Therapists for college students near Portland, OR

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.

*I am licensed in both Oregon and California, and can work with students who often travel between these two states.* When the difficult experiences from your past are still impacting you, it is hard to know what to do. You don’t feel like yourself anymore, and the people in your life are starting to notice. It’s coming out at school, in your relationships, in your mood. You might be thinking “I just want to move on with my life. Why can’t I just get over it already?” But no matter how many times you try to move on, you still feel stuck. You are not alone. I help people who have been through difficult childhood, sexual, and relationship experiences look at how their experiences have shaped them, and explore how to take back their lives from the memories that have burdened them for so long. Together, we will build a trusting relationship where you can feel safe enough to explore what happened in your life, the ways you have survived, and how to get unstuck so you can move toward a life that is ruled by you, and not by the past. I know reaching out to begin therapy can be an overwhelming experience. I offer a free 15-20 minute consultation, where you can share a bit about what you would like to work on, ask me any questions you may have, and we can determine whether I might be a good fit for your needs. Please feel free to visit my website to learn more and schedule a consultation. I'm looking forward to meeting you!

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I work with people who are seeking to decrease suffering, increase authenticity, build community, and pursue a life that aligns with their values. I also have a special interest in working with artists and creative types whose mental health is interfering with their full expression. I strive to be anti-oppressive in my practice by supporting individuals creating social change in their communities.

Are you struggling to engage or enjoy activities you once used to, or to make healthy friendships, connect, stay focused on studies? Perhaps you are noticing that acute or past traumas are getting in the way of feeling safe in your own body and coping is or has become very difficult. I specialize in working with emerging, young adults who battle anxiety, depression, PTSD, complex childhood trauma, addiction, suicidal thoughts and more. Counseling with me will be a warm, authentic and safe experience where together, we can gently process the thoughts, fears and doubts that keep you feeling stuck and perhaps miserable. Therapy may involve processing trauma, helping you develop increased awareness, exploring thought processes, relationships and behavior patterns, as well as learning new skills to manage your symptoms and relationships.

Among all the uncertainties of life, making the choice to start therapy is yet another risky plunge into the unknown. Before you decide to give me a call I’d like to try and give you a sense of who I am and what it might be like for us to sit together. Although my title is doctor, my clients call me Sarah. I think of my role as one of accompaniment, you’re the lead and it’s my job to follow your pace, your volume, your moments of free expression. Together we get curious in a way that is, open, receptive, and non-judgmental. Sometimes this process is playful, and sometimes I encourage us to look deeper at the hard things. I am always holding your experience with profound respect and the certainty that you have been doing your best to survive in a world that challenges your flexibility. Whether you’re somewhere along the path of higher education or starting off your career, the challenges of young adult life are uniquely complex and ripe for psychological distress. At this stage in life, you may find yourself with more questions than answers and more pressures than solutions. Stressors and concerns may run the gamut from challenges in relationships, family conflict, financial/housing/food insecurity, or answering questions like, “Who am I” and “What do I want in life?” I can appreciate the need for a space to unpack it all, take a step back, and find more clarity.

As a Person of Color, you’ve followed the rules, honored your culture, and shape-shifted to survive—but the pressure to get it all right is exhausting. You’ve kept it together for everyone else—but inside, you’re overwhelmed, second-guessing yourself, and craving peace. You’re always overthinking, carrying others’ emotions, and wondering who you actually are without the expectations of others. Family stuff is complicated, parenting feels heavy, and rest feels out of reach. You don’t have to hold it all. Let’s make space for you. Terapia en Español & Bilingual Services – I offer a space where all parts of your identity are honored. Together, we’ll build tools to manage stress, emotions, and relationships, while also exploring how past experiences and cultural messages shaped your feelings, response and the way you see yourself. This work supports deeper healing, clarity, and growth. My style is warm, grounded, and collaborative. We’ll explore your goals and what brings you to therapy. As someone who's lived between cultures, I value feeling truly seen and respected. Safety makes deeper exploration possible—and with it, meaningful, lasting change. Visit my website for more detailed information.

At Assert Your Boundaries Counseling, we provide trauma-informed therapy for adults, couples, and professionals across Oregon and Washington. We specialize in EMDR therapy, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, burnout, life transitions, and culturally responsive mental health care. Led by Dr. Pauline Botchway, our practice offers compassionate, evidence-based support for individuals seeking healing, growth, and healthier boundaries. We work with clients navigating trauma, stress, identity concerns, workplace challenges, and emotional overwhelm. Our practice also provides clinical supervision for LPC associates and supports clients seeking accessible, inclusive care in a welcoming environment. We offer both in-person and telehealth therapy sessions.

