Therapists for college students near Portland, OR

Michelle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 15 years of experience. She earned her Masters Degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, and eventually moved to Portland where she began a career focusing on helping individuals and families learn to heal and thrive. With experience working in healthcare and public education, Michelle understands the complexities and demands that so many members of our community experience. She is committed to addressing cultural issues around bias, racism, equity, and injustices for communities of color and those with diverse backgrounds. Her engagement with anti-racism learning is active, ongoing, and explicit. Michelle is collaborative, encouraging, and playful. She focuses on helping clients to identify their resilience and strength to overcome obstacles, and she offers a safe place to be open and honest without fear of judgment. She has experience working with children and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, women’s health issues, infertility and pregnancy, post-partum, life transitions, parenting issues, and addiction. Michelle approaches therapy with a trauma-informed lens and relies on her background and education in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Strength-Based Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Play Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Michelle believes it is a true privilege to be able to work in this field and to share space with people during some of their hardest and most vulnerable moments. She remains continuously grateful for the opportunity her clients give her, and she is committed to continuing to grow and learn. When Michelle is not practicing, she can be found with her spouse, dog, and their two young children - exploring outdoors, skiing, paddle boarding, enjoying good food, and following that beautiful and often scarce PNW sunshine.

With 26 years of experience, I’ve learned there are many ways to help clients. I welcome clients of all sorts, at any stage of therapy. I use an integrated approach and pull from numerous evidenced based therapeutic practices, based on your individual needs and goals. I can help you work through challenges related to difficult feelings, stress, depression, anxiety, challenging relationships and navigating important life transitions. I also specialize in helping those who have ADHD. The ADHD brain works overtime and can leave one feeling chronically exhausted, overwhelmed, scattered or misunderstood. While working together, we'll develop tools and strategies to better manage the challenges that ADHD can present, so that you can feel more confident and reach your full potential... in your relationships, your work and within yourself.

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.

As a therapist, I’m inspired by being a part of the growth and healing process. Personally and professionally, I value bringing more kindness, vulnerability, self-compassion and creativity to the world. I enjoy working with a large range of clients and I specialize in helping clients heal from depression and anxiety, improve their interpersonal skills and overcome unwanted habits. I focus on creating a therapeutic atmosphere where people can truly feel safe, grounded, and open to exploration. Working with me means we will explore evidence based approaches and techniques, in a flexible way with attention to your needs.

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I support adults navigating anxiety, chronic stress, burnout, grief, and life transitions. Anxiety can show up as racing thoughts, tension in the body, difficulty resting, or a persistent sense that something is wrong even when life looks fine on the outside. You do not have to manage this alone.

My goal as your therapist is to provide you with a secure and receptive space for free expression so you can open up and embrace your most authentic self. Together, we will work through obstacles, discover your strengths, and empower you to embrace a more fulfilling life.

You’re carrying generational trauma. You have been navigating trauma, family hardship and stress since your childhood/adolescence. You navigate struggles with identity, self-worth, body-image and self-acceptance. You feel stuck. Relationships bring up conflict, insecurity and social anxiety. Emotions feel overwhelming and uncontrollable. You’re ready to explore a life out of “survival mode.” Together we can explore healing and how to build connection to others. You deserve to feel compassion towards tender parts of yourself and learn to trust yourself. Your trauma story has an impact, and you can heal and grow. You're worthy. My style is warm, radically compassionate and honest. I hold unconditional positive regard for you, knowing that you inherently hold wisdom. I find the core of issues, shedding light on patterns. I'm a multicultural Latina, coming from lived experiences with trauma and am committed to supporting marginalized communities healing from systemic oppression. It's brave of you to seek support. You deserve a space to be truly heard and explore your pain, anger, worry and sadness. Together, we can find clarity. My goal is to develop your capacity for ease, laughter & connection. I often work with those who identify as Latine/x, People of Color &/or Queer. Please reach out for a consultation to discuss more!

Hello, We can start with what is your immediate concern. That is likely to open the possibility of changes within you, that can open new possibilities for satisfaction and broader changes. Our goals will include more satisfying and close relationships for you.

