About Me
I am curious, playful, and driven. I hold a doctorate in Social Work from the University of Southern California and a Masters in Clinical Counseling from Pacific University. For the past two decades I have been in the field of counseling, as a therapist and social worker, clinical supervisor, professor and minister in my younger years.
I have served in a myriad of contexts from community based mental health, family preservation as a youth and family therapist, substance abuse counseling in my graduate degree practicum and have served the incarcerated population individually and in groups.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. I absolutely adore the Portland summers and camping at the beach or in the mountains, as well as walks to local parks. Huge fan of all things baseball, March Madness, and Portland Trail Blazers. Jung and shadow work, meditation and spirituality, deconstructing hegemonic masculinity norms in larges systems and addressing the damage patriarchy is causing to all lives. An avid reader, novice writer, and lover of photography, movie goer, tennis and ping pong, and a compassionate conversationalist.
About
Katabasis LLC
I believe we all need connection in our stories, especially when facing hardship, pain, heartbreak, trauma, grief, loss, and broken relationship. Building rapport between you and I is of utmost importance to me. I will provide you a safe, secure, accepting, and curious space to explore, address, and progress to the next chapter in your narrative.
"You will get to a point in your growth where you understand that if you protect yourself, you will never be free. It’s that simple. Because you’re scared, you have locked yourself within your house and pulled down all the shades. Now it’s dark and you want to feel the sunlight, but you can’t. It’s impossible. If you close and protect yourself, you are locking in this scared, insecure person within your heart. You will never be free that way."
- Michael A. Singer
In Network Insurance Plans:
Aetna
Blue Cross
Blue Shield
Cigna and Evernorth
Kaiser (Out-of-Network)
PacificSource
Providence
Regence
UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH
WELCOME
I find humanity to be fascinating on so many levels. If our life is our curriculum, what is it we need to listen and learn from?
Let's explore how to find meaning in suffering and to see obstacles as a path to liberation instead of a detriment.
I will provide you a strength-based, person centered, grief and trauma informed approach. My background includes CBT, DBT, existentialist and humanistic philosophy, with experience teaching meditation and mindfulness, and deconstructing hegemonic masculinity that are hurting men and boys. I have served in multiple domains in this field over the past two decades.
I am deeply interested in your present challenges in this chapter of your life. I will hold that space with respect, openness, and tenderness. My hope is that you can suffer less in the world by entering the wound and places that you may be avoiding. By going into the pain and addressing any shadows that are hindering your healing.