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Do you struggle with stress that affects your day-to-day life, relationships, or school? Do you feel exhausted by the pressure to do more with less? Do you wish that you could experience more balance in your life? Now more than ever, people are feeling overwhelmed and stuck, struggling to craft a more peaceful, positive lifestyle. I believe finding balance between all of life’s demands shouldn’t be just a “maybe one day” dream. I offer individual counseling for adults ready to commit to building their best lives. We’ll start by exploring your current challenges and past experiences to help inform the best approach. We’ll co-create a treatment plan designed to help you build the skills you’ll need on your journey, and I’ll help you navigate the pathway toward your ideal life. I offer a supportive, safe space and virtual appointments to flexibly meet your scheduling needs. As an experienced psychologist who has helped many individuals establish better boundaries and experience more joy in their daily lives, I am passionate about helping others achieve a greater balance between work and play and adapt to shifting environments. Ready to take the first step toward living your best life? Schedule your free consultation today!

Are you ready to explore a new path and navigate life’s challenges successfully? Develop a growth mindset and move towards success. Transform and become truly authentic. As your guide, I will spark your curiosity and ignite motivation. I will actively listen, offer empathetic and compassionate feedback, and encourage self-discovery through introspection. As you begin to value the process you will realize that the journey matters more than the destination. On this path you will develop a growth mindset, truly believing that you can become better and improve with time and practice. As you begin to live the life you want to live you will start embracing challenges. You might even find you enjoy them. As you start to harness the power of your mind, you’ll begin to get the results you want and move towards success. We will work together to identify your values and set incremental, and realistic goals that will lead to growth. We will develop a personalized set of tools and skills to help you better manage challenges. You will practice being comfortable making mistakes and being more open to criticism. It is often through making mistakes that we really learn. With dedication and effort you can increase self-awareness, positive thinking, and self-compassion. You will become more resilient and discover abilities you didn’t even know you possessed. Difficult experiences can lead to rich rewards. With Brainspotting and EMDR you can adaptively process trauma and emerge stronger. You will recognize your personal strength, and start to explore new possibilities. You will begin to improve your relationships, gain a greater appreciation for life, and grow spiritually. Happiness and contentment are attainable. It starts with one step.

Welcome. Thank you for being here. I offer a warm, person-centered environment where I work collaboratively with clients to help foster positive change that aligns with each person's values and goals. Whether you are experiencing anxiety, depression, PTSD or grief, navigating a life transition or relational issues, or healing from trauma, chronic pain or illness, I welcome the opportunity to support you on your healing path. I utilize a trauma-informed approach to work with work with teens,adults and couples, and I am an ardent LGTBQIA+ and BIPOC ally who welcomes people from all cultural backgrounds. Since we are all unique, I first strive to understand your life history, your current challenges, and your goals for therapy. I then utilize techniques, tailored specifically for you, that promote healing. My approach draws upon an eclectic blend of mindfulness and somatic therapies that is informed by over 20 years of teaching yoga and meditation. I believe that everyone can heal and grow, and that having respectful, caring, and attentive support can facilitate profound transformation. If you are going through a challenging time and would like some support, I invite you to reach out. Together we can work towards creating positive change that helps you live a happier, more fulfilling life

Hello! I am an Expressive Arts Therapist based in Portland, OR. In my practice I use art, crafts and sensory tools to support our work when words and verbal processing feel challenging. If you are a verbal processor, you're also welcome here! I usually work with folks who are queer and/or neurodivergent. I tend to work best with introverts or ambiverts, creative folks and those who identify as sensitive.

Many of my clients come in feeling weighed down by anxiety, ADHD, chronic illness, eating and body image concerns, and patterns like perfectionism and people-pleasing that feel hard to break. I also work with trauma, relationship patterns, and stress related to school, work, or life transitions. This includes teens and young adults navigating growing independence, or those experiencing family stress such as divorce or major changes at home. I take a relational, collaborative approach to therapy. I draw from CBT, DBT, ACT, Motivational Interviewing, and person-centered therapy in flexible, realistic ways that fit your life. As someone who is neurodivergent and lives with chronic illness, I bring perspectives from both my clinical training and lived experience into our work. Therapy can be a space to slow down and make sense of what you are going through. My role is to help you better understand yourself by uncovering what gets in your way and what actually helps. If you are looking for support, I would be glad to connect and see if working together feels like a good fit.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 20 years of experience working in mental health for non-profit agencies, the VA, and other organizations. Through my own experiences in the military, I experienced first-hand Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, and depression. After leaving the Navy, I sought therapy to help process what I experienced. While completing my education, I worked at Veterans' Affairs, helping combat Veterans who experienced PTSD and other challenges, including drug and alcohol addiction. I bring this experience to working with you in processing trauma and other issues you may be experiencing. During our therapeutic sessions I primarily utilize CBT, DBT, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) but will also use other approaches as needed. I work from a client centered, integrative approach and believe in working collaboratively with clients to help them achieve their goals, improve coping, and reduce symptoms. Finding a path to live the life you want to lead is a goal of the work I do. I practice a resilience-based approach while working primarily with adults, veterans and their families in individual and couples counseling sessions. I also bring, Kayleigh, a therapy dog in sessions.

