Therapists for college students near Portland, OR
I specializing in working with young adults using a relational, collaborative approach. I am queer/gender- and neurodiversity-affirming.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
Whether you're looking for short-term support around a specific problem or more general help with overall stress, depression, anxiety, or relationship troubles, I take the time to truly get to know you and your unique challenges and strengths. Change is not easy, and I am here to walk by your side as you do the difficult and noble work of making the changes you want become a reality.
Have you ever felt like you're either "too much" or "not enough"? This could be a general struggle, or it could be related to a specific trait (i.e. too Asian/not Asian enough or too Queer/not Queer enough). Perhaps you struggle to belong and don't feel like you quite fit anywhere. Or maybe factors such as perfectionism, self-doubt, overthinking, or comparison to others are creating problems. All of these issues are quite common, but can also be extremely nuanced. I understand and I can help. Let's explore your unique identity, coming to a better understanding of who you are. I'd like to help you unconditionally embrace and accept yourself. We can build a therapeutic relationship that supports you in meeting your goals. I hope to accompany you in your growth and healing as you laugh, cry, learn, explore, set goals, and gain skills along the way. Finding a new therapist can be an overwhelming process. I'd really like to support you in finding the right fit, so I offer a free initial phone consultation. I am open to working with all adults, but particularly enjoy helping those in the Asian and LGBTQ+ communities. Reach out to set up a time to chat; I'm here to help.
My clinical practice is trauma informed and person centered. I enjoy working with people who are navigating difficulties related to major life transitions, sexual and gender identity development, conflicts within their family of origin, relationship issues and surviving and healing from trauma. I also value and strive to work effectively across cultural, ethnic and racial identities. I am EMDR trained, Internal Family Systems informed and believe strongly in the power of relationships to both form who we are and to heal. I received my MSW degree in 2010 from Smith School for Social Work in Northampton, MA. I have over 13 years of experience providing mental health care in different settings, including Portland State University Counseling Services. 15 minutes free phone consultations available and encouraged. New client slots available starting September 5th, 2023. Currently only offering Telehealth, with potential in-person appointments in the future.
I work with people in transition or who are preparing for change. Artists, actors and writers. Those in bereavement. Or who are living with a catastrophic health-related diagnosis, recent or of long duration. Caregivers. Mental health interns who need to explore their own issues in order to practice mindfully. Folks who are using substances more than they want. People who want to decrease their distress but who also have a curiosity about its sources. People who want to talk with someone about the most important thing in the world, perhaps to discover what that is. My specialty is the intuitive analysis of what is most important to you. My experience has shown me that we carry within us the answers we're looking for. My skill is in eliciting these answers and reflecting them back to you so you recognize them. I've been trained in Depth psychology, Narrative psychology and Cognitive Behavior therapy, in dream analysis and evidence-based practices like Seeking Safety. In addition to private practice I've directed multiple community mental health and recovery programs, as well as provided training and clinical supervision to new therapists.
I accompany people on their journey to a more grounded and liberated life by exploring how our intersecting identities and cultural experiences have led to the ways we are hurt, but also hold the keys to how we heal. For my clients, these layers of oppression may result in anxiety, depression, trauma, and racial identity concerns. We'll work together to process your experience, draw out your strengths, and support your goals. I love working with Asian American adults, and other People of Color, to connect the impacts of history, oppression, and culture on mental health and wellbeing.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
Trauma lives in the body. Yet, we can live too much in our head, cut off from our heart and body, leaving trauma active in us. Together we can process the trauma at a pace that works for you, reaching a personal balance between the heart, body, and mind. The society we live in doesn't always fit our needs, which is enough to create a great deal of anxiety for anyone. We don't all think the same ways, and we are all learning more and more how diverse our brains and experiences in life can be. For neurodiverse people in particular, living in a society tailored to neurotypical individuals, can be outright traumatizing. I support and encourage neurodiverse communication styles, individual ways of thinking, and all varieties of emotional expression in therapy. Allow me to listen and help as you develop your own understanding in your own words. When you can see the what and why of your patterns, I can help you figure out how to heal. I will follow your lead on what you want out of therapy. Seeing so many struggle to deal with the dehumanization and burdens that systemic problems press on us under colonialism and white supremacy, I was drawn to therapy with a lens for justice and equity. I deeply value the rapport we can build together, and would feel honored and humbled if you share your story with me. I would love to collaborate with you on your healing journey. To make sure I meet your needs, I offer a free 15 minute meet and greet consultations by phone or video call, to see if I am a good fit for you. Please email me to schedule a consultation if you are curious or interested.
Have you been longing for a more fulfilling, meaningful life? If you are feeling paralyzed or trapped by worry or sadness, you may benefit from an in-depth psychotherapy approach that allows you to break old patterns and grow into a deeper understanding of yourself. I offer online (video-based) therapy to treat trauma, grief/loss, anxiety, and depression. I use CBT and Mindfulness based techniques in my work, but the foundation of my therapeutic approach is from an Existential Therapy perspective, which allows us to slow down and look closely at your current experience so that together we can shape the future you want to have. I feel honored to be a part of helping people grow, fulfill their potential, and thrive in areas that correspond to their values. I have lived in several countries and speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Both as a therapist and professor, I have served individuals of many cultures as well as marginalized populations which informs my practice & worldview. If you are invested in personal growth toward a life of purpose, I invite you to contact me or visit my website to learn more about how you can find healing & meaning in your life. Take that step and schedule a free consultation!
