Therapists for college students near Portland State University

I’m passionate about and dedicated to helping people achieve meaningful and sustainable changes that align with their core values and aspirations. I deeply enjoy working with adolescents, college students, and young adults. I have a lot of experience supporting the LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse communities. I believe therapy is most successful when we find the path that truly supports the growth you’re seeking. In our work together, we will find an approach that fits your unique needs, drawing from my experience with a range of therapeutic orientations, including trauma-informed therapy, CBT, Mindfulness, and relational approaches. When I’m not working, I enjoy skiing, traveling, hiking, and exploring the outdoors. I also love curling up with a good book, watching a great movie or TV show, and most of all, I cherish spending time with friends and loved ones. If you are interested in working with me, please navigate to Aspire Psychology's website and click "Schedule an Appointment". Education & Licenses: MSW, Simmons University Clinical Social Worker, OR #L15328 | MA #123176 EMDR Certification (In Progress)

I recognize that seeing a therapist can feel like a big step to take. It is the beginning of a new relationship, a change to how you have been living, and a reflection on how you got to where you are today. For all of these reasons it is normal to feel anxiety or stress about making sure you find the right fit in a counselor. I believe in approaching counseling through a holistic lens, considering the ways that your environment, work or school related stress, relationships, social systems, and traumatic or other lived experiences might affect you in the present. With these considerations, I will support you in building a greater sense of self-awareness, allowing you to develop tools to live more closely in line with your values and aspirations. I work with clients in a manner that is both sensitive and analytical. You might be coming to counseling with something very specific that you would like to work on, or you might be unsure why things are not feeling right in your life. Perhaps you are feeling like your life is not going the way you had hoped, and you are missing a sense of purpose, excitement, or connection. Maybe you are struggling to change a behavior, relationship structure, or just the way that you're feeling day to day. In all of these cases, I will support you in figuring out the best path forward. My goal is to create a compassionate, collaborative space where you can better understand your experiences, resolve internal and relational conflicts, and move toward a more authentic and fulfilling life.

I specialize in Mindful-Based In-Depth Psychotherapy, Spiritual Psychology and am trained in EMDR for trauma. I'm trained in EMDR for distance/video therapy. I also highly recommend Emotional Freedom Technique during this time. For couples therapy, I am trained in Emotional Focused therapy and use techniques in the Gottman Method. I've seen profound changes with clients in my 15 years as a psychotherapist. I offer a compassionate, warm, non-judgmental therapeutic approach and have over a decade of continuing training to ensure skill and commitment to the work of psychotherapy.

We’re a counseling community creating social impact through therapeutic experiences. We help people grow their resilience. We specialize in working through stress, life transitions, anxiety, depression, compassion fatigue, spiritual complexities, grief, trauma, identity development, relationship stressors, fertility-pregnancy-postpartum journeys, and end-of-life emotional support. We work with individuals, relationships, and workplaces.

Many of my clients are college students and young adults navigating anxiety, ADHD, Autism, chronic illness, eating disorders, body image concerns, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. I also support clients working through trauma, relationship challenges, burnout, and the many transitions that come with growing into adulthood. Whether you are feeling overwhelmed by expectations, disconnected from yourself, or unsure of what comes next, therapy can be a space to slow down, make sense of your experiences, and reconnect with what matters to you. I take a relational and collaborative approach to therapy, integrating evidence-based approaches including ACT, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, DBT, and Compassion Focused Therapy with feminist, person-centered, and strengths-based perspectives. I believe therapy is not about changing who you are, but about understanding yourself more deeply, building self-compassion, and finding tools that support a life that feels meaningful to you. My approach is grounded in genuine connection, curiosity, and authenticity. As someone who is neurodivergent and lives with chronic illness, I bring both personal and professional experience to understanding the ways our minds, bodies, and environments influence our experiences. I strive to create an LGBTQIA+ affirming, neurodiversity-affirming, and weight-inclusive space where you feel seen, heard, and valued. I recognize that our mental health is shaped by many parts of our lives, including our identities, relationships, communities, and the world around us. Together, we can explore what has shaped you, challenge patterns that no longer serve you, and create space for growth and meaningful change. Outside of work, you’ll usually find me spending time with my three cats, enjoying nature, reading, exploring creative projects, or finding ways to make space for rest, play, and community.

