and explore the barriers to your optimal health and happiness. We will start where you are and build from there. I have worked in mental health and addictions for many years and I believe that the therapeutic relationship that we build on mutual respect, trust and transparency will be the foundation of your treatment. We will work together to identify your challenges and strengths, and create a plan to support your thriving future.

Are you seeking a POC clinician, someone with lived experience as a first-generational immigrant, or as an international student? Do you need support with family issues or a partner, cultural support, or support for mental health in a culture where stigma exists? I can help you with depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, trauma, issues related to cultural adaptation, relationship issues, boundary setting, procrastination, life transitions and self worth. I also speak fluent Cantonese and Mandarin. Its never easy to walk alone in distress, feeling lost and helpless. Together, lets create a safe space for you to heal.