Family Therapy in Lake Oswego, OR

We are a small group practice of three experienced therapist. We provide a warm, validating and supportive approach to therapy. We will be there to support and encourage you. We believe you will experience healing, growth and change. We know it takes courage to take that first step and we are committed to partnering with you on your healing journey. We are dedicated to you and your healing!

Sexual Addictions & Trauma affects everyone in the Family. Betrayal Trauma is a natural response to secrets & lying. It must be treated as primary for the relationship to heal. Many families experience Multiple Generations of Addictions, Abuse & Neglect. Family participation is strongly encouraged but not required. Couples & Families are often in crisis from a lack of support during discovery & disclosure of Sexual Addictions. Full Disclosure is encouraged in a safe, structured process with support. Accountability is the Cornerstone of Restoring Trust & Intimacy for couples & families recovering from Sexual Addictions. Recovery from Sexual Addictions involves restoration of Healthy Sexual Balance.

Our lives are filled with relationships: friendship, significant other, parent, child, intimate partner, etc. When our relationships are struggle, so do other areas of life. Frequently, feelings of depression, anger, or stress coincide with disconnection of a significant, meaningful relationship. This feeling of disconnection is threatening and scary; allowing for thoughts of abandonment, and feeling alone. Unfortunately, this results in an increased feeling of disconnection in our most important relationships.

I help people understand how they impact and are impacted by relationships. We work to uncover beneficial and effective ways to improve or change these relationships. I also help people address and change the impact of depression and/or anxiety in their lives so that they are better able to enjoy life and their relationships.

Are you longing to find an easier way of managing the demands of work, couplehood, and family? Are you looking for more peace in your core relationships? I would love to help. I help Women & Couples find a better balance, communicate in a healthier, stronger way, and find the peace you hoped for at this stage of your life. I am a compassionate partner to help you sort through the tangles of life. I get it---I'm a parent too and understand how challenging it can be. [Set up a free consultation at https://calendly.com/heartwisesusan/free-consultation]

My goal is to provide a supportive environment and to establish a working relationship with individuals and families seeking strategies to improve their overall sense of well-being and daily functioning. In our first appointment, we will work to identify current concerns and learn skills to help address stress, anxiety, mood, motivation, problem solving and improved communication. Over time, I hope that clients will gain insight into the origins of current issues, develop an array of useful coping and interpersonal skills and more adaptive thought processes to create lasting and positive changes.

Experience passion in your marriage and fun in your family. You've spent years building an exceptional family, career, and life but recently have hit a snag. It might be a lack of intimacy in your marriage, a child who isn't thriving in school, sports, or emotional health, or a feeling that you're stuck--simultaneously overwhelmed and uninspired.

Is life becoming challenging, overwhelming, confusing, unfair, and more? I understand! I have over 28 years of experience supporting people struggling with a variety of issues - depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma & PTSD, grief & loss, life changes, abuse, and more. I personally and professionally understand the dynamics that accompany many of these life challenges.

As a therapist I am warm, compassionate, strength-based, authentic, and open-minded. I strongly believe that individuals and families are resilient and can grow and heal when engaged in a collaborative process with the right therapist. I will work together with you to make sure that you feel supported in your journey towards healing and growth. I am highly collaborative, authentic, and transparent. I will always strive to find the best approach for you and/or your family. I endeavor to create an environment that fosters mutual respect, growth, curiosity, and hope.

I am looking for couple clients such as monogamous, heterosexual, queer and sexually fluid, trans, cohabitating, and married couples. Also, I specialize in racially diverse couples such as Black/African American, Latinx, Asian, and interracial/interethnic couples. The prominent presenting issues I work with couples on range from communication issues, conflict resolution, blended family stress to infidelity, and infertility. Then, for individual clients, I am looking for women and men clients, specially focusing on male, men of color, and women of color clients.

With over 30 years of experience working in clinical, inpatient, and educational settings, I am passionate about supporting individuals in finding happiness and personal success. The depth of my professional background provides me with an expanded range of experience addressing individual anxiety, trauma, depression, attachment issues, ADHD, OCD, learning challenges and couples and family dynamics. For those looking for an experience of warm support, true change, and an a setting free from judgment, my therapy practice offers the opportunity to learn about yourself and grow.

Have you reached a crossroads in life? Has the comfort of the status quo shifted and left you feeling out-of-sorts? Perhaps you're burned out at work, overwhelmed by family obligations, or in a relationship that's run its course. These are just a few examples of life transitions that can leave you feeling stuck, depressed, anxious or lost.

Do you feel that you and your family have been struggling lately? are you, or your family members struggling with anything that you are not certain how to deal with? No matter how much you have tried things seem to be the same or seem to be getting worse for you and your family? Do you feel accepted and understood?

I approach therapy as a collaborative process with my clients identifying areas they want to improve then working with them toward achieving those goals. Whether in relation to managing general life stressors, family or relationship problems, addiction, mood or anxiety disturbance, sexually-related challenges, or employment issues, I conceptualize my role as supporting clients to identify, then enact the choices most likely to produce the changes they desire.

There are times in all of our lives when problems arise. Some are easily managed and others are not. Individual therapy involves working on a one-on-one basis with a therapist to plan and to create positive changes in your life. People come for therapy for a number of different reasons including treatment for depression, anxiety, relationship struggles, dissatisfaction with life, alcohol abuse, resolving past trauma, feelings of emptiness, abuse and stress management. Additionally, ongoing therapy is a common and useful means for self-growth. A therapist needs to be a good 'fit' and I believe that trust is earned and sacred.

As a therapist, I know there are times when we feel lost or lack confidence to navigate through critical and life-changing circumstances. Although we often have many strengths and skills, we have difficulty accessing these during periods of family changes or crises, depression, anxiety, or prolonged grief/loss. In therapy, I will facilitate the process of helping you reconnect with your strengths and discover new skills, strategies, and resources toward a more healthier approach to life challenges.

I work primarily with adults, couples, and professionals in managing a wide range of mental health issues and challenges, such as Anxiety, Depression, Intimacy, Communication problems, Learning differences, Self-esteem, Health issues, Life Transitions, Grief & loss, Professional/Work issues, Family and Relationship stress and estrangement. We work together toward your goals in discovering and learning new ways of managing stress, anxiety, and depression that limit connection and options to move forward that are unique to you. Clients can develop, learn, and experience joy and meaning.

Are you, your family, or your children struggling? Are you looking for additional support? I provide nurturing, customized, and effective psychotherapy to children, teens, and adults. I offer in person and tele-health. I offer play therapy in a room dedicated to children and adolescents. Clients tell me they experience full acceptance, empathy, and positive change in our work together. We find glimmers of hope, and strategies for change to make life better for you, your child, or your family. I look forward to hearing from you!

Working with children, teens, young adults, and families has been a passion and a trained specialty of mine for over 10 years. I have experience in working with individuals and their families in dealing with substance abuse, grief, neurodevelopmental issues (autism), behavioral problems, relationship issues, anxiety, depression, along with other challenges of day-to-day living. If seeking an autism, psychological or academic assessment, I provide a full battery of testing, complete evaluation report, feedback session, and any necessary follow-up to ensure you get the resources your family needs.