Therapists for college students near Portland, OR

We often become stuck in a pattern of viewing our world through a certain lens. Many of us do not realize that we can become empowered to view our world in a different way. I seek to help my clients create meaning in their lives through an accepting, unconditional counseling relationship. I use Cognitive Behavioral and Existential Humanistic approaches to help my clients uncover their genuine “truth” and to help them live a more fulfilling and authentic life. While we can't always change difficult situations, we can work together to view those situations through a new lens in order to create a different perspective and create effective solutions. If you're looking for extra support and guidance through a challenging situation or you're just ready to move in a new direction in your life, I look forward to working with you to achieve your goals.

I specialize in effective therapy for adults who are suffering from anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, and assertiveness issues. I enjoy working with individuals in the LGBTQ+ community and other minority populations. I have seven years of experience in working with college and university students. This has sparked my interest in working on topics such as life transition, career exploration, and examinations of one's identities. Many clients have expressed appreciation for my authenticity, warmth, and caring nature.

I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Oregon. I grew up in Los Angeles as a bilingual and bicultural person and earned my Bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare and Social Justice from California State University, Northridge, and my Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. With over 10 years of experience in social services and mental health, I’ve supported people navigating a variety of transitions and hardships, including financial instability, domestic violence, trauma, and relationship challenges. My lived experience, combined with clinical training, has reinforced my belief that therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all; each person’s journey is unique. I strive to meet my clients where they are with warmth, empathy, and flexibility. I consider myself a mindfully authentic therapist—present, responsive, and genuine in our shared space. My approach involves creating a nonjudgmental environment where clients feel safe, heard, and valued. I believe growth starts with self-acceptance, and my goal is to help clients navigate life’s challenges with compassion and understanding. I am passionate about helping couples strengthen their connection, rebuild trust, and heal together. I have experience supporting couples through challenges such as infidelity, communication struggles, parenting, and major life transitions. I also work with adults and adolescents (14+) dealing with PTSD, complex and relational trauma, relationship concerns, postpartum challenges, life transitions, OCD, ADHD, depression, low self-esteem, and other anxiety disorders, including social anxiety, phobias, and panic disorders. I take a person-centered, strengths-based approach, integrating evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Narrative Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Gottman Couples Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Attachment-Based Therapy, and Trauma-Informed/Resiliency Care.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Hi there! Starting your healing journey can be a daunting process, and you have already taken a tremendous first step by searching for a therapist. I strive to create a therapeutic space where you feel empowered to navigate concerns related to anxiety, depression, insomnia, trauma, and identity issues. Additionally, I am a BIPOC and queer therapist and enjoy working with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ clients. To help you develop effective coping skills, we may use tools from CBT and solution-focused therapy. I also use a person-centered stance to ensure you feel accepted and our relationship feels authentic. Finally, I incorporate cultural humility and relational-cultural therapy to ensure our work is sensitive to your experiences. I appreciate you reading my bio. I currently have openings for in-person and telehealth sessions. If you are interested in booking a free, initial consultation, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to connecting with you!

Helping Young Adults Feel Safe, Seen, and Understood You may be here because something just doesn’t feel right. Maybe your child is behaving in ways you don’t fully understand—or withdrawing in ways that concern you. Maybe your teen is struggling with anxiety, school pressure, or big emotions that feel too heavy for their age. Or maybe you’re a young adult trying to make sense of everything you’ve been through while figuring out who you are and where you’re headed. If any of that sounds familiar, I want you to know: it’s okay to ask for support, and you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

My practice is guided by the belief that every person strives to do the best they can. The individual or family system may need assistance in developing necessary skills and guidance in solving problems. Working collaboratively with clients I help them to narrate new ways of interacting with their environment. I work with several young adults / young professionals as they navigate major life transitions (college, grad school, careers, families and parenting) and the accompanying challenges (ie: depression, anxiety, ADHD, isolation, imposter syndrome, challenging relationships, perfectionism). A major part of my practice is helping clients with trauma - esp developmental trauma.

Do you ever feel like you’re trying to meet everyone else's expectations while quietly struggling yourself? I work with teens, adults, and couples in unpacking childhood trauma, navigating infidelity, tackling life transitions, and motivation struggles. Whether you’re an overwhelmed overachiever, or feeling stuck in a “failure-to-launch” phase, I help clients gain clarity, strengthen relationships, and move forward with greater confidence. If you're looking for a therapist who will support and challenge you through grace, humor, an honesty, I look forward to working with you! :) My approach is rooted in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with elements of Internal Family Systems (IFS). Together, we’ll explore how past and present relationships shape your patterns, emotions, and sense of self—so you can better understand yourself, reduce shame, build confidence, break unhelpful cycles, and create lasting change. Life is full of taboos. The self-doubts, the drama, the ‘I-probably-shouldn’t-say-this’ thoughts. In my office, nothing is too weird or too heavy, and we’ll sort through it together. My hope is that you leave each session feeling a little more seen, a little less alone, and more connected to the parts of yourself you’ve been carrying quietly for too long.

