Therapists for college students near Portland State University
Rachel Spooner
Anxiety, worry, and intrusive thoughts are incredibly isolating and I am passionate about joining my clients in their journey toward reclaiming their lives and conquering their fears. You don’t need to do this alone anymore! My clients are often high schoolers, college students, and/or adults that are overwhelmed by perfectionism, high expectations, anxiety, and/or OCD’s rules about how to live their lives. They may also be going through major life transitions or struggling with looming uncertainties. Finally, my clients courageously lean into discomfort and learn new skills to ride the waves of uncertainty impacting their lives. My therapeutic approach includes the following evidence-based treatments: Exposure and Response Prevention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness strategies and Motivational Interviewing. I collaborate with my clients to determine the best approach for their individual needs and goals. If you’ve made it this far, you’ve already taken a very big step forward in your wellness journey. I encourage you to reach out to me and schedule a consultation to discuss if my approach may be a fit for what you’re looking for. Regardless, I’m wishing you all the best in your journey and am honored to have crossed your path.
Kimberly Christensen
Hello, I imagine you are here because something isn’t quite right in your life, and you are seeking guidance to make positive changes. As you explore what therapy has to offer you, more clarity emerges that you are embarking on a journey into your inner life. Your inner world is comprised of images, fantasies, dreams, sensations, reflections, feelings – the entire content of your imagination. To know yourself, I encourage you to explore your feeling centers – like your heart and the gut. This brings forth the amazing potential of your life gifts and authentic Self into the world.
Connections First, LLC
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
Sarah Waltrip
College can feel like a lot to manage at once. Classes, friendships, dating, family expectations, and trying to figure out who you are and what you’re doing with your life. I work with students who are dealing with anxiety, self-doubt, and relationship stress. A lot of the people I see are functioning well on the outside, but internally feel overwhelmed, stuck, or like they’re constantly overthinking everything. Therapy can help you quiet the mental noise, understand your emotions without getting taken over by them, and feel more grounded in your decisions and relationships. You get to slow down, sort through what’s actually going on, and focus on what matters to you. My approach is practical and collaborative. We start with your goals and what’s not working right now, then build clear, research-based strategies to help you feel better. I also pay attention to patterns, like overthinking, people-pleasing, or relationship dynamics that keep repeating, so you can understand them and shift them long-term. You know your life better than anyone. My role is to help you make sense of it and move forward in a way that feels right to you. I provide out of pocket sessions at a reduced rate with limited pro bono sessions available. If you’re curious about working together, you can reach out for a quick consultation and see if it feels like a good fit.
Jason A Johnson, PsyD
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
Honeycomb Psychology
Assessments, Medication Management, & Therapy. At Honeycomb Psychology, we offer comprehensive ADHD, Autism, Learning Disorders (e.g., dyslexia), neuropsychological, and emotional as well as behavioral assessments for ages 3 to 25 years old. We also offer medication management, individual talk therapy, social communication, as well as speech & language therapy to children, teens, and young adults to develop skills and strategies to face their challenges and while equipping parents with tools to support their child’s ability to thrive. We strive to provide a personalized experience to each family while taking into consideration every aspect of your child’s life. We understand that the process of identification, diagnosis, and treatment can be overwhelming to families. That is why we are here to answer your questions thoroughly and provide you with a complete picture of your child’s strengths and challenges.
Eryn Keller-Arndt, LCSW
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who grew up in rural Northern California, where adequate mental health care was not accessible, and differences were not celebrated. I developed a passion for helping others after watching people I cared about struggle without support and going through my own challenges as an adolescent and young adult. After settling in the Portland Metro Area, I have developed a great love of our area's diverse populations and green landscapes, combining all the beauty the Willamette Valley has to offer with the convenience and luxury of inner-city resources and diversity. I have experience working in community mental health, hospice, and counseling with adults and teens ranging from late adolescents to the elderly. I especially enjoy working with those struggling with life transitions, trauma, chronic illnesses, depression, and anxiety. I believe that fostering safety and unconditional positive regard is the backbone of the therapeutic relationship. I use these core Rogerian principles and a strength-based approach along with techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, and Existential Therapy to aid people in broadening their perspectives, changing behaviors that are not working for them, and developing practical tools they can use in their day-to-day lives. I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to therapy and am variably directive in my approach depending on client needs. I am honored by those who share their brightest and darkest times with me. Time and time again, I am amazed by the strength and resilience of those who actively seek change. When I am not with clients, I can be found wrangling my two young children. I am a music, gardening, hiking, equine, and canine enthusiast. I also feel passionately about women supporting women and have enjoyed networking with other women in my local community.
