Therapists for college students near Portland State University

I work primarily with queer and neurodivergent clients. My ideal client is someone experiencing disconnection from their authentic self or is trying to unmask. They might be experiencing anxiety, depression, or emotional triggers related to past traumas with which they are struggling. Perhaps they are interested in understanding more about their neurodivergence and ways to build supportive systems to address symptoms. I am honored to help with navigating questions of identity, gender, sexuality, and building relationships with oneself and others. I offer a collaborative, client-centered approach incorporating elements of Internal Family Systems, Polyvagal Theory, EMDR, mindfulness techniques, and creativity to find a framework for therapy that works for each client. We will work together to find meaningful goals for you, and then work together to achieve them. For whatever reason, we all may feel like an Awkward Turtle sometimes and retreat into our shells. Underneath the weight of all of the expectations placed on us, however, we are all unique in our own beautiful ways. I created Awkward Turtle Therapy to help others learn to explore and love the parts of themselves they have felt compelled to hide.

I am informal, goofy, sometimes loud, curious, imperfect, and you get all that and more when we start working together. Therapy with me commonly looks like laughing together, sometimes until we cry; actually crying together; laying on the ground; understanding that dark humor is often a necessary coping strategy for whatever life throws at us; talking with my hands; and my facial expressions being apart of the conversation (AKA having real reactions to real shit). Growing up between worlds can get messy, that weird in-between of always trying to fit in. As a transracial/international adoptee, I know how frustrating that pull between cultures and identities can be. Whether you're a fellow adoptee, mixed raced, or 1st gen, we’ll explore those layers - the deep identity stuff, aka the “laugh so you don’t cry” stuff, and find your way back home within the complexity. As a relational, trauma-informed therapist, I believe healing happens through connection. I focus on how your relationships, past and present, shape how you move through the world. My work blends somatic awareness with curiosity and compassion to help you build relationships that feel nourishing, real, and aligned with who you are. Finding the right fit may be time consuming, but shouldn’t be draining. Consults are a brief window into what the therapeutic relationship will look like - like a vibe-check. And if the vibes are right, the hard stuff will come naturally and not feel forced. This is why I offer 25-min consults. Reach out for a consult and let’s take it from there!

My goal as your therapist is to provide you with a secure and receptive space for free expression so you can open up and embrace your most authentic self. Together, we will work through obstacles, discover your strengths, and empower you to embrace a more fulfilling life.

I specialize in using somatic-based therapy with primarily work with LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC adults. I have experience with a range of challenges including depression, anxiety, identity, life transitions, and healing from trauma. I collaborate with clients to explore the parts of themself that have been disowned, the parts that deserve to be seen, and the parts that are yet to be discovered. I embrace living with authenticity and integrity and will use these values to help you create the relationships with yourself and others that you desire. Within therapy sessions, I listen for ways to foster connections between your body and mind. I combine somatic, narrative, and relational approaches to focus on the bridge between thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations and may also encourage you to tap into the wisdom of your ancestors and nature. Together we will create a space where you feel seen, heard, and encouraged in exploring areas for self-growth. As a queer, non-binary, Chinese/Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) person, I understand the impact of cross-generational trauma and colonialism on all bodies. I practice solo polyamory in my relationships and have experience with monogamy, marriage, and multiracial/blended families. Outside of therapy, I indulge in self-led pastry tours, explore new music, immerse myself in nature, and deepen my avian knowledge while playing Wingspan. If you're ready to embark on a journey of self-exploration and emotional healing within a culturally-affirming space, contact me for a free 30-minute consultation.

I specialize in helping people sleep better. This work goes far beyond general sleep tips or advice you may have heard before. I use a structured, research‑based approach that directly targets the patterns keeping sleep stuck, and is shown to produce real, lasting improvement.

My work is based on Mindfulness, Buddhist Psychology, and Gestalt Therapy. All are adept approaches to increasing awareness of our embodied experience and discovering more authentic ways of living a fulfilling life. My approach works to help clients develop resiliency, emotional flexibility, and explore the careful balance between acceptance and change. I support clients’ process of deepening into a more compassionate and loving relationship with themselves and the world by accepting who they truly are. Simultaneously, I challenge people to examine and move beyond rigid, habitual beliefs or behaviors and develop more alive, creative, and connective ways of being in the world.

