I am here to walk alongside you throughout your therapeutic journey as you discover what you uniquely need to live abundantly.
I want to commend you on taking this step for your mental health. It is no easy task to seek change, especially when you’re not feeling your best, as many people feel when they are ready to schedule a counseling appointment. I welcome you to the therapeutic space as you are, while also supporting, with conviction and enthusiasm, the person you are becoming.
My approach is based in Attachment, Rogerian, and Feminist theories. These combined approaches prioritize our need for authentic connections that are accessible and responsive, focus on the conditions we need to self-actualize, and center client consent and empowerment. I counsel with a trauma-sensitive mindset, knowing we have all encountered painful moments in our lives that have impacted us. I don’t expect you to trust me right away. I know trust is earned and is also an integral element of our therapeutic alliance. I value supporting you in exploring how you want your care to look, engaging in authentic relationship with you as the client, and working with you in determining the proper conditions you will need to thrive in achieving your goals.
Whether you attend counseling on your own or as part of a unit, I counsel through the lens of a systems approach, which recognizes we are a part of more than just ourselves, and our relationships with family, chosen family, friends, partners, coworkers, community, and social systems greatly influence our wellbeing.
I aim to validate and understand your story, empower you to choose what you know is best for your life, accompany you in letting go of disruptive patterns no longer serving you, repair from pain, inspect old ideas in new ways, generate ideas for change, celebrate successes, and live authentically in relationship with others. I am here to walk alongside you throughout your therapeutic journey as you discover what you uniquely need to live abundantly.
I received my Master’s in Marriage & Family Counseling from Gonzaga University, and I am currently an associate working toward independent licensure. I am a born and raised Portlander with a passion for PNW culture. When I’m not seeing clients, I am adventuring with friends, enjoying quality time with my family, taking my camera out on a nature excursion, or riding my motorcycle throughout town.
I see immediate challenges and deeper issues as intertwined. I will work with you to make sense of both elements throughout the therapeutic process.
My approach is collaborative. I defer to you as the expert on your life and am open to your preferences regarding how you would like leadership to look in our sessions. It is typical for me to provide structure to support your exploration of self and make suggestions regarding areas to dive deeper on or interventions to try. When more than one client is present for sessions, I am more directive to ensure each member is being heard and patterns are actively engaged with in session.
Building a healthy relationship with my clients is my top priority. Empathy, curiosity, humor, and creativity are my strongest skills in the therapeutic alliance.
I would want the power to magically grow plants, flowers, and trees to their full potential within seconds wherever I envision them. As a child, I loved watching the Secret Garden come to life on my TV screen, and as an adult, I continue to marvel at nature’s beauty.
Interactions with my friends and family will make me laugh until my abs hurt and I start wheezing. I love to laugh at life’s ironic moments, and I especially enjoy a double entendre.
Laverne Cox