Aud Perkins, Professional Counselor Associate, NCC
Hi, I'm Aud, a Professional Counselor Associate with over five years of experience providing counseling services to students in educational settings. I provide telehealth therapy to college students experiencing anxiety, trauma & burnout I work with individuals who appear to have it all together on the outside—but underneath, they're spread thin, drained, and disconnected from themselves. Maybe you're the reliable one showing up for others, while dreading letting anyone down. You're always doing, always on, and guilt gnaws when you try to stop. Relaxing feels impossible, so you never feel fully rested. In all of this, you may find yourself asking, 'does life have to be this hard?' If any of this resonates, you deserve a space to breathe and truly be heard. I aim to help you slow down, reconnect with yourself, and find more balance in your life. My approach, grounded in person-centered theory, is warm and collaborative, while holding you accountable to the reasons you're seeking therapy. I begin by taking the time to truly understand how you experience the world—what feels heavy, what energizes you, and what patterns keep you weighed down. By listening deeply and reflecting your perspective, our work builds clarity and connection. As this unfolds, you'll gain confidence, learn to identify and advocate for your needs, and gradually find more balance and ease in your life. I especially enjoy working with clients who are high-achieving and/or adult children of immigrants hoping to explore their intersecting identities and heal generational trauma. Starting therapy may feel uncomfortable if you're not used to prioritizing yourself, and I'm here to remind you that you deserve the same care and support you offer to others. Therapy with me is a space where you don't have to perform—you get to just be.
E and Bee Somatic Therapy
Hi! My name is Elisha and I'm the clinician and owner of E and Bee Somatic Therapy. My ideal client is someone who has experienced trauma, be it one event or layers of trauma occurring since childhood. They have been able to live a meaningful life to the best of their ability, but they might feel held back by feelings of control, hypervigilance, detachment, etc. stemming from the traumatic event(s). Trauma often shows up in our mood, relationships, and physical health so there may be multiple areas that are unsatisfying. My ideal client is ready to work hard to address this!
Rose City Psychological Center, LLC
At Rose City Psychological Center, LLC we believe all people have an inherent right to the services, resources, knowledge, and opportunities that allow us to be the directors of own lives. Our therapeutic approach strives to shed light on ingrained patterns of thoughts, values, and behaviors. By making the unconscious conscious, we disrupt the cycles that keep us stuck in unhealthy or unsatisfying relationships and routines.
Matthew Fuller, LPC
Matthew is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Oregon. He provides counseling to individual adults, couples and geriatric clients. He is a certified geriatric and dementia expert (U. of Michigan). Matthew utilizes the Rogerian approach to therapy, empowering patients by leaning on nonjudgmental, positive regard, building strong rapport and trust with patients. Matthew incorporates strength-based approaches of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Narrative Therapy. He wants the patient to explore their strengths and examine their challenges through a self-reflective lens so the patient can recognize why they struggle in certain areas of life. He sees patients that are facing difficulties with anxiety, depression, PTSD, chronic pain, grief and loss and relationship issues with marriage and parenting. He also has experience with crisis training to help military and first responders. Matthew employs several interventions including challenging negative thought patterns, relaxation training, sleep hygiene, and exposure therapy. Matthew earned his Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University. He is a native of New Orleans, has a wife, five children and three dogs. He is an avid walker, fisherman and sports enthusiast.
