Trauma and PTSD Therapists in Eugene, OR

What if you could eliminate self-sabotage? What if you could heal your relationship? Imagine if you regained control of your life? At times life can be very challenging...It may feel like you can't catch a break, fighting multiple fronts, nothing is working, you feel emotionally defeated and exhausted. Sometimes, you just want to give up but deep inside a voice tells you YOU CAN'T, you simply can't give up. That's why you're here. I want you to know two things: You are not alone and I'm here to help. I've been helping clients on struggles like this for over 13 years.

I use a client centered approach, which means you will be in the driver's seat regarding the areas of your life that you want to discuss, and I will be your co-pilot, helping to navigate the terrain and offering you tools and wisdom along the way. My counseling approach is collaborative, genuine, and relational. I approach counseling with an unconditional positive regard for my clients. My clients would describe my style as down to earth and relatable. I strive to create an atmosphere that is safe and free of judgement so that you feel comfortable discussing difficult topics.

Accepting new clients. As humans we have vitality that moves through us in the direction of purpose, creativity, expansion, connection, and love. However, when we have unresolved trauma and stress in our bodies, we can become disconnected from ourselves, people, and place, reenacting unhelpful patterns in ways that keep us stuck, small, and unfulfilled. Mental well-being is not just a matter of the mind; it encompasses the nervous system, relationships, sense of belonging, environmental factors, biology, belief systems, daily habits, and culture. I believe all people have the wisdom within to heal, recover, and transform.

**Please leave the name of your insurance provider (if applicable) when you contact me so I can best serve you in our initial consultation. Thank you!** I support individuals in relation to their trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship with food and body, gender, sexuality, and life transitions. My therapeutic relationships are most often marked by warmth, empathy, compassion, and humor, and my overall approach is client-centered and strength-based, embodied by anti-oppression, feminist, and justice-oriented values.

Currently not accepting new clients. I believe that change can occur when a person is provided with a safe and supportive space for exploration and understanding of one’s true self. I work with children, preteens, teens, and young adults from a developmentally sensitive and trauma informed perspective. My approach is based on the belief that the client is the expert on their life and they have internal strength and resources to heal. My role is to accompany you on this journey to find your authentic self.

With a profound dedication to empowering individuals within challenging populations, I am committed to providing transformative care through my expertise in DBT, CBT, trauma-informed practices, compassionate person-centered therapy, and solution-focused methods. My mission is to be a beacon of support and guidance, helping clients rewrite their narratives and discover their innate capacity for resilience and growth. If you're seeking a partner on your journey to healing, I'm here to walk alongside you.

My approach to therapy comes from a collaborative, client-centered and unconditional positivity to assist you in believing in yourself, to find the courage and resilience to face your struggles, and help you reconstruct a life balance. I find that when I hold a space for clients and their struggles and defenses, they learn they can begin to trust in another human being, be heard and understood, and eventually learn to trust themselves, and even learn to like themselves.

Many of my clients come to me with emotional wounds. They often felt invisible, rejected, devalued, or deeply hurt by others. They learned to adapt to the unsupportive environment by judging themselves, tensing up, trying to control everything, disconnecting from themselves, numbing their feelings, not trusting others, hiding, or trying to please everyone. As time goes by, these strategies stop working and become symptoms we label as depression, anxiety, disordered eating, substance use, PTSD, self-harm, etc. I work with clients to break free from the past and live life in the way they want.

Are you suffering from depression, anxiety, the effects of stress or trauma? Are you experiencing conflict or crisis with your spouse or partner? Are you a young person having difficulty finding direction and motivation in life? Are you an adult who has yet to figure out who you are or what you want to be when you grow up?

I am honored to work with individuals who are seeking healing. Whether it be healing from trauma, eating disorders, anxiety or whatever may be taking you away from your most true and authentic life. I am specialized in eating disorders and all co occurring diagnoses. Pursuing healing is brave, it takes courage to say yes to vulnerability and open ourselves to growth and change. My deepest hope is that I may be someone who will take you one step closer to freedom. With curiosity, we can work to uncover the messages that have held you back from embracing yourself, in all that you may be.