Our life experiences impact who we are and who we become. The positive experiences stay with us, but the negative experiences stay with us as well. Sometimes it helps to look at all these experiences – both positive and negative to help us gain a deeper understanding of ourselves. The relationships we have had throughout our lives are also deeply influential in shaping who we are and our current relationships. Therapy can be helpful in giving each person a greater sense and deeper understanding of who they are and how their relationships and experiences have impacted them. By looking at all these pieces we can place them together to form a whole picture.

As both a licensed professional counselor and a licensed massage therapist, I deeply value the strength of a holistic approach to healing that incorporates the mind, the body, and the spirit. I am interested in the meaning we make about our experiences, how these beliefs crystalize into our physical form, and the divinity in all of us that transcends our personalities. I have seen time and time again that the deepest pain can be transformed into the compost of our most profound joys and spiritual awakenings. I offer individual sessions that include both counseling and embodiment practices to address developmental trauma, PTSD, stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, chronic pain/auto-immune disorders, and spiritual/energetic issues. My approach uses somatic (body-centered) awareness and mindfulness as a way to enhance traditional talk therapy and draws from the wisdom traditions of yoga and Buddhism, the biodynamic field of the human energy system, and somatic psychotherapy. I have worked in the mental health field since 2001 in a variety of settings, including psychiatric, drug treatment, and youth corrections. It was disheartening at the time to see in many ways how these facilities and institutions provided an environment that kept people in traumatic stress, and not necessarily the safety and connection that allowed for deeper healing to take place—there had to be another way. I had a passionate drive to follow the path of yoga, spirituality, touch, and the possibilities of being fully human. After attending massage therapy school to pursue a career in the healing arts, I realized how powerful both mind and body therapies are for holistic healing. I am a fervent learner and have specialized training in somatic psychotherapy and craniosacral therapy, as well as an extensive yoga and meditation practice which greatly influences my work. I look forward to accompanying you on a journey of healing and transformation.

My work is based on Mindfulness, Buddhist Psychology, and Gestalt Therapy. All are adept approaches to increasing awareness of our embodied experience and discovering more authentic ways of living a fulfilling life. My approach works to help clients develop resiliency, emotional flexibility, and explore the careful balance between acceptance and change. I support clients’ process of deepening into a more compassionate and loving relationship with themselves and the world by accepting who they truly are. Simultaneously, I challenge people to examine and move beyond rigid, habitual beliefs or behaviors and develop more alive, creative, and connective ways of being in the world.

I am a licensed psychologist with strong specialties in treating folks with eating disorders and anxiety. I also have extensive experience working with people with depression and relationship concerns. I am a compassionate, direct therapist. I work collaboratively with my patients to set and achieve their goals. These goals often include increased self-acceptance, as well as changes in mood, thought patterns, and behaviors. My therapy is rooted in empirically based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), psychodynamic theory, and neuroscience research. I develop customized strategies to help my patients manage painful thoughts and emotions, change unhelpful behaviors, and increase motivation. I also help cultivate self-compassion and self-understanding. Self-understanding promotes self-acceptance. When you allow yourself to be who you are, your inner critic has no leverage, and you move more easily toward a meaningful and fulfilling life. For most of my patients, this is the ultimate goal. Please go to my website for more information. My blog describes many of the concepts and strategies I use.

Portal Wellness supports deep feelers and thinkers, healing from personal, systemic, and generational trauma who want to feel confident, centered, and live a life aligned with their values and passions. Who seek profound shifts towards wellness, connection, and liberation in themselves and their communities. Utilizing holistic, trauma informed, and person centered therapy approaches, Portal Wellness seeks to nurture a culture of connection through cultivating personal and collective healing for a more liberatory world. We specialize in complex trauma, Neurodiversity, and Queerness! However, whatever you might be struggling with we have someone for you. Please do not let finances be a barrier, we have sliding scale and pro bono spaces, we take many insurances, and can try to work with out of network insurance as well.

My main focus is on creating a safe, trustworthy relationship in which you feel comfortable exploring your experience. When you’re able to listen deeply to yourself and honor what you learn, healing and growth unfold organically.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

My work is based on mindful and somatic approaches.

We all have a deep need for connection. This connection is often challenged and disrupted by experiences throughout our lives. This leads us all to experience some level of disconnect. This can lead to anxiety, depression, poor coping skills, substance use, and many other dis-eases. The good news is that we all have the potential to reconnect with our authentic self and heal! My approach to therapy and healing involves reconnection with our true selves, our body, and the present moment through compassionate listening, non-judgement and curiosity. For over 20 years, I have been providing therapy, assessment, and crisis services to our community. I believe in relationship and proven therapies to guide healing, well-being, greater insight, and confidence in your ability to grow and change. I approach this through appreciating your experience, seeing your strengths, and keeping your front and center in the process. The single most important thing that I have learned in my career is that we all have limitless potential to heal and recover. I deeply believe in your capacity to do so! This capacity already resides within you and you can reconnect with your authentic self to live your best life. I would be honored to embark on this journey with you.

