Existential Humanistic NorthWest Affiliates

I am a therapist in Portland, Oregon. I work with clients on a diverse range of issues, such as depression, anxiety, lack of fulfillment, life transitions, relationship issues, personal growth, LGBTQ issues, and polyamory & consensual non-monogamy.

It is my belief that within each of us lies the potential for personal growth and positive change. I use an Existential-Humanistic approach to therapy, which involves exploring and discovering one’s unique and authentic self. In this work, we will explore themes such as choice, responsibility, meaning, purpose, and authenticity so that you may discover a more intentional way of being.

I also believe that we experience distress when we struggle to reconcile the way things are with the way we want things to be. When this is the case, it can feel like we’ve lost control of our lives, that the world is happening to us, or we’ve lost a sense of who we are. I help clients become empowered to reclaim their lives so that they may live intentionally, authentically, and with integrity, as active players in the creation of their own life experience.

I am an existential-humanistic psychotherapist with over 45 years of experience. I provide individual and couples psychotherapy, as well as consultation, supervision, workshops, and trainings for clinicians, interns, and students. I am a blogger for Psychology Today and have published various writing on the existential-humanistic perspective. I am the founder and current president of the Existential-Humanistic Northwest professional organization.

I am passionate about the existential-humanistic perspective in both my personal and professional life. To me, the perspective embraces all of what it means to exist. It values each unique, individual journey. We always have a choice to change our attitude and behavior, even in the most limited of conditions or circumstances. Our choice matters in that we impact the world by our feelings, thoughts and actions. I believe as we work through our wounds we move towards health and wholeness, both individually and collectively.

The act of doing therapy is a bit like tending to a garden; it takes diligence and care to achieve growth! It sounds challenging I know, but the outcomes and successes of working on yourself and your relationships far outweigh the negatives. All of us have gardens that need occasional weeding and replanting, and when we’re not attending to these important details, or taking care of ourselves, we can experience feelings of depression, anxiety, restlessness and frustration.

In choosing to work with me, I will guide and encourage you by providing the necessary tools and resources that allow you to create a healthy and bountiful garden of your own. Counseling is a joint effort which cannot be successful without both of our commitment, hard work and courage. I believe therapy provides a place to explore thoughts and feelings about relationships in your life as well as your relationship with yourself. Therapy also allows you the opportunity to practice new ways of interacting with others in a safe and trusting atmosphere where you are not judged or criticized.

Being human is remarkable, often troubling — and ennobling, if we work at it. My Portland counseling therapy practice for adult individuals provides caring expertise from an existential-humanistic-spiritual perspective that supports your inner work for a more fulfilling life.

The inner work of counseling does not view life’s problems as painful inconveniences that interfere with an otherwise directionless life. Instead such obstacles are life’s pressing against the current limits of your development. And when engaged meaningfully, your problems can provoke development of life skills and personal growth on your path to self-actualization. In essence your issues are the spiritual curriculum that evokes your full humanity.

The importance of engaging your inner life is not something that our material, outward-entranced society encourages. For those who do value an inner life, my own five decades of inner work and my counseling expertise can support you with the listening, understanding, unconditional acceptance, and safe container that supports your development and self-discovery.

I am a licensed psychologist (Oregon and Washington State) in private practice in Portland, Oregon. I received my doctoral training in counseling psychology at the University of Washington, and have an MA degree in counseling from California State University, Northridge. From the time I first entered this field in 1969 as an undergraduate student working as a camp counselor with children labeled as having ’emotional difficulties’ I found myself drawn to a humanistic psychological perspective. My interest in Reichian and Gestalt Therapy- two humanistic psychological approaches – began in the early 1970’s. My master’s project was an exploration of Reichian therapy, and my doctoral dissertation was a study on the relationship between the inhibition of breathing and emotional repression. I have had extensive training in both Neo-Reichian therapy and in Reich’s more traditional orgone therapeutic approach, the latter with Michael Rothenberg, MD, a student of Reich’s. In 1997 I began studying Gestalt Therapy at the Gestalt Training Therapy Center Northwest, which I continued over a period of 10 years. In addition to my clinical work I have been an adjunct faculty member in psychology at Seattle Central Community College, Antioch University, the Washington School of Professional Psychology, and currently at Lewis and Clark college where I offer a course in somatic psychology. I have lectured widely on topics related to emotions, psychotherapy, and Reichian and Gestalt therapy to both public and professional audiences, and provide clinical seminars, training and supervision to mental health professionals.

Life is a gift – open the present!

Treasure maps and hidden powers are encoded in your dreams, relationship and workplace dilemmas, body symptoms, and other things that ‘bug’ you.

I will show you new ways to harness magic and wisdom in your life – so that you can stand fully in your power. Your mind, heart, and gut all speak different languages, but when you get them working together – it frees up intuition, transforms thorny feelings, and aligns you with your deepest purpose.

Life could be easier and more fun – phew! Wouldn’t that be nice?