Sarah C. Nelson, Ph.D. (She/her)

I'm Sarah C. Nelson, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist providing telehealth therapy to adults throughout Oregon. My work focuses on perinatal mental health, reproductive mental health, parenting, individual therapy, and gender-affirming care.

I come to my work as a therapist holding tight to the knowledge that all people want to live meaningful lives with deep loving connection to others. Perhaps you are feeling a loss of meaning, a loss of connection, or are in the midst of a life transition and that has led you here.  Whatever has led you to seek therapy, I am glad you are here and I welcome you as you are, as you were, and as you would like to be. I approach my work with a desire to connect and to understand, to hold hope, and to guide towards insight.

I am a psychologist licensed in the state of Oregon. I grew up in Northeast Portland and have lived in New England, the Mountain West, the Midwest, southern California and northern Washington. I love hiking, fiction reading, camping, yoga, eating, and running. I feel so grateful for my work which brings me into connection with so many incredible people and I look very forward to meeting you when you are ready. 

A woman with wavy brown hair and light skin wearing a green dress with white and yellow floral pattern, sitting indoors with a bookshelf and a plant in the background.

My Approach

My approach is relational, collaborative, and grounded in the understanding that our emotional lives are shaped by both our internal experiences and the larger contexts in which we live.

I draw from a range of therapeutic approaches and tailor our work to you rather than following a single formula. Together, we might explore patterns in relationships, make space for difficult emotions, understand how past experiences continue to affect you, or develop new ways of relating to yourself and others.

I’m particularly interested in the places where identity, relationships, family, culture, and major life transitions intersect.

EDUCATION

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Ph.D., Counseling Psychology

Predoctoral Internship, Portland VA Healthcare System

Western Washington University, M.S., Psychology

Tufts University, B.A., International Literary and Visual Studies

CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING

Licensed Psychologist, Oregon #3336

Practicing at the pre and then post-doctoral level since 2014

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) trained by Personal Transformation Institute, 2023

Postdoctoral Residency in Primary Care & Mental Health Integration with specialized training Women's Mental Health and LGBT+ Veteran’s Health, Portland VA Healthcare System

I am a licensed psychologist in Oregon and provide therapy exclusively through telehealth to clients who are physically located in Oregon at the time of their session.

AREAS OF FOCUS

I work with adults navigating:

  • Perinatal mental health and the transition to parenthood

  • Infertility, fertility treatment, and reproductive mental health

  • Pregnancy loss and grief

  • Parenting and parenting identity

  • Anxiety and depression

  • Identity and life transitions

  • Relationships and connection

  • Gender-affirming mental health care