After working in the mental health field for nearly 15 years, specifically in crisis intervention, I set out on a new path to work with people before life becomes unbearable. Most recently, I served as a high school mental health counselor. Flexibility and openness are two of my core values. Do you know what you value? Understanding what we care about most and what brings meaning to our lives is essential to living with intention and living well. I believe therapy is about exploring these values along with memories, current circumstances, and feelings in order to help the present-self move forward. Too often we drift through our days without asking for the support we need because it can feel as though we are not worthy of that focus. Please know that you are worthy of that focus because once you do, positive change and growth are not only possible, but inevitable. My passion is to center each person I work with and learn how they experience the world around them. My background thus far has been working with youth and adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, suicidal ideation, identity issues, self-harm, and school frustration. I hold a bachelor's degree in Spanish and a masters in social work (MSW) from Portland State University. Outside of my work, I love to run, play video games, and have always been into playing/watching sports. There is no song I wouldn't try to karaoke even though I'm, like, an objectively bad singer.

I'm a compassionate, trauma-informed therapist helping adults navigate anxiety, identity, trauma, and life shifts with care and curiosity. You may be feeling anxious, disconnected, or overwhelmed by everything you’ve been holding. Maybe you’re exploring your identity, healing from trauma, or navigating a life shift that’s left you feeling unsteady. You’ve likely been doing your best to push through, but now you're ready for space to slow down, feel understood, and reconnect with yourself. If that resonates, you're in the right place. Healing doesn’t happen through pressure or quick fixes. It happens in spaces where you feel safe, seen, and supported. In our work together, I’ll meet you with presence and curiosity, not judgment. We'll explore how past experiences, relationships, and systems have shaped how you move through the world today. My approach is trauma-informed, affirming, and collaborative. I draw from somatic practices, mindfulness, CBT, expressive work, and attachment theory to support your goals and help you reconnect with yourself in meaningful ways. Whether you're healing from trauma, navigating identity, managing anxiety, or feeling the quiet weight of burnout or chronic illness, therapy can offer space to pause, reflect, and rebuild on your terms. Together, we can create a space where you feel safe enough to be honest, supported enough to try something new, and encouraged to take steps toward the life you want.

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.

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.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who grew up in rural Northern California, where adequate mental health care was not accessible, and differences were not celebrated. I developed a passion for helping others after watching people I cared about struggle without support and going through my own challenges as an adolescent and young adult. After settling in the Portland Metro Area, I have developed a great love of our area's diverse populations and green landscapes, combining all the beauty the Willamette Valley has to offer with the convenience and luxury of inner-city resources and diversity. I have experience working in community mental health, hospice, and counseling with adults and teens ranging from late adolescents to the elderly. I especially enjoy working with those struggling with life transitions, trauma, chronic illnesses, depression, and anxiety. I believe that fostering safety and unconditional positive regard is the backbone of the therapeutic relationship. I use these core Rogerian principles and a strength-based approach along with techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, and Existential Therapy to aid people in broadening their perspectives, changing behaviors that are not working for them, and developing practical tools they can use in their day-to-day lives. I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to therapy and am variably directive in my approach depending on client needs. I am honored by those who share their brightest and darkest times with me. Time and time again, I am amazed by the strength and resilience of those who actively seek change. When I am not with clients, I can be found wrangling my two young children. I am a music, gardening, hiking, equine, and canine enthusiast. I also feel passionately about women supporting women and have enjoyed networking with other women in my local community.

Have you ever had a moment, conversation, or even a look that gave made you feel felt? That felt sense of connection is what Resonance, LLC is based on. Too often, we are forced to stay on the surface level or simply don't know how to connect on a more meaningful level--perhaps because we were taught to; perhaps because of trauma; or maybe because we are afraid someone will abandon/make fun of/misunderstand us. Resonance is about feeling accompanied, being seen, heard, and mostly, felt, throughout the healing process.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

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.

Kim is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oregon. She chose social work as a second career, after having spent 20 years as manager and mentor in various government agencies. It was her own therapeutic journey, providing the insight and understanding to help her find grace in navigating the journey of life, which led her to further her education and complete her Masters of Social Work program. “I learned why I made decisions and choices in the past and how to use this knowledge to accept myself and move on. This is why I became a therapist, and this is the support I hope to offer you as my client. I have experienced the delicate balance of having a career, raising a teenager, taking care of elder parents and trying to identify what I needed for self-care.” After earning her degree, Kim worked for several years in a hospital behavioral health unit. Her approach is non-judgmental, person-centered and strength-based, incorporating evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Psychodynamics, Family Systems Therapy, and Strengths-Based Therapy. Kim has lived most of her life in Oregon and, as a single mom, adopted her now young-adult daughter from Guatemala. She has since added a loving husband, a huge Newfoundland dog and two rescue cats. Her interests include gardening, cooking, traveling and yoga. “My intention is to use my life and clinical experience to offer you a safe, trauma-informed space to help you discover you, and to help you find your path. I will listen and be supportive, helping you identify and untangle what gets in the way of you living life to the fullest. Life can be tricky, and its challenges sometimes seem overwhelming.” “It would be my privilege to help you in this journey.”

Find a therapist you can connect with and relate to! If you are looking for support, we have 32 therapists with a variety of backgrounds and specialties here to help. We take most insurance. We are located in Portland and available for online therapy statewide in Oregon. Find our current openings on our home page and check out our team profiles at http://www.healthalliescounseling.com to find your perfect match.

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).