I provide a safe and supportive environment to work in collaboration with you to manage mood and anxiety concerns and, if you are struggling specifically with disordered eating, the support to challenge eating disorder behavior. I strive to balance this with providing honest open reflection to help meet you where you are. I utilize the exploration of unhelpful thinking and behavioral patterns meeting clients where they are at in the process of change and helping them progress.

College can be a time of excitement, growth and discovery, but it can also bring uncertainty, stress, and deep emotional challenges. I specialize in supporting college students who are navigating anxiety, ADHD, OCD, autism, trauma, and the unique transitions that come with emerging adulthood. My approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in relational and trauma-informed care. I understand that for many students, college life can amplify feelings of overwhelm, self-doubt, or disconnection. In our work together, I aim to create a space where you can slow down, unmask, and reconnect with your strengths and sense of self. Whether you’re adjusting to new independence, managing academic pressures, healing from past experiences, or seeking tools for emotional regulation and focus, therapy is a space to explore your path with compassion and curiosity. Together, we’ll work to build resilience, self-acceptance, and meaningful ways of coping that honor who you are.

COMMON CONDITIONS TREATED: • Anxiety • Bipolar Disorder • Depression • Alcohol Use Disorder • Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders • Schizophrenia • ADHD • Schizophrenia • Psychosis • Anger management • Military trauma • grief Session Our first session will be scheduled for around 50-60 mins. Our goal will be to systematically explore the past and present elements affecting your life so we can establish and/or confirm a diagnosis and the appropriate level of care for you. Before our session, you will receive documents for you to fill out. Assessment can be lengthily at times and prefilled documents can ease us into a more enjoyable conversation. We will also go over the rules and regulations to preserve safety and lay the framework for your treatment. After our first session, follow up appointments are usually between 25-30 mins long and the frequency of the sessions can be decided by medication management and therapeutic outcomes. Because every case can be different from the next one, your treatment will be tailored to your need. The complexity of your case will determine the adjustments to your treatment plan. When pertinent, we will do our best to provide you with complementary services from around your community. I hope to do this all while helping you feel as comfortable as possible. Given that some topics can be challenging, some questions can be addressed in more detail in following sessions as you become more acquainted with me and the rest of our team. We will treat you, not just your symptoms and diagnos

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Hi! I'm glad you found me here in a sea of so many qualified therapists. What sets me apart from many other providers is the guiding principle that effective therapy is much more art than science. Research has consistently shown that the most influential common factor in effective therapy is a comfortable working relationship with your therapist (as opposed to a specialized treatment protocol or even years of experience). As such, I treat the quality and trust within our therapeutic relationship as the number one priority. I strive to provide a space in which we can engage collaboratively, to gain greater understanding through curiosity and exploration, ultimately working to address the root causes of your struggles. Developing an awareness and insight into your thoughts and decision making is key to attaining greater fulfillment and life satisfaction. You are more than what brings you into therapy and I recognize that the sum total of your lived experience is what makes you 'you'. Therapy allows you to be completely open and honest without fear of judgment, ultimately providing you the capacity to live authentically. I offer a free 15-minute consult; contact me or schedule via my website to see if I'm a good fit for you!

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.

We all come into therapy for different reasons. Some people may have specific challenges they are looking to overcome, while others may just need to explore why they feel the way they do. Both in relationships and as individuals, often we first feel the barriers in front of us before we really understand where they are coming from. Challenges in my own life and the very complexities of identity itself have profoundly shaped my empathetic approach to life. I see therapy as a conversation, and I am deeply committed to maintaining an open dialogue with you. I also recognize that you are the expert on your own lived experiences. I am here to support you in your journey of resilience, empowerment, and self-discovery. I provide a space where you can feel safe exploring gender and sexual identities, overcoming the stigma of addiction, understanding the impact of discrimination, overcoming depression, anxiety, trauma and other intersecting issues. My approach to counseling is based on a holistic person-centered philosophy that emphasizes empathy, unconditional positive regard, and authenticity. As a therapist, my primary goal is to empower you to take control of your journey toward change, providing a safe and collaborative space where we can work together.

