Relationship Issues Therapists in Portland, OR

What I help with: burnout, college mental health, relationship issues, loneliness, and complex grief.

I am a clinician with years of training and broad experience that have brought about a deep understanding of how people come to feel and behave as they do. I work with people experiencing depression, anxiety, identity and self-esteem problems, relationship difficulties, pregnancy/postpartum adjustment, and those feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or stuck. My approach is warm, compassionate, honest, and professional. I strive to be a steady and supportive partner throughout the therapy process and facilitate an increasing understanding of your emotions, patterns, and areas of identity impacting many areas of your life. I find curiosity and humor to be important tools in the process.

Now accepting new clients online. I work with adult children, partners and siblings of individuals with Narcissistic and Borderline Personality Disorder traits. It can be difficult to find a therapist who truly understand the impact and wounds of being raised in a home or being in a relationship with someone who has narcissistic and borderline traits. My work includes creating a healthy psychological separation, changing the negative internal messages, learning how to respond to others, creating healthy boundaries, stopping the legacy of distorted love and becoming your true and authentic self.

Coming to therapy is a brave choice that takes vulnerability, courage, and energy. You may be experiencing pain, anxiety, anger, dissatisfaction, or numbness, and looking to experience your life differently. I prioritize the therapeutic relationship, and bring a warm, steady, and grounded presence into the therapy space. I empower, and encourage my clients toward exploring their emotions, body experiences, thoughts, memories and desires. I support clients in navigating their internal and relational worlds toward fullness, freedom and agency. I am a holder of hope and offer my clients deep compassion along with direct guidance.

I believe the most important parts of therapy are trust and collaboration. You'll know immediately if the therapist is right for you. If you don't feel it, keep looking. There's a lot of us therapists out here and your time and self-work are important! Additionally, at our most vulnerable times in life, we need someone who will hold a safe space for us to approach our edges - the parts of us we tend to avoid or neglect. Addressing our 'issues' is intensely brave and can also be terrifying! I commend you for embarking on this journey and invite you to call me if my words resonate with your needs.

My approach to counseling is to create a safe space for you and your family to build hope. We will work to raise awareness around the emotions that so often drive our behaviors. As emotional awareness increases we can choose different responses. Rather than the instantaneous reactions that plague many of us, we will be able to respond intentionally and thoughtfully. As we come to understand the emotional basis of our reactions, and choose to change our responses, we can break negative patterns of behavior with our partners, family, children, colleagues, and other people in our lives.

Many people come to therapy seeking relief from painful symptoms, relationship issues and self-defeating patterns. They may feel alone and isolated in their suffering. I work to create a safe, respectful and supportive environment that alleviates aloneness and facilitates connection, healing and positive change. My style is relational, warm and forthright. My clients achieve more than just symptom relief -- they also grow in their capacity to feel safe and connected with others, and they experience improved self-esteem and identity.

Do you want to build stronger emotional connections with partners, friends, and family members? Are you wanting a life that is fulfilling because you have created a robust sense of self and vibrant relationships? …Let’s get started!

From personal and professional experience I know how hard it can be to navigate difficult circumstances without support- and I’m so glad you’re here. I enjoy working with a range of clients and specialize in assisting individuals and couples who are neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and/or adult survivors of complex trauma and their partners navigate anxiety, depression, communication issues, and cultivate healthy sexuality. I am also kink/BDSM affirming and poly/ethical non-monogamy affirming.

Are there seemingly "insurmountable" obstacles in your life? Are you feeling sad, lonely, angry, anxious, or empty, but you can't figure out how or even what to change. Whether these struggles have recently developed or have been life-long, together we can work toward changes leading you to a more satisfying, fulfilling, and joyful life. For 30+ years, I've been effectively using talk therapy with couples and individuals helping them to express, feel and sort out their unique struggles. Their clarity, purpose, and coping skills improve, leading to a more vibrant connection with themselves and those around them.

