Welcome, My name is April. I am a mental health counselor, that focuses on trauma.
My practice honors, celebrates, and gives respect to members of our community that identify as BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, and/or an immigrant. I am honored to use pronouns and names that you identify with. Thank you for being you.
Thank you for visiting my website and considering working with me. I am grateful to continue to connect with those who are ready to participate in counseling and in learning skills to regulate their emotions.
There is a fair amount of information on my website. I chose to share this much to support members of the community that feel better getting a bigger picture before moving forward. Please feel free to read what you need to and leave the rest.
Getting Started
When you feel ready, the next step is to reach out to schedule a 20-30 minute telehealth consultation to see if we are a good fit.
A good fit to me means that what I offer;
- the skills I have
- the way I explain things
- my approach to therapy
- my style of communication
- and my sense that I can meet your needs
seems to align with what you’re looking for, including;
- what you want to work on in therapy
- how you prefer to communicate with someone to feel heard, to learn, and to feel safe
- a sense of connection and confidence with me
- and your willingness to show up in therapy seems to match what is expected and need when working together
Eligibility For Service
- Adults
- Has access to an internet connection
- Oregon or Washington resident
- Has experienced trauma
- In Oregon; has OHP CareOregon insurance
- Either state; Pay out of pocket
- Either State; Ask about sliding scale options
What I Offer
I offer individual mental health counseling via telehealth. Usually these are weekly sessions. For those that need extra support from time to time I do offer twice a week sessions. I also am available for check in phone calls and communication via text and email, as need. I try to be available as much as possible and still balance my personal time. My office hours are from 8am to 6pm, Monday thru Friday, but I do what I can outside of office hours.
I primarily offer talk therapy. I have found talk therapy can be helpful in finding healing. I value connecting with self, expressing what is felt, what has happened, and what is believed. Being heard, validated, and empathized with can be helpful in soothing and regulating to the nervous system. I also value the client having a therapeutic experience as they spare, and practice feeling safe in the body. I also have found that including things to practice between sessions can enhance awareness, aid in emotional regulation, and bring insight to what is being experienced. Depending on what a client is up for trying or knows they prefer, in and out of the session room, I utilize visual aids, journal prompts, books, workbooks, videos, and mindfulness techniques.
Trauma In Sessions
I have experience with and am comfortable addressing trauma as it shows up for the client. Processing trauma often can alleviate some pressure on topics and symptoms clients experience. Bellow are common examples of stressors, concerns, and issues that are addressed in sessions with me;
- Anxiety
- Attachment styles
- Death
- Depression
- Gender
- Identity
- Narcissistic abuse
- Neurodiversity
- Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism
- Dyslexia
- Tourette syndrome
- Panic Attacks
- PTSD, with or without a Chronic or Complex nature
- Relationship dynamics
- Relational Violence and Abuse
- Self-esteem
- Self-confidence
- Sexuality
- Sex work
My Therapeutic Approach
I believe the therapeutic relationship between the client and a counselor is a collaborative one. I believe you are the expert of your life, and I am a facilitator of understanding, change, and processing. I am an engaged therapist. I will ask questions to invoke self-inquiry and discovery. I offer resources, handouts, apps, and YouTube videos to support techniques that are learned within our sessions. My therapeutic approach includes utilizing Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and some aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Somatic Therapy.
My Intention
My intention is to create and maintain a therapeutic environment that is a safe space for all humans, free from judgment, and instilled with support and respect.
I am interested in assuring we are a good fit, then together will strive to develop and utilize tools to cultivate a higher quality of life. If we find we are not a good fit, I would be happy to help find other therapists and/or other resources as we part ways. I am interested you the client continuing to find healing with or without me.
My practice focuses on trauma. Trauma is named by the person who experiences it, and I honor however trauma shows up. It is not my intention to force anyone to recount traumatic experiences. If experiences are shared, I also welcome the need to do so.
Working with telehealth, I am mindful of building rapport, provide insights to keep transparency, and connection within sessions.
My practice is an 2SLGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent friendly environment.
I live and work on land previously under the stewardship of I live and work on land previously under the stewardship of Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla ↗, Molalla ↗, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde ↗ and Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians ↗ (amongst others) indigenous native tribes (Source, https://native-land.ca/). I stand in solidarity with their past and current painful experiences and enormous losses. I celebrate and honor their past and current languages, traditions, and practices of their cultures.
Costs
Financial costs: Pricing for each session is $200. I accept OHP CareOregon. I also offer sliding scale options. The sliding scale range varies and space is limited. My intention is to keep mental health affordable to as many people as possible. Pricing will be discussed in the consultation. Please be ready to ask about sliding scale options. I am not going to assume.
Mental, emotional, and physical costs: Mental health therapy can be challenging. In addition to financial costs, there are emotional and cognitive labor costs. Often when we talk about trauma, dysregulation can occur. I practice trauma informed care, and I want to be clear that therapy can be challenging no matter how slow we go and how careful we are. When we speak about costs, your commitment to show up, make discoveries about yourself, and practice to meet your goals has a labor cost. Thank you for your participation, effort, and willingness to keep trying for a higher quality of life for yourself. I am grateful for the financial costs and the emotional and cognitive labor cost that you will pay for therapy. I am grateful to be supporting you while doing this work. It’s important for you to assess that you are ready to:
- process events of your life.
- take time to inquire about your beliefs.
- recount details of your specific experiences, if needed.
- have this therapeutic process occupy space in your mind outside of sessions.
- practice techniques to aid in regulation, which can take time and energy to cultivate.
- be vulnerable.
