Welcome, My name is April (she/her). I am a mental health counselor, and my focus is on trauma. This often means family of origin dynamics and social norms with unwritten rules that dictate how we should act, think, and interact. These dynamics for those who don’t align with the such rules or norms can be quite traumatizing.
My practice honors, celebrates, and respects members of our community that identify as BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, and/or are of an immigrant heritage. 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.
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 free 20-30 minute telehealth consultation to see if we are a good fit.
A good fit to me means that what I offer aligns with what you need. My part in that includes;
- the training and focus of my practice
- the skills I have
- my style of communication, but also the way I explain things
- my approach to therapy
- and my sense that I can meet your needs
Your part of “a good fit” includes considering;
- 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
Eligibility For Service
- I work with adults
- You need to have access to an internet connection
- Oregon or Washington resident
- You are aware and can name your experienced trauma
- In Oregon; I work with 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 intention is to respond as quickly as I can, and I encourage people to contact a crisis center if your experience escalates beyond my capacity to respond. My office hours are from 8am to 6pm, Monday thru Friday.
I primarily offer talk therapy. I value connecting with the core self, parts of self, emotions, experiences, and beliefs. Depending on what a client’s preference is in and out of the session room, I can utilize visual aids, journal prompts, books, workbooks, videos, and mindfulness techniques.
Trauma In Sessions
Some life stressors, concerns, and issues that are often addressed in sessions include;
- Anxiety
- Attachment styles
- Chronic Illness & Pain
- 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. My therapeutic approach includes utilizing Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and some aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS).
My Intention
My intention is to create and maintain a therapeutic connection and 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 in 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 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
- have aspects of the therapeutic process occupy space in your mind outside of sessions
- practice techniques to aid in emotional regulation, which can take time and energy to cultivate
- be vulnerable