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Dr. Kittinger is passionate about entering into the depths and carving out an intentional space that cultivates curiosity and authentic connection. As a relational psychodynamic therapist, Dr. Kittinger’s approach to therapy focuses on transformational change through the context of relationship. She engages her patients with a balance of acknowledging suffering and challenging difficult patterns to facilitate each persons own unique healing. Dr. Kittinger prioritizes the authenticity of the moment, attending to and unlocking conscious and unconscious patterns of how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. She utilizes a soft but direct approach to explore with each patient what it means to increase awareness into their own needs, wants, and to increase agency in their own lives. Wherever you are at in your process, her hope is to co-create a space open to deep and thoughtful self-reflection established gradually with trust and safety to take steps toward healing, transformation, and personal fulfillment. Dr. Kittinger meets with patients in-person and virtually and is licensed in Oregon and Washington.

Quimson Behavioral Health provides in-person and tele-health mental health services to patients located throughout Oregon. Our office is located on the westside of Portland, in Bethany Village. We are also close to Beaverton and Hillsboro. ​ We employ a balanced treatment approach which can include medications, education and talk therapy or psychotherapy. ​ Our current providers include board-certified psychiatrist Pia Quimson-Guevarra, DO and certified physician assistant Cayley Mesterheide PA-C. About Pia Quimson-Guevarra, DO: I am a board-certified psychiatrist; a medical doctor who specializes in mental health. I graduated from medical school in 2013 from Western University of Health Sciences in California. I completed my psychiatry residency training at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and pursued additional training in Forensic Psychiatry. My interests include community and forensic psychiatry. I specialize in helping those with anxiety and depression to get to a better place. I also help others explore the impact of society, culture, and relationships on their mental health. I am a BIPOC/AAPI/Asian provider and identify as Filipina-American. ​ My philosophy is to provide a supportive environment to encourage self-care. I help you explore your thought patterns as it relates to your feelings and actions. At times, this may be difficult, but processing and accepting these emotions will move you forward toward healing and growth. Types of therapy I employ include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion-Focused, and Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic. About Cayley Mesterheide, PA-C: As a certified Physician Associate (PA-C) specializing in psychiatry, I have experience with evaluating, diagnosing and treating a wide variety of psychiatric disorders and enjoy working with patients of all ages and backgrounds. My passion for psychiatry began before I started PA school while working as a nursing assistant in the psychiatric unit of a hospital. While working at the hospital, I achieved my Bachelor of Science in BioHealth Sciences degree at Oregon State University. I then went on to pursue my Master’s in PA Studies at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. My approach to treating mental health is holistic and includes a focus on medication management while incorporating supportive therapy and lifestyle modifications. I strive to connect with each and every patient and make it my goal to ensure that they feel heard and understood. Helping patients to find the right therapeutic regimen that allows them to function best in life brings me fulfillment in my career. I look forward to meeting and collaborating with you to help you achieve your mental health goals.

Vista Counseling is a locally owned group practice comprising a diverse team of licensed and pre-licensed therapists with various specialties. Our dedicated Intake Specialist team is committed to matching you with the therapist best suited to meet your needs. We are in-network with all major insurance providers, including Kaiser. We look forward to partnering with you on your journey to wellness!

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By developing insight into your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, and by practicing new skills and ways of relating to yourself and others, our work together will help you heal emotional pain, increase self-understanding, improve relationships, and cope more effectively with future challenges. Offering therapy, psychiatry and medication services.

Hello, I am licensed psychologist and I provide culturally-sensitive, insight-oriented psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and groups. I also provide online psychotherapy services. My services are anti-racist, LGBTQ-affirming, trauma-informed, sex-positive, poly-aware and kink-knowledgeable. I am a generalist with over 10 years of experience working a wide range of presenting concerns. My areas of clinical expertise include: • PTSD/Trauma • Depression • Anxiety & Stress Management • Women’s Issues • Coping with Racism and Microaggressions • Interracial/Cross-cultural Relationships • Sexuality, Love, and Relationship issues • Sex Therapy • Sexual Identity • Gender Identity • LGBTQ-affirming therapy • Perfectionism • Group Psychotherapy I am a Latina and have a personal and professional interest in diversity (cultural, ethnic, racial, gender, & sexuality) and social justice issues. I view my work through a multicultural, feminist lens, meaning that I work to understand my clients and their concerns within the context of societal, cultural, and contextual factors. I bring an appreciation for cultural differences and I strive to be sensitive to issues of race, gender, sexuality, ability, social class, and body size. My services are LGBTQ-affirming, trauma-informed, feminist, sex-positive, poly-aware and kink-knowledgeable. I am native Spanish-speaker and can provide bilingual (Spanish and English) services