Moving Through Uncertainty To Rediscover Peace: Hi, I'm Colette. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Portland, Oregon. I specialize in grief/loss and anxiety, and also help people with depression, addictive behaviors and individuals who experience an unhealthy relationship with food. I know first hand the emotional and mental toll that the death of a loved one can take, and the many ways in which anxiety can leave one feeling stuck and isolated. ​​​My practice is all about helping my clients rediscover their place of peace.

*Limited openings on a case-by-case situation.* Support is how we do well. We all need someone in our corner with compassion, solidarity, and hope. I can be that for you and your relationship. I support individuals and couples navigating through life's traumas, transitions, and stress. You may be feeling overwhelmed or stuck, but also motivated to work towards a breakthrough. If you've been carrying tension, grief, conflict, or emotional pain, let's start to work things out. Together we'll look at practical strategies to utilize your strengths, change unhealthy patterns, and grow your resiliency.

Impossible is temporary. As a relational psychologist specializing in issues like trauma and addictions, I have learned this time and time again. The combination of a supportive relationship, motivation to change well-worn patterns, and clear, concrete guidance can lead to changes far beyond what people believe is possible. Sometimes it seems "impossible" to live a deeper, more connected existence. We may carry scars of rejection and betrayal that keep us from being our truest selves. We heal in the context of genuine, warm, accepting relationships that also encourage us to take risks. I so enjoy building these relationships.

Hello, I enjoy working with individuals, couples and families I specialize in treating anxiety and depression. I have experience working with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. I also enjoy working with teenage and younger clients. I see many people who are going through life transitions. When one is going through grief and loss, education challenges, relationship difficulties, a new family member, pain or illness, it can be particularly difficult to cope and particularly beneficial to be in therapy to work through these issues with an unbiased ear. I also specialize in working with individuals who have struggles with chronic pain.

Welcome! My approach to counseling is collaborative, compassionate, patient, and kind. I will focus on understanding you where you are at without judgement, so that you can have greater acceptance of yourself and your experience, and be able to be vulnerable and honest with someone who cares as you navigate the challenges you face. I specialize in working with individuals who are navigating relationship challenges or conflict, have communication difficulties, or are wanting to work on understanding their attachment style(s) and the impact of family of origin dynamics.

I love working with individuals who want to learn deeply about themselves and heal their relationships - relationships with others, and with the parts of themselves that exist within. At the core of my work is the belief that the struggles we face hold wisdom about what is needed. When we can acknowledge what we feel with compassion, that wisdom has space to reveal itself and point us toward change. Sometimes this work feels scary. That's okay! In therapy, we can feel fear and still proceed, knowing we have the support we need to help us face and embrace what is discovered, and help us find guidance or insight where we feel stuck.

Maintaining connection with those close to us can be difficult. I understand the complexities of relationships and how challenging they can be at times. As you know all relationships require maintenance and care, and I can help you navigate the complexities of your unique relationships so those relationships feel healthy for you. I work with individuals, couples and families around what is difficult for them in the moment. I have experience working with people through a variety of issues and with people from all walks of life.

If your aims include greater insight and agency, while immersed in a new relationship experience that highlights patterns you may be unaware of, then a psychodynamic relational therapy may be ideal for you. You experience symptom relief as the process of treatment deepens: anxiety and depression, interpersonal conflict, these transform, opening new possibilities for your life. We highlight your sense of self and how your self-expression manifests, while illuminating the relational cycles you repeat with yourself, others, and through habits, as you develop a new capacity to understand and influence these aspects of your life.

I am excited to join you in your journey and invite you into my practice. By nature, I am a relational therapist. I believe that we work best in relation to others. I understand that connection is very healing and existing at the same time our relationships provide challenges. I work hard to build trust in our therapeutic relationship to ensure you feel seen and heard. I help clients examine all the relationships in their lives—whether with the self, others or even their vices—I embrace a solution-focused, client-centered perspective to help facilitate the process of change. YOU matter in this process.