Therapists for college students near Portland, OR

College can feel like a lot to manage at once. Classes, friendships, dating, family expectations, and trying to figure out who you are and what you’re doing with your life. I work with students who are dealing with anxiety, self-doubt, and relationship stress. A lot of the people I see are functioning well on the outside, but internally feel overwhelmed, stuck, or like they’re constantly overthinking everything. Therapy can help you quiet the mental noise, understand your emotions without getting taken over by them, and feel more grounded in your decisions and relationships. You get to slow down, sort through what’s actually going on, and focus on what matters to you. My approach is practical and collaborative. We start with your goals and what’s not working right now, then build clear, research-based strategies to help you feel better. I also pay attention to patterns, like overthinking, people-pleasing, or relationship dynamics that keep repeating, so you can understand them and shift them long-term. You know your life better than anyone. My role is to help you make sense of it and move forward in a way that feels right to you. I provide out of pocket sessions at a reduced rate with limited pro bono sessions available. If you’re curious about working together, you can reach out for a quick consultation and see if it feels like a good fit.

Hi, I’m Kate (she/her) and I’m all about creating a space where you feel safe, supported, and free to be yourself. I specialize in supporting young adults, helping them navigate life’s ups and downs. My approach is LGBTQ+ affirming and grounded in anti-oppressive practices, so you can show up as your true self. Whether you’re exploring who you are, how to feel stronger, or how to deal with adversity, I’m here to help you figure it out in a way that works for you.

College can be a lot to juggle, not only are you balancing your classes and course work, but also relationships and expectations. All while trying to figure out what you actually want for yourself. As a first-generation child of immigrants, I understand the pressure that can come with balancing your own goals while staying connected to where you come from. I work with college students who are dealing with anxiety, burnout, identity questions, and major life transitions. You might notice overthinking, procrastination, people pleasing, or feeling like you have to show up differently depending on the space you’re in. A lot of my clients are used to pushing through, even when they feel overwhelmed or unsure of themselves. My approach is trauma-informed, relational, and culturally responsive. I help you make sense of your emotions, understand patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and build tools that actually work in your everyday life. Whether we’re talking through stress, working on anxiety, or exploring identity and relationships, we’ll go at a pace that feels right for you.

In-person and video sessions. College life can be difficult at times, even more so lately. You have what it takes to get through it and I am here to help you recognize and develop your strength and capability. You may feel lost, alone, confused, conflicted, indecisive, anxious and that's an okay place to start. I have experience working at colleges and universities both in Portland and New York City. My hourly rates are lower than many since I am not accepting insurance but I can give you a receipt and/or statement that you might use for some reimbursement.

I use relationship building as the foundation of my therapy practice. I believe feeling seen, held, and safe are vital components of being able to grow. My hope is to create an atmosphere where the people I meet with feel met and known which will allow us to walk together through vulnerability. With all my clients I take a Neurobiological approach, which is a fancy way to say I think a lot about nervous systems and how to regulate them. Our nervous systems need co-regulation before they can learn to self-regulate. Together we will explore what feels soothing to your particular system and build strategies from there. I pull Internal Family Systems (IFS) or parts work and Narrative Therapy techniques. My style is client centered, collaborative, affirming, and trauma informed.