Relationships are vital to our health and well-being, yet few of us have been trained how to foster and maintain healthy ones. I support the development of healthy relationship skills by focusing on emotional expression, relational skill development, and personal empowerment. Rekindling the trust, emotional connection, and playful spark necessary for healthy relationship is a process of establishing mutual goals, building new skills of emotional intelligence and embodied communication while healing old wounds. We are always, already in relationship; whether it is a relationship to another person, place, or oneself, we are in some way connected and affected by our surroundings. As such, it is in relationship that our deepest hurts can take place, and it is also in relationship that our most profound and liberating healing can occur. As a therapist, I work side-by-side with you, and it is in our own relationship together that we explore and uncover your greatest strengths, as well as all the ways you may unconsciously hold yourself back. My specialties include working with adults recovering from trauma experienced as a child or an adult. I enjoy working with individuals who are stuck in relationship patterns and are looking to break these patterns. I have expertise working with college students of all ages and people struggling with life transitions. My office is safe and affirming no matter your race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, or physical ability.
Individual telehealth therapy only. Finding the right therapist is a key part in having a positive and effective therapeutic experience. Whether you are beginning your therapeutic journey or continuing on, the growth toward self-discovery and healing is truly a commendable one. I am here to provide guidance toward gaining insight, authenticity to self, confidence, and an opportunity to break patterns. I specialize in: family of origin concerns, creating meaning in difficult hardships, accessing your strengths, rewriting narratives causing distress, and empowering you to be your best self. My approach toward therapy is from a systemic perspective, which seeks to address not only you at an individual level but also through your lived experience within your intersectional identity. In collaboration with you we tailor treatment to meet your specific needs as it relates to talk therapy.
I find deep fulfillment in supporting individuals who are motivated to understand themselves more fully, release the weight of their past, & step into their true potential. My passion is working with clients who are ready to heal old wounds, strengthen their sense of self, & create a more meaningful, authentic, and fulfilling life. My experience includes supporting those navigating anxiety, depression, PTSD/trauma, relationship/communication struggles, & attachment challenges. I also walk alongside those exploring their spirituality or re-examining their religious background—encouraging curiosity, self-discovery, & growth. I hold space for those seeking deep healing, offering personalized counseling that meets you where you are while gently encouraging growth. Using ART (similar to EMDR), DBT, CBT, somatic therapy, and mindfulness, my goal is to help foster resilience, presence, and a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
I am of the mindset that equity and trust are essential to working together to find solutions and gain awareness. While I am informed on a wide range of therapeutic approaches and I use what is best for each individual client, I tend to lean towards using Solution-Focused Therapy, Structural Therapy, and Narrative Therapy styles. I like for our work together to be interactive and empowering with the understanding that there are systems we may have to work with, in, or around.
Having trained at the University of Notre Dame (Ph.D., M.A.), UC Berkeley (APA-accredited internship) and Stanford (post-doctoral fellowship), I bring rigorous scientific expertise into my clinical work with college students. In fact, I worked at the University Counseling Centers at all three of these schools and have continued to develop a specialized private practice that focuses almost exclusively on college students. I also teach for Pepperdine University in their Graduate School of Education & Psychology. I help clients with a range of concerns including: anxiety, depression, career and academic concerns, ADHD, relationship concerns (situationships, am I right? :) ), body image and eating disorders, perfectionism, college/life transitions, as well as family of origin challenges (let's say it together, boundaries...). I often work with high-achieving students who often are managing academically but struggling internally. My clients often put others first and themselves last. By the time they come to therapy, concerns have been going on for some time and they've reached a breaking point. They may feel they "should" be able to handle things on their own. As a recovering perfectionist and someone who was riddled with anxiety throughout college, I get it. It wasn't until my own training in CBT that I learned how destructive such thought patterns were. It inspired my clinical approach, as well as three clinical workbooks I've published on Solution-Focused Therapy, CBT, and Positive Psychology with the top mental health publishers. Many of my clients who have been to therapy before often remark how "easy" I make the process. We laugh, we learn, and talk like old friends. Therapy doesn't have to be stuffy or stressful. It's about feeling respected, validated and heard. Learning to take care of yourself, set appropriate boundaries, and thrive! I'd LOVE to work with you! Please feel free to book a complimentary 15 minute consultation at my website below so we can connect!
I specialize in working with people who are struggling to resolve what they want in relationships and stressed out professionals and students. I also affirms those who have experienced emotional wounds from dysfunctional families and addiction find relief and security within themselves. Issues I work with most often are depression, anxiety, bipolar and mood swings, PMDD, trauma and PTSD. I am in the mental health field because I love hearing people's stories. I know how difficult it can be to share our stories, which is why I am honored to witness people's resilience. Something that stands out about my practice is I offer teletherapy and telepsychiatry, which provide you the safety and convenience of being in your own home for your therapy and medication needs.
H, I am Kelley - I have been in practice for the past 18 years and have 2 college age kids. I am licensed in Colorado, California and Oregon as these are the states I have lived in and still visit. I really struggled with my own mental health in college but back then therapy wasn't that common. There's a saying that therapist's become who they once needed - and that is definitely true. I offer a kind and compassionate ear, judgement free, collaborative approach - based in Brain Science. I want you create a place for you to be grounded and confident with what you bring to the world.
Virtual sessions offered in Indiana and Oregon, licensed in both states. 15 years of therapy experience (5 years working with Purdue University students). Experience with International population, LGBTQIA+. Treats academic functioning issues, social anxiety, anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD/ADD, ASD. Experience with trauma, sexual assault/abuse, family of origin issues, relationship problems.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.