Therapists for college students near Portland, OR

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.

The therapeutic relationship is the key to my approach. Together we will build strong therapeutic relationship through mutual trust and understanding. This creates a safe environment for self-exploration, growth and development. I believe that if we work collaboratively we can identify problems and personalize treatment direction. My goal is to help you cope with your daily struggles, improve resiliency and create lasting change. With the right skills, each individual has the capacity to accomplish their goals. I specialize in effective therapy for individuals who are suffering from depression, anxiety, difficulty maintaining healthy relationships, low self-esteem and assertiveness issues as well as survivors of trauma, and domestic violence.

Real life is complicated and often times, it hurts. The struggles that we experience can take on a variety of forms, ranging from depression and anxiety, to trauma. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I am dedicated to supporting my clients on their journey towards healing, empowerment and hope. I strive to offer a personalized and collaborative approach in therapy that focuses on developing strong, trusting relationships with my clients. I utilize a trauma-informed, humanistic, strength-based, non-judgmental style to provide a safe space for my clients to explore, heal and grow. I work with a wide variety of clients and work in depth with trauma/abuse, women’s issues, anxiety, depression, young adult/phase-of-life challenges, and childhood & relationship issues. I aspire to help my clients improve their coping skills, enhance relationships, increase self-esteem and build positive communication skills. I encourage potential clients to reach out to me in order to see how the two of us connect. I truly look forward to meeting you, and hope we can work together to find the growth and change that you are looking for.

I believe in the unique resilience of each individual and tailor my treatment through a collaborative process with each person I work with. I offer a warm, non-judgmental and supportive space where we can develop a trusting relationship to allow you to explore yourself in the context of your world. Drawing from numerous treatment modalities and utilizing a trauma-informed lens, we can work together to help you meet your therapy goals. My favorite patient group is college students. I have worked in college mental health at Reed College for over 5 years and have developed expertise in working with people during this transitional age of their life. I have additional experience as a medical social worker at OHSU hospital. In my private practice, I see patients for individual therapy, and I also offer psychological evaluation for aid in immigration court cases.

Are you feeling anxious, disconnected, or overwhelmed? Do questions around identity, trauma, or relationships leave you feeling stuck or unseen? I’m here to help. My approach is warm, queer-informed, and collaborative, creating a space where you feel safe to explore and heal. I believe you are the expert in your own life, and together, we’ll work to untangle the challenges you face while building on your strengths. Whether you’re navigating questions of gender, sexual orientation, or systemic pressures, I’m committed to helping you find clarity, connection, and empowerment on your journey. With training in various therapy modalities, I tailor my approach to each client’s unique needs, focusing on what works best for their system. This is where we collaborate to discover what feels right for you. Additionally, I offer pre-surgical assessments for individuals seeking gender-affirming surgery. Finding the right therapist is important, and I’d love to help you determine if we’re a good fit. Our initial 15-minute consultation is free, a chance for you to share your needs and get a feel for my approach. If you’re ready to take the next step, I invite you to schedule through my website.

My approach to counseling is collaborative, compassionate, patient, and kind. I will focus on understanding you where you are at without judgement, so that you can have greater acceptance of yourself and your experience, and be able to be vulnerable and honest with someone who cares as you navigate the challenges you face. I don't believe that there are any "quick fixes" in therapy - rather, I see counseling as more like a journey of lasting change, personal growth, and self-development, one that can be achieved in relationship with someone who can support you and your process. My work focuses on people at all stages of life who are working through developmental transitions (leaving home, starting or ending a relationship, experiencing big life changes, etc.) who want to better understand who they are, and how they can become the best version of themself using the strengths they have within themselves. I help people to understand themselves and their patterns so they can identify and gain insight about their thoughts, feelings, and identify blind-spots to be able to make choices and move forward in a direction that feels best for them.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Welcome. I'm so glad you're here. I view therapy as a means of achieving personal transformation and a way to navigate the challenges of life. So often, we come to counseling not because we don't know what we "should” or “could" do differently, but because we feel stuck. I am committed to walking alongside you and providing opportunities for you to move through challenges, to heal, and to connect with your inner resilience. My theoretical approach is rooted in mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral and somatic focused therapy. I approach my work through a trauma-informed lens, which means that I prioritize a sense of safety and compassion when I work with clients. I have specialized experience and training in perinatal mental health, meaning your mental and emotional well-being during pregnancy, birth and postpartum stages. I am a certified EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapist and have completed training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, both are body-centered ways to process emotions and experiences. I am currently studying interpersonal neurobiology and enjoy deepening my understanding of mental health through neuroscience. I am also a registered yoga instructor and often call on the tools of yoga and mindfulness practices. Depending on your needs, we may use some or all of these strategies to achieve your goals. I come to private practice with a background in primary care medical clinics providing integrated behavioral health counseling, and have worked as a child and family therapist and with survivors of domestic and sexual violence. I graduated from Portland State University in 2011 with a Masters in Social Work, during which time I completed internships with a refugee resettlement program and at OHSU’s Center for Women's Health. My work as a therapist is grounded in social justice and I am committed to making my practice welcoming as possible for everybody. I am a queer and trans affirming provider and work from an intersectional and anti-oppressive lens.

