Existential Humanistic NorthWest Affiliates

I am a budding therapist and new to the field. I work in the middle school setting, working with kids, families, and the systems they are a part of to navigate and seek to offer support and healing amidst issues of poverty, addictions, and complex trauma. I deeply value the existential-humanist approach, and seek to cultivate a sense of awe and hope in all those who I work with. The philosophy of the existential-humanist approach resonates with the core of my being, and I constantly strive to make authentic connections with those I meet both professionally and throughout my day to day life. The thought that echoes most loudly in my heart and mind as I encounter each client is: “You are not a problem to be fixed, but a person to be loved.”

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.

 Psychotherapy & Counseling

 Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor

I offer individual psychotherapy for adolescents and adults to work towards your personal growth or to address issues such as depression, anxiety, and addictions. I offer traditional, Humanistic talk therapy, substance abuse assessment & therapy, conflict resolution, desensitization or assertiveness training, and sprituality searching including Reiki energy work. Therapy with me is often spirited and marked by humor, frequently challenging (but always supportive) and can be life changing. In therapy you will move towards introspection and self-awareness. With my support, you will work towards answering your personal life questions.

I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) working from an Existential-Humanistic framework. I have been in private practice as a mental health counselor for over fifteen years working mostly with adults with a wide range of emotional and mental health issues. I use a variety of tools to support their healing process, including art expression and EMDR.
I have found that having a sense of why we are here on this planet has a tremendous impact on our mental and emotional well being. In counseling, I help my clients discover what blocks them from a sense of meaning in their lives and find ways to live more fully. Some clients are discovering their purpose for the first time while others are discovering a new meaning after facing the loss of their life purpose.
I am, also, a certified Archetypal Pattern Analyst which helps me further identify life patterns which may be standing in the way of fully embracing life and living with authenticity.
I began my career as an early childhood educator, working with parents and young children, training preschool teachers and providing a lab site for Chemeketa Community College’s Early Childhood training program. Next, I taught parenting and personal growth classes at Chemeketa Community College. I worked in a program designed to help people overcome life difficulties and begin a career or find a new career after suffering the loss of their life’s work. Those years taught me much about what it takes to overcome injustice, poverty, abuse, mental illness, addictions and trauma to find meaning on the other side.
I serve on the board for Existential-Humanistic NorthWest, a professional organization which promotes existential-humanistic values including authenticity, integrity, responsibility, inclusion, and awe.