Supporting deep feelers and thinkers, healing from personal, systemic, and generational trauma who want to feel confident, centered, and live a life aligned with their values and passions. Who seek profound shifts towards wellness, connection, and liberation in themselves and their communities. We specialize in complex PTSD, healing from childhood and intergenerational trauma, queer and poly issues, and neurodivergence. Utilizing holistic, trauma informed, and person centered therapy approaches, Portal Wellness seeks to nurture a culture of connection through cultivating personal and collective healing for a more liberatory world.

RACHEL Z THERAPY | IFS THERAPY & ATTACHMENT WORK FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS | OREGON, WASHINGTON & MASSACHUSETTS Helping Young Adults Heal from Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Adult Parent Challenges SPECIALTIES: ANXIETY & STRESS MANAGEMENT, IFS & ATTACHMENT THERAPY, EMOTIONAL & SELF-REGULATION Are you a college student or young adult struggling with a parent who never saw or validated you? Feeling guilt, shame, or constantly “not good enough” can affect your confidence, relationships, and mental health. I help students COPE WITH UNLOVING PARENTS, SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES, and HEAL INNER CHILD WOUNDS so you can thrive on campus and beyond. MY SERVICES FOR COLLEGE & YOUNG ADULT CLIENTS 1. IFS & ATTACHMENT THERAPY FOR YOUNG ADULTS • INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS (IFS) THERAPY to explore and heal inner child parts • IDEAL PARENT FIGURE (IPF) WORK for estrangement or boundary-setting • ATTACHMENT THERAPY to improve relationships, confidence, and emotional security 2. EMOTIONAL & SELF-REGULATION • EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE (EFT) TAPPING for anxiety, stress, or overwhelm • Somatic and mindfulness techniques to reduce burnout and boost focus • Tools to increase SELF-ACCEPTANCE, CONFIDENCE, and RESILIENCE IN-PERSON SESSIONS (ARRANGED BY PHONE) In-person sessions are available in PORTLAND, OR and are reserved for INTENSIVE WORK, ranging from 90 minutes up to 4 hours. Ideal for deep healing, inner-child work, and boundary-setting. WHY WORK WITH ME • Licensed in MASSACHUSETTS, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON STATE • Board-Certified and Certified Child & Family Specialist • 18+ years experience supporting trauma survivors, children, and families • Therapist, parent, and daughter who has personally healed from an unloving mother I combine EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES—EFT, IFS, AND ATTACHMENT-FOCUSED WORK—with real-world guidance to help college students feel SEEN, SUPPORTED, AND EMPOWERED. YOU DESERVE TO FEEL ENOUGH. YOU DESERVE PEACE, JOY, AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. 📅 SCHEDULE A 20-MINUTE CONSULTATION ($25) to see if we’re a good fit. No pressure, no obligation—just a safe space to explore your next steps. Let’s work together to RECLAIM YOUR LIFE, REDUCE ANXIETY, SET BOUNDARIES, AND THRIVE IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND. Click to book now.

Welcome, I’m glad you’re here! Starting therapy or finding a new therapist is a courageous step. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, a big life transition, questions of identity or the deep waves of grief I offer a compassionate space where you can feel seen and heard. I’ve supported many clients moving through anxiety, relationship issues with partners and family members and have supported young people moving through life stages.

The bulk of my practice is working with OCD, general anxiety, and grief/loss. I particularly enjoy working with young adults.

Are you struggling with communication in your intimate relationships, feeling isolated, coping with a difficult breakup, transitioning majors or phases of life, or experiencing grief from a loss? As a licensed psychologist, I work with students, focusing on the "here-and-now" to help clients make build more effective and rewarding relationships, develop insight, and break through internal and external barriers. I aim for an environment of support, compassion, and challenge. I specialize in processing grief and loss, men’s issues and masculinities, relationship distress, immigration/minority stress, building self-compassion, and transitions (e.g., questions about a major and career change) through collaborative approaches. I predominantly use interpersonal, relational, and dynamic therapies to help clients reach their goals.