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.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

During a therapy session, I am an active participant in the process, bringing genuine presence, empathy, and validation. As my client, I view you as the expert of your own experience. My role is collaborator in the therapy process, listening for themes and patterns, asking questions to encourage self-exploration, and (with curiosity, respect, and perhaps some humor) challenging unhelpful or "stuck" patterns. Trauma, loss, life transitions, dysfunctional relationships, and other stressors can cause emotional pain that is hard to manage alone and can block self-understanding. Developing compassion and insight about yourself and your experiences is the first step in: (1) accepting yourself as you are now, and (2) trying new ways of being. My goal for our work together is to progress towards respect and acceptance of the experiences you have had and the person you are now, while also enhancing self-awareness and coping styles in a way that empowers you to find ever more ease and satisfaction in your life.

My professional philosophy is based on individual coaching. In other words I approach my therapy work with you without preconceptions or an agenda about what it means to “heal.” I place an emphasis on communication. I focus on bringing an individual's personal core values to the forefront of their lives. In this respect, I see myself as a your personal life facilitator. I will actively help you build your own resources by using life’s challenges as opportunities for learning, healing and becoming stronger in whatever way is most appropriate for you.

I work with those who are committed to the long-term work of healing complex trauma and attachment wounding through experiential work. I specialize in working with activists, artists and healers, and particularly those who are ready for deep transformative healing, so they can better do their work in the world, from a place of clarity and internal peace.

please check out my website for the best overview of my practice.

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.

I have a passion for working with college students and people in the midst of life transitions. I utilize a holistic approach by taking into account your presenting concern as well as your strengths, your community, and your environmental context. I enjoy the collaborative process of building awareness and understanding as we explore the impact of cultural, familial, societal, physical, social, and spiritual factors on your psychological concerns. I am honored to work with people as they channel their courage to face challenges in their lives - to bring healing and growth out of pain and struggle. So often we humans try to avoid our pain or we get stuck in it; I believe we are all doing the best we can in the moment with what we have and what we know. I am here to walk alongside you for awhile in your journey towards integration, authenticity, and well-being. Clients often describe me as warm, empathic, non-judgmental, genuine, empowering, gently challenging, and compassionate. My approach is client-centered, solution-focused, body positive, and LGBTQ-affirming. I amplify one's resilience and strengths by incorporating mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), narrative therapy, self-compassion, and interpersonal process. I am also always in the process of growth and learning about new approaches and perspectives through continuing education and consultation, gaining valuable insights to my own biases and privileges.

Hi! I’m Brittany with Active Counseling and Therapy. We are all unique. Each and every person has their own life experiences, expectations about life, and goals for life that influence their life lens and decision making. However, when our expectations become misaligned with our current experiences, we may feel anxious, depressed, or lack self esteem. These can trigger difficulties with romantic, familial, and friendly relationships. It is my goal to help you capitalize on your strengths and take steps to live the life of your dreams. I utilize a Person-Centered Approach that aligns with my philosophy and belief that every individual is different. While I do draw more often from tenets of Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), other modalities may be incorporated with a heavy influence on a strengths-based approach. Let’s get moving toward reaching your goals!

Accepting new clients! I offer relational, affirming, & approachable therapy for teens and young adults (14-24ish) that helps navigate the often turbulent times of adolescence & emerging adulthood. I work with young people so that they can feel less alone and more connected to a greater understanding of themselves, their joy, and how to move through hardship. As a therapist, my goal is to create a warm, open, and non-judgmental space where you can feel more understood, connected, and supported. I believe that healing happens within trusting relationships and that we shouldn’t have to go through difficulty alone.

The therapeutic relationship is always at the core of my work with clients, and I aim to establish a sense of trust and safety with each individual. It is important to make therapy a place that feels positive and supportive… and even fun! I am trained in both traditional therapy and art therapy, and I allow my clients to choose what works best for them. I believe that most people are doing the best they can, despite the many challenges, behaviors, emotional roller coasters, and transitions that come up in life. My mission, as a therapist, is to come alongside others in a way that can support and draw out their best selves. I especially enjoy working with folks who might be struggling with issues related to identity development, anxiety, depression, or past trauma. I have training and expertise in the area of attachment and working youth who have been in foster care or adopted.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.