Teresa views healing through an attachment and biopsychosocial lens, meaning that there are many intersecting areas of life (biological, psychological, social/relational) that all impact wellness. Teresa is trained in EMDR, IFS, LI (Lifespan Integration), Pain Management, and Spiritual Trauma. She uses an intersectional, attachment and strength-based approach, along with many individualized interventions to help her clients reach their goals. Several years after experiencing personal healing from severe depression, trauma, and social anxiety, Teresa completed her Masters in Counseling and is now a Licensed Professional Counselor. Teresa considers it a privilege to work with every client, and has experience working with men/women/nonbinary, LGBTQiA+, adolescents, folks in recovery, and survivors of domestic violence. She supports people working through addiction, anxiety, career goals, depression, PTSD, parenting, trauma, peak performance, pain management, and relationship concerns. Teresa facilitates a group for people with spiritual trauma.

You might be here because something inside you feels tangled, uncertain, or out of reach. Maybe you’re trying to navigate the weight of anxiety, low motivation, or a mood that shifts in ways you can’t always predict. Maybe you’re carrying grief, confusion around identity, or a deep sense that parts of your story haven’t been fully understood. Whatever led you here, there’s space for it and support as you navigate what comes next. I specialize in working with adults across Oregon who are navigating: - Anxiety, overthinking, or a persistent sense of unease - Depression or feelings of disconnection and emptiness - Bipolar disorder and emotional shifts that feel hard to manage - PTSD and the lingering impact of past trauma - Identity exploration, especially for queer and trans individuals - Grief, loss, and major life transitions - Relationship challenges and self-esteem concerns My approach is affirming, trauma-informed, and centered on helping you build insight and compassion for yourself and the systems that have shaped your experience.

While I’ve worked with clients from all different kinds of communities, I’m particularly passionate about supporting young adults who are working through sexual shame, sexual trauma, social anxiety, neurodivergence, ethical non-monogamy, and those who identify as queer/BIPOC and/or men. I focus on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a strengths-based and healing focus & Narrative Therapy. Because pain and trauma are realities of our world, our past selves often inform our present relationships, even when we don’t want them to. Together we’ll work to help you understand and identify what parts of yourself show up in your life today. We’ll unpack your history and upbringing to discern how they’re potentially impacting your current relationships. We often feel like we’re “missing the mark” in our relationships - that despite all our efforts, we’re still falling short. Effectively communicating with your partner or other people in your life is a skill I’ll help you develop. Generally, my style of work is a mixture of collaborating with clients, while also challenging them to dig deeper. But above all, I approach my clients with gentleness, compassion, and I will always keep our focus on healing. I was raised in a conservative Christian environment where sex, sexuality, and gender were defined by my religion. This in turn created internalized feelings of shame about who I was. Since then, I’ve done a lot of educating and relearning to shape my identity into who I am today. As a black, brown, and queer woman, my identities inform my work and the way I show up for my clients and community. My desire is for you to feel empowered to be your authentic self and transform your relationship with sex and sexuality into a positive one. Cultivating a relationship built on trust with the people I collaborate with is something I value deeply. Having the ability to trust your therapist allows you to bring more of your true self to the table, which directly affects the quality of the work we’ll do together. I’ll work with you to build a mutual and trusting relationship, because a therapeutic relationship models relationships out in the world.

Whatever your reasons for seeking therapy or counseling, I assure you when you step into my office, you will be treated with respect, compassion, & validation. I believe everyone is doing the best they can with what they know. And that is typically where we start the therapy process - with acceptance of where you are now. The work I do with my clients is collaborative - we create a treatment plan together, with goals you want to work on. We achieve these goals by building skills, improving understanding & insight into how these behaviors got started in the first place, & increasing resources in your life. I'm a licensed professional counselor, practicing since 2003. I'm trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, & use Cognitive-Behavioral, Mindfulness, and Stages of Change strategies in my practice, as well as some somatic strategies, if needed. I specialize in treating depression, anxiety, past trauma & PTSD, alcohol & drug problems, relational issues, life transitions, grief, anger, confidence problems. I love this work! I use these strategies in my own life and will share what I've learned, through my own experiences. Most of my clients appreciate this and don't feel so alone in their struggles. We all struggle! Through acceptance, and a bit of humor, we can achieve change.

My passion lies in supporting people who may feel stuck, stagnant, or caught in repeating patterns, and who are ready to try something different. The journey forward isn’t always easy, but the support of a compassionate therapist can help you find your way. I strive to create a nurturing space where you can unpack your experiences, reflect deeply, and begin to explore, challenge, and redefine how you show up for yourself and in your life. I warmly welcome individuals of all identities, backgrounds, and orientations. My areas of expertise includes racial and cultural identity, intergenerational trauma, and the challenges of navigating multicultural or bicultural worlds, or those living at the intersections of multiple identities. I practice from a social justice, multicultural, trauma informed, and anti-oppressive framework, ensuring that our work together is inclusive, affirming, and compassionate. I strive to create a space where all parts of you are seen, heard, and valued. A space that honors the depth, complexity, and richness of your lived experience. Please visit my website to learn more about me and to schedule a free consultation at www.growingwithinpnw.com.