Daniel Blumenthal, LCSW
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing individual therapy for adolescents and adults, and family therapy for children (4-18 years old) and their caregivers. I have over a decade of experience working in healthcare, social services, and mental health treatment, and seek to create a peaceful, trauma-informed atmosphere where my clients can feel safe processing their emotions and experiences. I hold a Master of Social Work Degree from Portland State University, and have undergraduate education in public health, aging across the lifespan, and substance use counseling. I grew up in a large, diverse city and had the opportunity to interact with people of all different cultures, ages, and life paths. This has directly influenced my counseling perspective. I offer an eclectic approach, providing different therapy models and interventions to match the diversity of the client experience. What helps one person may not be ideal for another, and I am here to support each client as they explore the routes that inspire them. I draw from psychodynamic therapy, nondirective therapy, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, Jungian therapy, and others. I also offer psychoeducation and coaching in anger management, conflict resolution, and nonviolent communication. I offer play therapy, parent coaching, and collaborative problem solving for families with young children. I regularly attend seminars, trainings, and other forms of continuing education to better serve my clients and expand my treatment offering. Here are some of the challenges and symptoms I work with: -Anxiety -Trauma -Depression -Anger -Loneliness -Substance use disorders -Compulsive behaviors and process addictions -Grief and other major life losses and changes -Men’s issues -Romantic relationship difficulties -Eating disorders and body image challenges -Difficulty with finding meaning and self-actualization -ADHD -Sensory processing issues -Dissociation and dissociative identity disorder -Communication and conflict -Processing the return home after periods of incarceration -Stigma and prejudice -Chronic health diagnoses When I’m not working with clients, you’ll usually find me spending time with my family and pets (two dogs and a cat!), playing chess, reading everything from Stephen King to historical nonfiction, playing guitar, and watching all types of films.
Joyce Cha
I am a 2nd gen, female, Korean-American psychologist practicing in Portland, Oregon. Growing up in a bi-cultural family, I understand the challenges of integrating aspects of culture into our identities and relationships. My hope is to build a warm, authentic, and supportive relationship with my clients to facilitate awareness and a strong sense of self. My psychotherapy style is unique to me. It is collaborative, warm, relational, and open. I integrate my specialized training in child and adolescent development, Gestalt Approaches, and EFT. Currently, I am receiving training in AEDP, which is an experiential approach focusing on using the safety and security of the therapeutic relationship to undo aloneness
Ryan Varian
My work is guided by the belief that mental health care should be compassionate, collaborative, and personalized. With a background in community mental health and primary care behavioral health, I offer an integrative, culturally responsive, and values-based approach to therapy. I believe therapy is most effective when it goes beyond symptoms—when we explore your values, goals, and passions together. Through this lens, we co-create a foundation rooted in curiosity, connection, and emotional safety, opening space for healing and growth. I’ve had the privilege of expanding gender-affirming care at a community health system in Seattle and helped develop a behavioral health department embedded within a community center—where I facilitated programming focused on emotional wellness and connection. These experiences have shaped my commitment to making therapy accessible, affirming, and grounded in real-world community values. My value of community and connection continues to be nourished at Aspire Psychology.
Meaghan Myers
Do you feel anxious and hopeless when you think about the state of the world? Do you feel depressed and overwhelmed trying to survive within the capitalist system? Do you experience existential dread and climate grief? Do you yearn to find meaning, purpose and a connection to something greater? You are not alone, and having an understanding person to help you move beyond surviving and into thriving can be life changing. As a spiritual therapist, I am decolonial and anti-capitalist. I specialize in supporting people in creating a better relationship with their mind, decreasing self-critical thinking, healing from trauma, anxiety and depression. I also support clients in exploring their concept of spirituality and their feelings around the crises humanity is experiencing. Being a human today is hard. You don’t have to do it alone. If you are ready to connect with a deeper sense of purpose, heal from familial and societal constructs, and live the life you dream of, the time is now! Send me an email and let’s start the journey!
Lauren Hoffman
I believe healing and growth occur in psychotherapy when you first establish a supportive, collaborative therapeutic relationship. That is why I offer a safe, nurturing space where you can speak and be listened to with empathy and free from judgement. Past experiences, and how you attempt to understand them, can affect numerous areas of your life and sometimes lead you to feel stuck in certain patterns of behavior. In therapy, we will work together to help you better understand your behaviors, overcome life challenges, navigate obstacles, and build skills to cope with difficult emotions, so that you can find a new way forward. I value the unique aspects of each individual and therefore integrate a culturally sensitive approach with my patients. This means I understand that racial, cultural, religious, gender, and sexual identities interact with one’s beliefs and behavior, and believe that it is more effective to vary my therapeutic approach from person to person, depending on a client’s culture group, rather than to simply use the same standard treatment approach for everyone. My goal is to build a relationship based on authenticity and open communication throughout the course of therapy to ensure satisfaction. I’m here to listen, support and guide you on a healthy, empowered path.