As a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, I specialize in helping students navigate the unique challenges of personal, academic, and social stressors. My approach is built on understanding each individual’s story, and I offer a safe, supportive space for you to explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I believe in the power of self-discovery and transformation through the therapeutic process. Billing Information: I accept OHP, OOP, and offer super bills for out of network. Approach: With a focus on anxiety, depression, self-esteem, stress management, and relationship issues, I offer a variety of therapeutic techniques tailored to your needs. Drawing from Narrative Therapy, we’ll work together to rewrite problematic stories that might be holding you back, empowering you to take control of your narrative and identity. Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), we’ll address unhelpful thinking patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, and stress, and replace them with more balanced, realistic perspectives. I also integrate Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), especially for those facing relationship challenges, helping you understand and improve emotional connections with others. In addition, I incorporate Existential Therapy, which encourages deep exploration of meaning, purpose, and identity, helping you find fulfillment and clarity during the sometimes overwhelming college years. Whether you’re struggling with academic pressure, navigating personal relationships, or seeking to build stronger self-worth, I’m here to help you achieve growth and healing. My approach is collaborative, empathetic, and non-judgmental, focusing on your strengths and potential. Together, we will create practical tools and strategies to build resilience, improve mental well-being, and help you thrive both personally and academically.

I specialize in using somatic-based therapy with primarily work with LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC adults. I have experience with a range of challenges including depression, anxiety, identity, life transitions, and healing from trauma. I collaborate with clients to explore the parts of themself that have been disowned, the parts that deserve to be seen, and the parts that are yet to be discovered. I embrace living with authenticity and integrity and will use these values to help you create the relationships with yourself and others that you desire. Within therapy sessions, I listen for ways to foster connections between your body and mind. I combine somatic, narrative, and relational approaches to focus on the bridge between thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations and may also encourage you to tap into the wisdom of your ancestors and nature. Together we will create a space where you feel seen, heard, and encouraged in exploring areas for self-growth. As a queer, non-binary, Chinese/Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) person, I understand the impact of cross-generational trauma and colonialism on all bodies. I practice solo polyamory in my relationships and have experience with monogamy, marriage, and multiracial/blended families. Outside of therapy, I indulge in self-led pastry tours, explore new music, immerse myself in nature, and deepen my avian knowledge while playing Wingspan. If you're ready to embark on a journey of self-exploration and emotional healing within a culturally-affirming space, contact me for a free 30-minute consultation.

Therapy is completely different for each individual because everyone is going through different issues and have personalized goals. From a strengths-based perspective, I work to empower clients to gain the skills necessary to address and resolve problems, change behaviors, improve relationships and navigate and cope with stressors. During your session, we will explore your thoughts, feelings, habits, and experiences to gain a better understanding of yourself and to develop coping skills to achieve goals and improve your well-being. I place a strong emphasis on developing insight and empathy within a non-judgmental and compassionate environment. I have over 14 years of experience practicing as a nurse and working within social services providing counseling and care coordination to adolescents, adults, and families. My therapeutic background is rooted in medical and health psychology, assisting individuals and families coping with normal or unwanted transitions, chronic illness, end of life issues, and those experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. ​ I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker through the Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers and I am an active member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

I have one of the best jobs on the planet! Being asked and invited to be with someone in the process of healing and change is a true privilege and deeply meaningful to me. With over 14 years of experience working with students and young adults, I enjoy working with students from all backgrounds and a wide array of presenting concerns. Some of the areas I specialize in and frequently work with are: - Trauma recovery (particularly complex, developmental, and family trauma) - LGBTQIA2S+ students - Graduate and international students - Relationships (of all kinds) - Men's issues - Identity - Neurodivergence - Family-of-origin - Living in recovery I am passionate about social justice advocacy and supporting students in understanding and navigating their multiple, intersecting social identities. Students who I work with describe me as warm, caring, honest, and authentic. My therapy style is relational, process-focused, and experiential. This means that I will guide us in using the relationship between you and I as a space to support your growth and change. It also means that both the content of therapy (what we are talking about) and the process of therapy (what is happening as we are talking and interacting) are both important for us to engage with. Lastly, it means that I will offer activities ("exploring by doing") that will help you learn more about yourself, develop new choices, and have new experiences in support of your therapy goals. If something here interests you and you’d like to explore working together, I’d love to hear from you!