Not counting that day in second grade when one of my school-mates came up to me on the playground and wondered if I could help her with a problem she was having at home. My passion for helping people started in 1985 when I began offering counseling professionally. In the last 20 plus years I have grown to love this work more each year.
My range and depth of training and experience may be unique. Not only do I have over 25,000 hours in face to face work with clients, I have also worked in the business world in international trade as well as a University research director and as a professional artist and teacher.
But what really matters is that I practice what I teach, so I know it works.
Psychotherapy:
Group Therapy Experience. Providence Hospital; Legacy Children's Hospital, Programa Hispano, Portland Alternative Health Center, Northwest Treatment; Women's Support Group for 7 years, Earth School Institute. Over the span of my career, I have provided over 10,000 face to face hours of group therapy.
Education and Licensure
Training
Presentations & Publications
Work Experience In the Business World
Enhance your Creativity and Intuition with Soul Collage
http://www.counseling-portlandoregon.com/SoulCollage_Workshops.html
"Don't believe everything you think."
Don't believe everything you think !
Do challenging emotions get the best of you? They can start running the show and make choices for you. They can choose isolation instead of connecting, playing it safe instead of living fully, quick fixes instead of real solutions, procrastination over action, blaming others over claiming your power. You may even start believing the idea that things will never get better. As you get more discouraged, you may start ignoring the body, listening to the thoughts suggesting "just settle for less."
These ideas are, well . . . quite frankly . . .simply wrong!
But most people don't stop to inquire about the thoughts that go through their mind. After a while, these unexamined thoughts can turn into problems:
Healthy grief can turn into depression. And without thinking, you may seek relief with food, alcohol, over-work, shopping or drugs. You may attempt to feel good through artificial means. These attempts to feel good may fall short and you end up feeling worse than before.
We will work together to identify, examine and challenge the thoughts that close doors. I will help you recognize these troubling thoughts and emotions for what they are: the body’s best intentions to keep you safe. . . but at great cost to you and the Life you were meant to live. Like the story of the Golden Buddha, you may come to realize that you are not your feelings, not even your thoughts. And that there is a better life waiting for you.
Together, as we recognize these patterns with compassion, they lose their power to run the show. With help you will learn how to do this:
Soon, you'll discover that well-being, confidence and creativity have been waiting patiently inside you, underneath the frustration and discouragement. Together we will find and call upon your healthy self and your inner wisdom.
After a while, like the acorn and the oak tree, you come to know the real truth about you, that you are a capable person ready to have meaningful relationships and work, and that you deserve to be happy. And if you are someone who has a spiritual path, this work will call Spirit more deeply and joyfully into your life.
There is convincing evidence that most people who have at least several sessions of psychotherapy are far better off than untreated individuals. One major study showed that:
Perhaps you are ready to be one of those people?
As a client you can expect . . .
A supportive environment where you can talk over the challenges you are facing without judgment or expectation. In our work together, you are the expert on your life. And through our mutual commitment to the work, you will reap the benefits of therapy and rediscover your calm peaceful center where positive changes are born.
In working with clients for nearly a quarter of a century, I have developed effective methods for dealing with the problems and challenges we all experience in everyday life. I use these methods myself and I know they work.
Call to set up appointment to discuss your challenges and how we might work together at 503-224-3318 or email me.
Getting started. . .