Therapy Services
Approach
Many clients come to therapy feeling stuck. You may have tried "coping skills" or traditional talk therapy before, gaining some relief but finding that the underlying patterns eventually return. My practice is designed for those who are ready to move beyond temporary symptom reduction and toward lasting transformation, in a staged, integrative way.
Primary Focus
My practice is primarily focused on adults seeking individual depth work and couples seeking to repair or deepen their connection. My fee is $215 for 50 minute sessions.
Adolescents
I work with "precocious" or insight-oriented teens (ages 15+) who are self-motivated and curious about understanding their own minds. Please note that my approach with adolescents is collaborative and talk-based, best suited for teens who are ready to engage in self-reflection.
Cultural Safety & Inclusivity
I am committed to providing a safe, affirming space for LGBTQIA+ individuals. Furthermore, I recognize that mental health does not exist in a vacuum. I hold an awareness of the effects of systemic racism and my privilege, and I strive to practice with cultural humility. You are welcome to bring all parts of your identity and experience into the room; we will not bypass the impact of the world you live in.
Location & Format
Services are provided primarily via teletherapy (video). However, I also offer sessions out in the "real world" as clinically indicated for exposure-based work or psychedelic integration.
“When I am listened to
with empathy, I feel
safe enough to
hear myself.” - Carl Rogers
A sense of safety, allows the client to be more fully honest about their experience. Throughout our work together, I encourage you to let me know what is and isn’t working in therapy so we can do our best work together. As a professional, I am trained to ensure your feedback ultimately strengthens the therapeutic relationship.
Feel free to call me at 503-660-8549 to answer any questions you have about whether my approach to therapy might feel like a good fit. I’m here to help, even if that means you might work better with another therapist.
Before we can truly heal from our past, we must ensure there is solid ground to stand on. To do this, we will discuss what meaningful change looks like to you so we have a common understanding for how to orient our efforts. We will talk about any relevant history and symptoms to best tailor therapy for your needs.
During this time I may introduce practical and evidence-based tools (such as Mindfulness or Cognitive-Behavioral approaches) to help reduce immediate distress and regulate your nervous system. This creates the stability and emotional bandwidth necessary for deeper work.
Phase 1: Building Capacity & Safety
Once you feel safe and stable, we move into the deeper work of integration. We often find that persistent symptoms are actually intelligent attempts by your nervous system to navigate the pain of unmet needs from your past.
In this phase, we identify any conflicting voices or feelings within you, such as the side that wants to push forward versus the side that is afraid to move, and view these as protective responses to these unmet needs. Rather than fighting these feelings, we use neuroscience and the best practices in psychotherapy to understand and unburden their pain. This allows old survival strategies to relax, clearing a way for a life led not by reactive protection, but by confidence and choice.
Phase 2: Healing the Core
Phase 3: Maintenance and Transition
The ultimate intention of therapy is to build a system that is self-sustaining. In this final phase the focus is on consolidation, which is taking the deep insights and shifts from our sessions and firmly rooting them in your daily life.
We will support and experience your new-found resiliency as you encounter real-world stressors, ensuring that you can identify and meet your needs when challenges arise. Over time and as confidence and safety grows, we will space out sessions, supporting you as you transition from the structure of therapy to relying on the resources you’ve built both within and out - with your community, your friends, and your family of choice.
Anxiety & OCD
Anxiety is often a frantic attempt by the mind to predict and control the future to ensure safety. Whether you suffer from generalized anxiety, social anxiety, illness-anxiety disorder, panic, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), our work goes beyond just "stopping" the thoughts. We use exposure techniques to lean into and build your tolerance for fear and uncertainty, while simultaneously healing the younger aspects of your experience that feel unsafe in the world. As you progress in therapy you’ll notice more ease, less worry, and more confidence to live in accordance with your values.
Trauma & PTSD
Trauma is the felt experience of the past distorting the safety of the present. Using a trauma-informed lens, we work to re-consolidate painful memories. We do not just "re-tell" the story; we help your nervous system understand that the danger is over, unburden past pain, and transform feelings of powerlessness into strength and resiliency. Feeling safer in your body, empowered, and with more self-compassion are common outcomes in trauma work.
Depression
Depression is often felt as a state of exhaustion, a loss of meaning, and isolation - a "freeze" response where the system shuts down to protect itself from pain. We honor the heaviness of depression while gently inviting movement back into your life, reconnecting you with your values, your relationships, and your capacity for joy. As depression lifts, you’ll notice yourself having more energy, hopefulness, and initiative.
Relational Growth
Relationships are where our deepest patterns play out. My work with couples combines Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and Relational Life Therapy (RLT) approaches. We move beyond "communication tips" to understand the "dance" between you and your partner - how one person’s defensive protection triggers the other’s insecurity. We work to lower these defenses so you can stop fighting against each other and start fighting for the relationship. My experience includes working with both traditional and non-traditional models of relationship, including consensual non-monogamy. Relational growth for my clients often looks like less defensiveness, criticism, or shutting down, and more empathy and feelings of security within themselves and their partnership - even when significant differences remain.
Additional Expertise
A Neuro-Informed Perspective
Because of my background in neuroscience and neuropsychology, I am uniquely equipped to work with clients facing complex neurocognitive challenges. I offer specialized support for the following:
ADHD (Adults & Teens): Moving beyond the label to understand your unique executive functioning profile.
Neurocognitive Changes: Adjusting to life changes due to brain injury or stroke.
Complex Mental Health: Including Bipolar Disorder and Psychotic Disorders, provided the client is stable enough for outpatient care.
Altered States of Consciousness
I provide integration-oriented psychotherapy for individuals who have had, or are preparing to have, meaningful experiences with altered or non-ordinary states of consciousness, including those involving psychedelic substances. My role is strictly therapeutic and integrative: helping you process, understand, and embody these experiences in a grounded and healthy way.
NOTE: I do not offer administration or provision of any substances.
Life Transitions & Identity
Deep work can touch on the existential. I often help clients navigate grief and loss, work / life balance, professional burnout, men’s health, personal identity, and LGBTQIA+.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at my FAQ’s or reach out anytime.