Tyler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC I). His approach is grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, EMDR, Jungian Psychology, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Depth Psychology. He believes deeply in the power of the therapeutic relationship to create lasting transformation—both individually and collectively. Tyler’s clinical experience includes inpatient behavioral health, intensive addiction treatment, individual counseling, and outpatient care at a combat trauma clinic. He holds a Master of Social Work from the University of New Hampshire and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado. In addition to traditional modalities, Tyler is a 400-hour certified breathwork facilitator and a 200-hour certified Tantra Yoga teacher. He integrates somatic, breath-based, and embodied practices into his work and currently serves as a ketamine-assisted therapist at a clinic in Portland, Oregon. A veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Tyler brings a grounded and compassionate understanding of trauma, helping clients explore how painful experiences can be transformed into paths of resilience, wholeness, and personal empowerment. ​ Whether you’re navigating trauma, addiction, identity, or the call to deeper self-awareness, Tyler meets you where you are—helping you reconnect with your innate wisdom and capacity for transformation.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing individual therapy for adolescents and adults, and family therapy for children (4-18 years old) and their caregivers. I have over a decade of experience working in healthcare, social services, and mental health treatment, and seek to create a peaceful, trauma-informed atmosphere where my clients can feel safe processing their emotions and experiences. I hold a Master of Social Work Degree from Portland State University, and have undergraduate education in public health, aging across the lifespan, and substance use counseling. I grew up in a large, diverse city and had the opportunity to interact with people of all different cultures, ages, and life paths. This has directly influenced my counseling perspective. I offer an eclectic approach, providing different therapy models and interventions to match the diversity of the client experience. What helps one person may not be ideal for another, and I am here to support each client as they explore the routes that inspire them. I draw from psychodynamic therapy, nondirective therapy, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, Jungian therapy, and others. I also offer psychoeducation and coaching in anger management, conflict resolution, and nonviolent communication. I offer play therapy, parent coaching, and collaborative problem solving for families with young children. I regularly attend seminars, trainings, and other forms of continuing education to better serve my clients and expand my treatment offering. Here are some of the challenges and symptoms I work with: -Anxiety -Trauma -Depression -Anger -Loneliness -Substance use disorders -Compulsive behaviors and process addictions -Grief and other major life losses and changes -Men’s issues -Romantic relationship difficulties -Eating disorders and body image challenges -Difficulty with finding meaning and self-actualization -ADHD -Sensory processing issues -Dissociation and dissociative identity disorder -Communication and conflict -Processing the return home after periods of incarceration -Stigma and prejudice -Chronic health diagnoses When I’m not working with clients, you’ll usually find me spending time with my family and pets (two dogs and a cat!), playing chess, reading everything from Stephen King to historical nonfiction, playing guitar, and watching all types of films.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who grew up in rural Northern California, where adequate mental health care was not accessible, and differences were not celebrated. I developed a passion for helping others after watching people I cared about struggle without support and going through my own challenges as an adolescent and young adult. After settling in the Portland Metro Area, I have developed a great love of our area's diverse populations and green landscapes, combining all the beauty the Willamette Valley has to offer with the convenience and luxury of inner-city resources and diversity. I have experience working in community mental health, hospice, and counseling with adults and teens ranging from late adolescents to the elderly. I especially enjoy working with those struggling with life transitions, trauma, chronic illnesses, depression, and anxiety. I believe that fostering safety and unconditional positive regard is the backbone of the therapeutic relationship. I use these core Rogerian principles and a strength-based approach along with techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, and Existential Therapy to aid people in broadening their perspectives, changing behaviors that are not working for them, and developing practical tools they can use in their day-to-day lives. I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to therapy and am variably directive in my approach depending on client needs. I am honored by those who share their brightest and darkest times with me. Time and time again, I am amazed by the strength and resilience of those who actively seek change. When I am not with clients, I can be found wrangling my two young children. I am a music, gardening, hiking, equine, and canine enthusiast. I also feel passionately about women supporting women and have enjoyed networking with other women in my local community.

Living in a world filled with poverty, marginalization, oppression, and pandemic(s) can feel daunting and lead people to feel as though they have little agency. Therapy can be a helpful place to explore the places in our lives where we do have agency, where we are able to make tangible changes-often times this is in our interpersonal relationships. I work from an attachment focused and relational cultural perspective that is grounded in feminist practice which prioritizes the exploration of identities, oppression, intersectionality, and their impact on social and emotional functioning. I draw upon interventions from psychoanalytic psychotherapy, attachment focused therapy, emotionally focused therapy, radical acceptance, and health at every size. I have experience working with people struggling with issues related to depression, anxiety, life transitions, gender identity, queer issues, and relationship and family challenges. I take a non-pathologizing approach to working my clients, with a particular focus on those have been marginalized by the mental health profession in the past.

Matthew is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Oregon. He provides counseling to individual adults, couples and geriatric clients. He is a certified geriatric and dementia expert (U. of Michigan). Matthew utilizes the Rogerian approach to therapy, empowering patients by leaning on nonjudgmental, positive regard, building strong rapport and trust with patients. Matthew incorporates strength-based approaches of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Narrative Therapy. He wants the patient to explore their strengths and examine their challenges through a self-reflective lens so the patient can recognize why they struggle in certain areas of life. He sees patients that are facing difficulties with anxiety, depression, PTSD, chronic pain, grief and loss and relationship issues with marriage and parenting. He also has experience with crisis training to help military and first responders. Matthew employs several interventions including challenging negative thought patterns, relaxation training, sleep hygiene, and exposure therapy. Matthew earned his Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University. He is a native of New Orleans, has a wife, five children and three dogs. He is an avid walker, fisherman and sports enthusiast.

