What do I believe?

I believe that the therapeutic relationship can provide one healing strand in the web of someone’s life, if approached with respect, authenticity, and compassion.

I try to see these strands from an 'eco-systemic' perspective, which is to say, I understand that there’s more to someone’s life than the hour they spend in the therapist’s office. Talking through problems may not fix injustices in the wider world, or instantly heal generations of trauma, but it can be a good place to start finding some peace.

Who am I?

A Portlander since 1992, I received my BA from Oberlin College in 2007, my MSW in 2019 from Portland State University, and my LCSW in 2022. Throughout this process, I've worked with at-risk teenagers and their families, adults with severe mental illness in the legal system, and everyone in between.

Prior to becoming a therapist, I was a shift worker in a psychiatric home, a piano teacher, and a home furnace technician. I enjoy good coffee, making my kid laugh, local musicians’ shows, and ultimate frisbee.

More About Me

Working with Teens:

I have many years of experience helping teenagers with behavioral and emotional challenges. My approach with teens is simple: to treat them with respect, never patronize, be warm and compassionate, while also being real and direct. In tough situations, I've found that being authentic and telling the truth is a good place to start.

Modalities:

I have training in CBT, DBT, Narrative Therapy, and Family Systems Therapy. What do those mean?

CBT: How do our thoughts affect our moods, which affect our actions?

DBT: When our feelings feel out of control, where do we start?

Narrative: What's the story I'm telling myself about my life?

Family Systems: What's my place in my family? Does it always have to be this way?

History:

I received my Bachelor of the Arts from Oberlin College in 2007. I didn't enter the field of mental health right away; I had my own story that took me to some interesting places. Once I realized I enjoyed this work, and could be useful to others while doing it, I pursued my Masters in Social Work from Portland State University in 2019, and earned my License for Clinical Social Work (LCSW) in 2022.

Along the way, I've worked for the local community non-profits Cascadia Behavioral Health and Janus Youth Services. In these settings, working alongside other therapists, social workers, parole/probation officers, attorneys, parents and extended family, I've learned a hard lesson: never ignore the bigger picture.

Having also spent many years working with people with sexually harmful behaviors, I have earned the CCSOT license, which stands for 'Certified Clinical Sex Offense Therapist.'

Credentials:

B.A. Oberlin College, 2007

MSW, Portland State University, 2019

LCSW, Oregon State License #L11139

CCSOT, Oregon State License #STB-T-10228025