my Approach…
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Oregon and Washington, and have been in the therapist’s seat for about 14 years, continuing to grow alongside my clients. My Master's training at Lewis & Clark College was grounded in social justice, recognizing ways that therapy can push back on how dominant culture and oppressive rules within it can mess with our psyches, our bodies and our relationships. Since then, I have engaged in at least monthly supervision and consultation, in order to reflect on and learn from my own work. I practice from an experiential, relational therapy framework and I have completed extensive training in Emotionally Focused Therapy. I am particularly interested in how ADHD impacts relationships. Whatever presents in therapy, my approach is to meet clients with a wholehearted willingness to get messy, and a ton of faith in the power of emotion to get us the love we need.
Location of Self…
I am a white cis-gendered woman, and come from a long line of German-midwestern farmers. I grew up in a middle-class, university family and thrived in educational settings, even if I never quite felt like I fit in. I learned to rock climb because I loved the relationships it fostered, and also because it felt radical. I studied english and philosophy because I loved people’s stories and finding out what made them tick. I was a secondary teacher for a while, but could not resist going back to school to learn more about psychology and therapy. I fell in love with my husband because he is hilarious, but mostly kind. We are raising two rambunctious and thoughtful children in a family where ADHD is very much the norm. We choose to live near forest and family, both of whom help us do life. While I have lived through traumatic loss and manage chronic illness, neither steal my joy. My loved ones, learning and finding fun are what keep me moving just about every day.