MY APPROACH

Relationships and life can be challenging. Sometimes it feels easier to walk away or shut down. Courage entails choosing connection and curiosity instead. I am passionate about helping you improve your communication skills, working with relationships where trust needs to be rebuilt, and am experienced with helping people listen to others in a deeper way, increasing connection and decreasing conflict. I also work with individuals, couples and families who are adjusting to divorce, need help setting and enforcing boundaries, co-parenting/blended families, working through and healing from infidelity, substance abuse disorders, and parenting issues. All parts of you are welcome here. 

I am an active listener who calmly uses curiosity and thoughtfulness to explore your emotional patterns. We will work together to identify problematic issues, and work collaboratively towards resolving them in a safe, nonjudgmental atmosphere. In relationship therapy I will watch, stop you, listen and help you to access emotions to help you reconnect with your partner. I am PACT Level 1 trained, which is a fusion of attachment theory, developmental neuroscience, and arousal regulation. PACT has a reputation for effectively treating the most challenging couples. I have completed an externship in EFT-C (Emotion Focused Couple Therapy), am Gottman and Terry Real informed, as well as EMDR certified.

ABOUT ME

I grew up in Canada, and spent two years living in Brazil after moving to Portland in 2002. I am passionate about my adult children, animals, travel, pickleball, the beach, and spending time with friends, usually finding new restaurants. I am a volunteer therapist for Camp Erin, a yearly summer grief camp for children through Providence Hospice program. I also love finding recipes online, saving them, and then never making them! I believe that humor, where appropriate, can be therapeutic. I am curious about different cultures, believe in speaking up about things that matter, and feel very fortunate to do this career that I love. 

 EDUCATION

I have a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Portland State University.  I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, and a former Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. I have completed an externship in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, am Level 1 trained in PACT therapy (neurobiology for couples), and am certified in EMDR. I have a Bachelor’s Degree from Simon Fraser University (Canada). I previously worked as an Assistant Professor and an Adjunct Professor in the Counselor Education program at Portland State University.  As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I am also required to participate in ongoing trainings in ethics and multicultural issues. I am committed to continually learning and expanding my knowledge on racial and LGBTQIA+ equity issues.

WHAT IS A REHABILITATION COUNSELOR?

 I completed my degree as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). This means that I have specialized training in helping individuals and families with cognitive, emotional, physical, mental and developmental disabilities achieve vocational, mental health and personal goals. I can assist individuals adjust to internal and external barriers to evolve, regardless of ability level. My focus in this area is on the mental health aspect of adjusting to the medical/psychosocial aspects of a disability/chronic illness, for both individuals, couples and families. I am also experienced in assisting family members in adjusting to chronic/terminal illness of loved ones. I previously worked in an inpatient treatment program at the Washington County Jail so am experienced working with both drug and alcohol addiction. I believe that the opposite of addiction is connection.