Currently Accepting New Clients: I enjoy working with individuals on a variety of issues. My specialties include a focus on anxiety, addiction and trauma. My work with clients is very solution focused in nature. I aim to utilize the strengths my clients already possess in order to bring progress into all facets of their life. I appreciate the opportunity to join my clients in their change process and look forward to meeting you and answering any questions you may have about my services.

5/2024: Openings for Adults! Waitlist for kids/teens. We will match you with one of our skilled therapists with expertise and specialized training in the area you seek support. Charissa Schmidt, LPC provides attachment and trauma informed therapy for clients ages 3 and up. Kelton Monroe, LCSW provides care for adults navigating various life transitions. Christine Guza, LPC, specialties include adults experiencing chronic pain, medical concerns and/or trauma. Dr. Corrina Falkenstein, PhD supports clients ages 10 and up experiencing ADHD, depression and anxiety. Janell Hunt, LMFT, specializes in play therapy with clients ages 3 - 9.

Openings Available Currently. The perspective I bring to the therapeutic relationship includes a deep confidence in the capacity for people to heal, change and grow. Central to the therapy process is the creation of a safe, supportive relationship in which the therapist sees and respects who the client is. From this place of safety and connection it is possible to set aside the noise of the world and begin focusing on getting reacquainted with your core self; and on the needs, strengths and values which can often be neglected.

It is crucial that our work be centered in your values, beliefs, background, and culture(s). We cannot fully envision where we would like to go without solidly acknowledging where we come from, and there is no homogenized way to do this. I see social justice and mental health as inextricable, and my work as a therapist is and will always be rooted in the values of accessibility and equal opportunity. I am a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and am happy to support trans folx with gender affirming care. The best way to reach out is through email.

Do you avoid or sabotage your potential to create a fulfilling life? Is the contemplation of change overwhelming? Witnessing positive change continues to be the most rewarding part of my twenty eight years in clinical practice. I prioritize the development of an emotionally safe, strong and trusting therapeutic relationship. Our work will focus on recognizing and changing the patterns and beliefs that limit your ability to achieve an enriched and fulfilling life. I will assist you in developing the skills to better manage emotions, improve interpersonal relationships, modify unhelpful thinking, and enhance personal wellness.

My clients seek me out for many different reasons, including (but not limited to) mood, anxiety, and stress disorders; adjustment difficulties; and relationship and family-of-origin concerns. Sometimes, they just know they're stuck or lost and need help. I use evidence-based approaches (i.e., what we know to be effective with certain concerns) to help clients gain awareness of the interactions between their thoughts, feelings, and behavior; recognize the influences that have shaped these patterns; and develop the knowledge and skills to respond, rather than react, to them.

Accepting wait list clients- Feeling anxious, sad, lost, afraid, confused? Grappling with inner conflict, self image, compulsive behaviors, intrusive memories, change, loss? I am a psychotherapist with a breadth of work and lived experience working with a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, grief, loss, stress-related symptoms, communication problems, relationship difficulties, professional challenges, gambling and other process addictions, substance abuse, trauma, life transitions and more. I see my role as a therapist as a sacred privilege to journey along side of a person toward true and lasting change

I believe that each person has a unique story that has been their life and that healing begins by telling and understanding those stories. I believe part of my role as a therapist is to walk side by side in collaboration on this journey. I focus on your strengths and help you find and manifest who you are meant to be through your challenges. I offer a safe, non-judgmental environment to be able to process experiences and events that may be interfering with life, and learn to problem solve and practice tools to cope when triggers arise in an unbiased place.

5/2/24: Waitlist is open. Ideal clients would be tweens, teens or young adults. I can work with individuals and families who are seeking counseling support during a major transition in their lives. This could be surrounding grief and loss, divorce, death, chronic illness, mental illness, or other major life challenges. I have worked with pre-teens, adolescents, families who are homeless, individuals with mental illness, individuals who work in the health care setting, as well as those in hospice. Using a holistic strength based approach, I aim to provide a healing therapeutic environment.