Female Therapists in Oregon

Do you find yourself often living anywhere but in the present moment? Missing the opportunity to savor and enjoy your life due to distractions from past traumas or future anxieties? Done with no longer serving and unhelpful coping habits and patterns? I collaborate with individuals and couples who wish to live most fully and skillfully in the here and now—leveraging evidence-based tools of reflection, reorientation, and resourcing to craft their vision of a most empowered, intentional, and joyful life.

My name is Heather Wheeler and I provide counseling for clients ages 12 to 100! I work with clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma, such as sexual abuse or family violence; anxiety; depression; self-harm; low self-esteem; grief; and many others. I often use expressive arts and sandtray therapy to assist clients in further exploring difficult topics. I currently have a small bit of availability and also have a waitlist if my availability does not meet your needs.

Hi there! I specialize in providing compassionate support for individuals who are dealing with anxious thoughts and feelings, which can often disrupt their sense of peace. I also work with those who struggle to connect in social situations or have challenges with communication in relationships. If you're facing symptoms of OCD, you're not alone – I'm here to offer guidance and help you find that inner calm you deserve.

My mission is to create a welcoming, nonjudgmental space where clients feel safe to express their most authentic self. My therapeutic focus lies in exploring how relational wounds reverberate through our lives, shaping our interactions with others, our self-perception, and our belief systems. Through the exploration of interpersonal and behavioral patterns, clients come to understand how their historical experiences have programmed their nervous system in trapped patterns of fight, flight, or freeze; a reactionary loop that impedes personal growth. A dysregulated nervous system can cause anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and more.

In my work with couples, I start from the reality that relationships are hard. Whether you are baffled by your single-hood, or in the throws of trying to make it work, relationships can feel impossible and essential at the same time. In spite of the challenge, I know we all have the capacity for connected, secure relationships. I especially love working with folks who have never been in relationship, or who have a difficult time moving from dating into commitment. My relational work is also a good fit for sexual issues like low libido, sexual avoidance, erectile dysfunction, high conflict counples, and painful sex.

Most folks can handle the ups and downs of life unless their closest relationships are in trouble. That's what brings people to me. With over two decades as facilitator of personal and relational growth in individuals, couples and families, I am psycho-dynamic (seek to 'peel back the layers') with individuals, helping them to become free from the emotional baggage of childhood. I offer a systems-oriention with couples and families along with some Gottman tools and Prepare and Enrich. I developed a therapeutic program for a children's home in CA and served as their therapist and staff trainer for 5 years.

Are you feeling crippled with anxious thoughts, and the fear of your next anxiety attack looming around the corner? Have you experienced life altering trauma which you struggle to move past? Have you found that confiding in friends isn’t enough anymore? In my practice, I strive to help my clients find ways to confront their anxiety and trauma triggers in a way that strips them of their power, and allows you to thrive in your life, free from the confines of fear.

I work with clients at their pace and through the therapeutic process they begin to unleash the shame, destructive inner voices, and debilitating pain that are keeping the client from living a life of connectedness and joy. My focus is to help people discover why they might be relating and behaving the way they are, and give them tools to create change, transforming their inner world and relationships.

Participating in psychotherapy can be life changing. It gives one an ally in exploring and resolving current or lifelong concerns. I have been a psychotherapist for over 30 years, working with people experiencing life transitions, anxiety, depression, grief/loss, academic stress, work difficulties, ADHD, recent or past trauma (PTSD), and ethnic/cultural concerns. All are welcome here.️

Despite what Instagram, TikTok, or an opinionated in-law may have us believe, none of us are born knowing how to parent, and many of us are actively working on changing intergenerational patterns in our own families in order to better support the growth and development of our children, in essence, reparenting ourselves. This process is a difficult one, and not meant to be done in isolation. Together we can look at how you were parented, how you want to parent, and how to bridge any gaps in between.

Seeking support takes enormous courage. My approach is a balance of candidness and tenderness to meet your needs. I welcome feedback throughout our work to ensure we are on the right track and will continue to check in to support you in the best way possible. I use a trauma-focused lens- incorporating biological, social and psychological perspectives. Trauma modalities I incorporate, when appropriate, are Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Brainspotting, Attachment Focused Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and mind-body medicine approaches.

Deciding to come to counseling is a big decision! You need to trust the counselor to be competent, compassionate and able to help change take place. I have worked with a wide variety of clients; from individuals in major life transitions to couples in crisis, to youth and families facing issues of addiction and adjustments and people dealing with trauma. I will guide you through difficulties and coach you to your highest potential. When seeking a counselor, the connection you feel with them is the most important thing . Research shows connection is the one greatest factor to ensure change will occur through counseling.

My passion is working with couples and families. I seek to create an environment that honors your values and strengths while also being able to provide a space that allows for growth and change. Please check out my website for more information: www.forestgrovecounseling.org

I draw on over 25 years of experience with somatics, mindfulness/meditation, and the creative arts to bring a unique synergy of skills to my counseling approach. In our sessions, you can expect to go beyond conventional therapy, merging somatic practices with a deep exploration into your emotional world and, often, what lies beyond the self. In our time together, we will engage with your body's wisdom and reimagine personal narratives, turning these insights into practical actions for holistic healing and self-growth.

The word “therapy” comes from the Greek therapeia, which means “healing.” Just as the body goes through a process of healing when wounded, so too does the mind. The beginning stages of healing can often be the most painful. I do not offer techniques or tools that focus on symptoms, which inevitably return. Instead, I focus on you: I work to support your autonomy as a person, your pursuit of meaning, and your sense of self, which have lasting effect. My philosophy can be expressed in the words of the poet Mary Oliver, who wrote: “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

I've worked in the mental health field for over 30 years in a variety of settings and in private practice for 20 years. Currently I work with adults and couples. A primary focus of my work is centered around relationships which are both exciting and complicated.Therapy creates a safe, non-judgmental space for self reflection, connection and growth. With a sense of connection to your own values, you can make conscious and informed decisions about how you move in the world and in relationships. I see my job as helping you to discover and practice who you want to be.

Life is full of opportunities in which we can grow! Sometimes these growth opportunities are unexpected or unwelcome and sometimes they are purposeful and intentional. Whatever your growth opportunity may be, I am honored to walk through the process with you and see what you discover.

I am currently accepting new clients : please send me an email telling me a bit about yourself. My background is working with people struggling with substance abuse, trauma survivors, the LGBTQ community, couples and all forms of families and poly people. I have worked with those with traumatic brain injuries, people with autism, grief and loss, crisis pregnancies, adoption issues, children in foster care and people living with HIV and AIDS. I am proud to have worked in a variety of settings and with people who need support, clarity, and space to heal.

As an Adventure Therapist, it is my aim is to help adults move through adversity by engaging them in hiking, indoor and outdoor rock climbing, and interactive activities as a treatment interventions for mental and behavioral health. My trauma-informed approach creates a safe and supportive space, recognizing the impact of trauma on mental health. By utilizing integrative evidence-based modalities and adventure therapy, I facilitate healthy change process, trauma processing, insight development, and client empowerment to address complex life challenges.