Hi, I’m Sarah NELSON. (she/her)

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. 


My Approach

My approach to therapy is rooted in warmth and connection and you: who you are, where you come from, and what is meaningful to you. Our work together will be deep and relational. Within this person- and relationship-centered approach I bring attention to early attachment and current connections through the lens of feminist liberation psychology. This approach means that I see your context on a historical, local, and cultural scale as inextricable from your current mental health. Within the therapy space I apply a wide variety of techniques drawing from: Acceptance and Commitment therapy, Polyvagal therapy, EMDR, and somatic and emotional processing.

EDUCATION

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

Predoctoral Internship, Portland VA Healthcare System

Western Washington University, M.S., Psychology

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