My path to this practice is built on over a decade and a half of walking alongside individuals and families in various settings. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a level-one Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), my journey has included diverse roles…
Youth Care Counselor
boys & girls aid - pettygrove
In this role, I worked directly with adolescent females navigating the system under the Oregon Youth Authority. This experience showed me the real impact of systemic structures on young lives. It helped me understand the need for protective spaces and the importance of truly seeing individuals who are often overlooked or misunderstood within larger systems.
Independent Living Skills & Housing Specialist
Early Assessment and Support Alliance (easa)
my position focused on supporting young people, typically ages 15-25, who were experiencing altered states, often referred to as psychosis. My work involved helping them develop essential skills for independent living and securing stable housing. I saw firsthand how connected mental wellness is to basic needs, which reinforced my belief that safety and stability are necessary for healing. It also highlighted the strength within individuals navigating complex internal experiences.
School Social Worker
portland public schools - alliance at meek
During my master's program internship, I served as a social worker in an alternative high school setting. This role showed me the unique challenges faced by young people who didn't fit neatly into traditional educational structures. I focused on meeting individuals where they were, advocating for their needs within systems that often weren't built for them, and connecting them to community resources that respected their individual paths.
Family Therapist
Providence Willamette Falls - child & adolescent psych unit
In this hospital-based role, I worked with children, adolescents, and their families in a psychiatric unit during acute crises. This involved providing therapy to address immediate needs and supporting family dynamics during incredibly challenging times. A significant part of this role involved discharge planning, advocating for clients' needs within a medical system, connecting them to essential community resources for ongoing support, and conducting safety assessments. It became clear how critical seamless transitions and empowered access to care are beyond the hospital walls.
Primary Therapist & group facilitator
Providence - Eating Disorder Program
I provided support within an eating disorder program, working as a primary therapist and group facilitator. This experience helped me understand the complex relationship between the body, trauma, and mental health. It confirmed my belief in a holistic approach, recognizing that the body holds significant wisdom and is central to the healing process.
Providence - Partial Hospital and Intensive Outpatient Program
I was involved in the creation and operation of a less intensive level of care for adolescents compared to inpatient hospitalization. This program provided structured therapeutic services during the day or several days a week, allowing adolescents to live at home while receiving intensive support. Being part of building this program highlighted the importance of creating accessible, nurturing spaces that bridge the gap between acute care and community living, focusing on the individual's need for both structure and autonomy.
Child and Family Therapist
Clackamas County Health Centers
In this community-based role, I provided therapy services to children and families within the county health system. This experience grounded me in the realities of community-based care. It showed me the impact of systemic factors on family well-being and the necessity of culturally responsive and accessible support that respects the unique strengths and challenges of each family system.
In each of these spaces, I gained invaluable experience and deep respect for the resilience of the human spirit. But I also witnessed, firsthand and repeatedly, the profound ways in which traditional systems fail the very communities they are meant to serve. I've seen the harm caused by pathologizing individuals, the exhaustion placed on dedicated workers, and the lasting consequences when mental health practice is driven by frameworks that uphold, rather than dismantle, oppressive structures. Oregon's ranking in mental wellness services is a stark reminder of this reality.
private practice
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private practice 〰️
My decision to transition to private practice was a direct response to these experiences and a deep-seated need to create a space that operates fundamentally differently.
I saw the limitations and harms of system-driven care and felt a powerful calling to build a practice where the principles of safety, liberation, and honoring individual truth were not just ideals, but the absolute foundation of the work. This transition was about reclaiming the power to practice in a way that is truly aligned with my values and the needs of the communities I serve, free from the constraints and often oppressive dynamics of larger institutions.
Starting this private practice wasn't just a career step; it was a necessary response to what I've witnessed and lived. It stems from a deep commitment to creating a space that is intentionally grounded, fiercely protective, and genuinely empowering. This is where I bring together my clinical skills with my lived experience and the principles I hold most dear: that safety is a birthright, that healing is a reclamation, and that our truth is always valid.
My experience has taught me that meaningful support requires acknowledging the full context of our lives – including the impact of systemic harm and the wisdom carried in our bodies and lineages. It has solidified my resolve to offer a space where you don't have to fight against the system just to get the support you need. Here, the focus is on authentic connection, honoring your energy, setting boundaries that protect your peace, and engaging in the real, no-nonsense work of healing and growth.
This is the foundation from which I work, drawing on years of diverse clinical experience to hold space for your journey towards liberation and well-being.
