About

Many of us grow up adapting to our environments in ways that run counter to our true selves. We adapt our behaviors and ways of coping, in an effort to stay safe and connected with others. This is basic survival. These ways of adapting get us through, and they work for a while. Eventually some of us begin to realize that in these ways we’ve adapted, we’ve left behind parts of ourselves. Maybe you loved dancing, but were told you weren’t good enough and you believed it. Or maybe one too many people made you feel singled out, different, or flawed so you shrink in one or more ways. You may have experienced traumas large and small, and lacked the emotional support you needed to heal from those losses. At crucial moments, maybe you stopped doing something or hoping for something you truly enjoyed or believed in. Maybe you’ve always felt unsafe, as long as you can remember.

We take the very first steps toward caring for our own selves, when we recognize that we miss parts of us that had hope or curiosity, or enjoyed doing this or that. Maybe you haven’t noticed this yet, but you know you’re so tired of feeling the way you do, and you’re ready to take steps toward feeling, doing, or thinking differently.

One of the most important aspects of therapy is the therapeutic relationship. I provide a relationship built on safety, humor, trust, warmth, curiosity, and an unconditional, deep belief in your value and worth. I’m excited to explore your dreams, interests, skills, strengths, values, successes, and personal uniqueness. I meet you where you’re at right now, and together we can decide what healing looks like. I have extensive training in working alongside those with: ASD, ADHD, trauma, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, gender dysphoria, Schizophrenia, and Schizoaffective Disorder. I am LGBTQIA2S+-friendly and culturally responsive.

See the Services page for more information about my approach.

Therapy takes courage, and I’m here to show you that you’re safe during the time we spend together.  

I have a strong equity lens and continue to learn how I can best serve everyone at intersections of race, ethnicity, economic status, spirituality, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and/or disability. Some of my personal lived experiences that inform my approach include direct trauma and family trauma related to mental health challenges, poverty, substance use, abandonment, grief and loss, and emotional and physical abuse.

I’m registered with the Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers (BLSW) as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I agree to abide by the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, and the Oregon BLSW Social Work Laws and Rules.