Hi, I'm glad you're here. My name is Gabby Hancher (they/them). I’m a white, trans nonbinary, and queer associate therapist who has lived experience with chronic illness. I currently reside on the traditional homelands of the Clackamas, Cowlitz, and Multnomah Indigenous peoples known as Portland, OR. I am currently working towards licensure and under the clinical supervision of Quinn Rivenburgh and Selin Strait. As a young person, I often felt very different from my peers. I was highly sensitive, creative, and attuned to much of the suffering around me. The overwhelming chaos of my childhood led me to my own healing path and eventually communities who accepted me for my contemplative nature. By embracing the truth of my experiences, I found healing modalities such as Hakomi which allowed me the space to make deep internal shifts towards being my whole self. I hope to offer this same experience to you. As a therapist, I bring a playful and emotionally attuned approach with an orientation towards mindful, experiential theories such as Hakomi. Our time together will always be collaborative and informed by the wisdom of your own lived experience. Together we can explore the deep inner knowing that your body holds in order to help you thrive. In a typical session, we will slow down and listen to the wisdom of your body. Together, we can discover what it is that you need to process in order to experience more integration in your life. We may work to support your own innate resilience by developing a felt sense of safety based on your own true sense of that or use the therapeutic relationship as a container to explore attachment wounding patterns through our present moment relationship. All of these experiences can offer fundamental shifts in your overall mood, the way you show up in the world, or even in your relationships. Whether you are experiencing difficulty with grief, relationships, anxiety or any number of concerns, together we can help you orient towards your inner knowing and personal agency. I approach all of my work through a social justice lens and believe deeply that when we transform on an interpersonal level, social change ripples outwards. Accessibility, embodied experience, and trauma-informed care are important pillars of my practice. Persons of all races & ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities are welcome. I am also affirming of kink, non-traditional relationship structures such as polyamory and non-monogamy, and sex work. Some of my identities hold varying levels of privilege which I always invite conversation around in session. If you are interested in utilizing the insurances I accept, please email me at: gabby@bridgestg.com. If you are interested in private pay, please message me through my linked website. Outside of session, I can be found practicing magic in nature, reading comics under a cozy blanket, or making strange artistic creations for my loved ones. ~~~~~~~ I work best with: *Collaborative individuals *Folks who are curious about mindfulness *Folks who are creative and/or highly sensitive *Folks who identify as care-givers *Activists looking to process and integrate their experiences *Adult parentified children *Perfectionists *Queer folks who want to explore their identity more deeply *Neurodivergent individuals *Folks who feel they've gotten what they can from talk therapy and need something else *Folks who want a better relationship with their body *Folks who are committed to long-term therapeutic work At this time, I am not able to treat or assist with the following: *Couples *Disordered Eating *Substance Use/Addiction Disorders *Personality Disorders *Folks with Severe & Persistant mental health challenges *OCD and Phobias *Folks who are in high levels of crisis/instability and may need team-based care *Folks who are looking for exclusively talk therapy

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I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker located in East Portland. Perhaps you are seeking therapy because you are unhappy with something in your life. Your happiness is important and I believe it's possible to feel more joy. Therapy can feel like a scary step, but you are worth the risk. Therapy is a place where you get to talk to someone who is non-judgmental and nurturing and who can offer you a more objective perspective on how to make the changes in your life that you desire. I view therapy as a collaboration, an exchange where we work together to reach your goals. Reach out to me for more information or to see if we would be a good fit. Email is the best way to reach me: kit@kitmurraylcsw.com

My work is guided by the belief that mental health care should be compassionate, collaborative, and personalized. With a background in community mental health and primary care behavioral health, I offer an integrative, culturally responsive, and values-based approach to therapy. I believe therapy is most effective when it goes beyond symptoms—when we explore your values, goals, and passions together. Through this lens, we co-create a foundation rooted in curiosity, connection, and emotional safety, opening space for healing and growth. I’ve had the privilege of expanding gender-affirming care at a community health system in Seattle and helped develop a behavioral health department embedded within a community center—where I facilitated programming focused on emotional wellness and connection. These experiences have shaped my commitment to making therapy accessible, affirming, and grounded in real-world community values. My value of community and connection continues to be nourished at Aspire Psychology.

Timothy Lafolette is a psychiatric nurse practitioner with more than 13 years of experience working with clients utilizing medication management and talk therapy. He enjoys working with clients who are looking to take their next steps toward self-acceptance and wellness. He views the therapeutic process through a trauma-informed lens, using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing methods.

I work well with students who feel overwhelmed by anxiety, low mood, or emotions that seem too big to manage, and who want to understand what's going on, not just be handed a prescription. Many of the people I see are trying medication for the first time and feel nervous about it. Some are carrying difficult or painful experiences from their past. Some are just exhausted and unsure where to start. I take time. Appointments aren't rushed, and I want to understand your story before we make any decisions together. You'll never be pushed to move faster than you're comfortable with, and you're always welcome to keep seeing your own therapist or counselor while I help with the medication side. If you've been putting off reaching out because talking to a psychiatrist feels intimidating, I try to make it feel like a conversation instead.

Our therapists love working with college students because they are at such an important time in their lives and it’s a rich time for growth and deeper self understanding. The clients we help the most are committed to the process of self awareness and change, even if it’s hard. Going to college can be scary and bring up a lot of challenges. It can be hard to live separately from your family for the first time. There can be so many difficulties at college that you didn’t expect. We are here to help. Our therapists are relatable and effective in their work. We welcome you!

I draw from person-centered care, treating anxiety through mindfulness-based therapy, and evidence-based approaches including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I especially enjoy working with college students navigating career and life transitions, as well as adults experiencing anxiety, depression, or Bipolar II Disorder. My style as a psychologist is warm, collaborative, and grounded in kindness, while also making space for humor and lightness when appropriate.

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Liberation Institute is a community mental health clinic that offers therapeutic services on a sliding scale. It first opened its doors on October 7, 2008, in San Francisco, then expanded to Portland in June 2020. Between the two locations, Liberation Institute helps 600 individuals, couples, and families a week by a staff of therapists, supervisors, artists, activists, meditation teachers and others who are committed to serving the community together.