Therapy can help us discover new parts of ourselves, challenge barriers to growth, and develop new skills to create our own paths. We as individuals hold these strengths within us already, but at times life can lead us to believe we are lacking. My hope is to help you discover these strengths! My style is direct yet gentle and I speak from an honest heart. I will often bring humor into the session, as life can funny at times or we may just need a bit of laughter to get through the challenges. I pull from various models but most often utilize Narrative Therapy, CBT, and mindfulness based techniques. Through a combination of these modalities, I work to help clients re-write unhealthy narratives and adjust patterns or ways of thinking that reinforce these inaccurate self-views. I believe in assisting clients in better understanding their own emotions and how their bodies can communicate these emotions. Once we are able to understand this, we can slow down and create new habits that are more effective in meeting our needs and managing symptoms.

I believe in the unique resilience of each individual and tailor my treatment through a collaborative process with each person I work with. I offer a warm, non-judgmental and supportive space where we can develop a trusting relationship to allow you to explore yourself in the context of your world. Drawing from numerous treatment modalities and utilizing a trauma-informed lens, we can work together to help you meet your therapy goals. My favorite patient group is college students. I have worked in college mental health at Reed College for over 5 years and have developed expertise in working with people during this transitional age of their life. I have additional experience as a medical social worker at OHSU hospital. In my private practice, I see patients for individual therapy, and I also offer psychological evaluation for aid in immigration court cases.

Kim is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oregon. She chose social work as a second career, after having spent 20 years as manager and mentor in various government agencies. It was her own therapeutic journey, providing the insight and understanding to help her find grace in navigating the journey of life, which led her to further her education and complete her Masters of Social Work program. “I learned why I made decisions and choices in the past and how to use this knowledge to accept myself and move on. This is why I became a therapist, and this is the support I hope to offer you as my client. I have experienced the delicate balance of having a career, raising a teenager, taking care of elder parents and trying to identify what I needed for self-care.” After earning her degree, Kim worked for several years in a hospital behavioral health unit. Her approach is non-judgmental, person-centered and strength-based, incorporating evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Psychodynamics, Family Systems Therapy, and Strengths-Based Therapy. Kim has lived most of her life in Oregon and, as a single mom, adopted her now young-adult daughter from Guatemala. She has since added a loving husband, a huge Newfoundland dog and two rescue cats. Her interests include gardening, cooking, traveling and yoga. “My intention is to use my life and clinical experience to offer you a safe, trauma-informed space to help you discover you, and to help you find your path. I will listen and be supportive, helping you identify and untangle what gets in the way of you living life to the fullest. Life can be tricky, and its challenges sometimes seem overwhelming.” “It would be my privilege to help you in this journey.”

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Hi, I’m Abby (she/her). I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and EMDR trained Mental Health Therapist based in Portland, Oregon. I’m so glad you’re here because this life is complex! When chaos or stagnation become the norm, accessing collaborative and nonjudgmental support to better understand your unique experience of the world can be pivotal. I’m honored to hold space for deep suffering, as well as celebrations of beauty. I look forward to connecting with you!

As a Person of Color, you’ve followed the rules, honored your culture, and shape-shifted to survive—but the pressure to get it all right is exhausting. You’ve kept it together for everyone else—but inside, you’re overwhelmed, second-guessing yourself, and craving peace. You’re always overthinking, carrying others’ emotions, and wondering who you actually are without the expectations of others. Family stuff is complicated, parenting feels heavy, and rest feels out of reach. You don’t have to hold it all. Let’s make space for you. Terapia en Español & Bilingual Services – I offer a space where all parts of your identity are honored. Together, we’ll build tools to manage stress, emotions, and relationships, while also exploring how past experiences and cultural messages shaped your feelings, response and the way you see yourself. This work supports deeper healing, clarity, and growth. My style is warm, grounded, and collaborative. We’ll explore your goals and what brings you to therapy. As someone who's lived between cultures, I value feeling truly seen and respected. Safety makes deeper exploration possible—and with it, meaningful, lasting change. Visit my website for more detailed information.

Hi there, I’m Annie (she/her). I’m grateful you are here. Therapy can be a big step into the unknown but can also be an opportunity for growth and positive change. I believe human beings make meaning through connection and the relationships we hold. I approach therapy with a systemic perspective and carefully consider the many complexities that work together to form our whole selves. Some of these complexities could include cultural, environmental, or societal factors that may be contributing to barriers or overall challenges to daily functioning. I work collaboratively with you in honoring your story and how it informs your life, while also helping to highlight new stories and meaning-making. Therapy can provide a space for you to reflect upon and better understand the many parts of you.