Bailey Becker
Do you ever feel like you’re trying to meet everyone else's expectations while quietly struggling yourself? I work with teens, adults, and couples in unpacking childhood trauma, navigating infidelity, tackling life transitions, and motivation struggles. Whether you’re an overwhelmed overachiever, or feeling stuck in a “failure-to-launch” phase, I help clients gain clarity, strengthen relationships, and move forward with greater confidence. If you're looking for a therapist who will support and challenge you through grace, humor, an honesty, I look forward to working with you! :) My approach is rooted in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with elements of Internal Family Systems (IFS). Together, we’ll explore how past and present relationships shape your patterns, emotions, and sense of self—so you can better understand yourself, reduce shame, build confidence, break unhelpful cycles, and create lasting change. Life is full of taboos. The self-doubts, the drama, the ‘I-probably-shouldn’t-say-this’ thoughts. In my office, nothing is too weird or too heavy, and we’ll sort through it together. My hope is that you leave each session feeling a little more seen, a little less alone, and more connected to the parts of yourself you’ve been carrying quietly for too long.
Creative Change Works
I am a social worker, musician, and expressive arts therapist. I believe everyone is innately creative, and each person has within them what they need to heal and change. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Oregon and Louisiana, and a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT). I use a multi-arts, or intermodal, approach in individual and group therapy and facilitating. This means I use movement, visual art, music, writing, and mindfulness as therapeutic tools to initiate healing and change. Since this work is based on the creative process and not the resulting product, no background or training in the arts is required to benefit.
Noelle Savatta
I provide online therapy for individuals and couples in Oregon and Washington, and in person therapy in the Hood River area. Therapy is an opportunity to engage with someone authentically and without judgement. Someone who cares about you though is not attached to the choices you make as a friend or family member might be. Someone with many years of experience and training in mental health, who is actively engaged in their own personal growth journey as well. I provide therapy that is relational, present focused, grounded in experience, and centered in the therapeutic alliance. The relationship between myself and my client(s) is the foundation of the work and is built on trust and a genuine connection. Though the work emerges out of the here and now experience between client(s) and therapist, it also investigates how the past shapes our character, choices, and life in the present. I am a Gestalt therapist and utilize concepts such as compassion, acceptance, and mindfulness to guide the work. I often incorporate EMDR and IFS approaches. I value and respect difference and work with clients from all backgrounds, orientations, and cultures. My goal in the work is to raise awareness so that the client has more agency in their life. Clients’ goals typically include feeling better, gaining insight, or managing life more skillfully. Common presenting issues are depression, anxiety, trauma responses, difficulty navigating relationships, managing emotions, and more. The work can be long term and in depth, and/or it can be shorter term and focused on tangible change. I am happy to offer a free brief phone consultation so we can decide if we are a good fit.
Tyler Walsh, LCSW
Tyler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC I). His approach is grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, EMDR, Jungian Psychology, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Depth Psychology. He believes deeply in the power of the therapeutic relationship to create lasting transformation—both individually and collectively. Tyler’s clinical experience includes inpatient behavioral health, intensive addiction treatment, individual counseling, and outpatient care at a combat trauma clinic. He holds a Master of Social Work from the University of New Hampshire and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado. In addition to traditional modalities, Tyler is a 400-hour certified breathwork facilitator and a 200-hour certified Tantra Yoga teacher. He integrates somatic, breath-based, and embodied practices into his work and currently serves as a ketamine-assisted therapist at a clinic in Portland, Oregon. A veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Tyler brings a grounded and compassionate understanding of trauma, helping clients explore how painful experiences can be transformed into paths of resilience, wholeness, and personal empowerment. Whether you’re navigating trauma, addiction, identity, or the call to deeper self-awareness, Tyler meets you where you are—helping you reconnect with your innate wisdom and capacity for transformation.