Gender Dysphoria

Taylor Smith, she/her, CSWA

“By meeting pain with a tender presence, we transform our wounds and losses into fierce grace.” - Tara Brach

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • InterCoummunity Health Network OHP

  • Private Pay

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 17 to 19

  • Adults

  • Elders (65+)

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Pure Telehealth

My name is Taylor Smith (she/her) and I entered clinical social work because I believe in the power of relationship as a vehicle for growth and healing, and because I also believe it’s important to recognize the systems of power, control, and culture that impact our well being. I strive to be BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ allied and affirming. I value helping individuals find peace and joy in their identity.

Modalities I pull from include: Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR). Teachers who guide me in this work include Tara Brach, Pixie Lighthorse, Nedra Glover Tawwab, Gabor Mate and my own therapist/healing work. An overarching goal I have for clients I work with is for them to build tolerance for the whole spectrum of emotions and learn to experience them as neutral information, or even as wisdom that leads to informed choice.

Experiences that led me down the path of clinical social work include several years of social justice work in Oregon prisons during my undergraduate studies at the University of Oregon and seven years of advocacy and peer counseling for survivors of gender-based violence. I completed my Master of Social Work (MSW) at Portland State University in 2022 and am currently a Certified Social Work Associate (CSWA) under supervision and working towards licensure. For the past year and a half I worked as a behavioral health consultant in a primary care setting addressing whole person health: mental, emotional, physical and day to day functional well being. I look forward to pulling this wider scope into practice here at Stronger Oregon.

Common labels we put on experiences that might be a good fit for my expertise include: anxiety, stress, trauma, abuse, gender affirming care, grief, attachment wounding, codependency, family members of people with addiction, boundary setting work, and life change/transitions. This is a non-exhaustive list and if my approach seems like a good fit for you, I encourage you to reach out!

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.

Sarah Kushner MS, CRC, LPC

Whatever you bring to counseling, there is space for you here. I believe that we all have innate capacity to grow through our difficulties, and that my role is to help you discover and enhance your strengths in a way that compliments who you are at this point in your life.

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • Pacific Source OHP

  • Pacific Source Private Insurance

  • Trillium Community Health Plan OHP

  • InterCommunity Health Network OHP

  • Oregon Health Plan Open Card

  • Regence BCBS

  • Private Pay

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 17 to 19

  • Adults

  • Elders (65+)

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Pure Telehealth

I help Oregonians like you, whether this is your first experience with therapy or you have worked with a counselor before. I take my cues from you, and together we will build a therapeutic relationship focused on achieving your goals. Whether you are dealing with trauma, depression, anxiety, disability and chronic illness, weight stigma, career questions, or other life transitions, I want to help you frame your story, make meaningful progress, and develop clarity.

I use gentle and experiential modalities including brainspotting, mindfulness, and somatic exercises, all designed to heal the relationship between the body and self as we process trauma and difficult life events.

I have a master's degree in counseling from Portland State University. I am a clinical rehabilitation counselor (CRC), which means I am specifically trained to work with disabled and chronically ill clients. I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in Oregon, which means that I have thousands of hours of experience. I am certified in brainspotting, which means I have extensive, personalized training in that modality.

I have worked with a wide-range of clients—BIPOC and white, adolescents, young, middle-aged, and older adults, people of all gender expressions and faiths, people experiencing complex trauma, and formerly incarcerated individuals. No matter who you are, my approach is compassionate, holistic, and strengths-based. I also want to help you develop mindful coping skills to nurture yourself even after our therapeutic relationship has ended.

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.

Lindsey Stewart LPC

Don't give up. I believe in you all. A person's a person. No matter how small. ― Dr. Seuss

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • Pacific Source OHP

  • Pacific Source Private Insurance

  • Regence BCBS

  • Providence

  • Private Pay

  • HealthShare OHP

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 0 to 6

  • Ages 6 to 10

  • Ages 11 to 13

  • Ages 14 to 16

  • Ages 17 to 19

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Pure Telehealth

  • Beaverton Office

I have over 10 years experience working in residential and community settings providing services to youth and their families. I draw from many modalities and adjust based on my client’s needs.

I received my Masters degree in Clinical Counseling from George Fox University in 2013. This new career path came after I had been a foster parent for several years. I have much experience with youth in foster care and their caregivers. I am certified Post Adoption and FosterCare therapist with ORPARC which has given me a strong foundation when working with this population. I also really enjoy working towards reunification goals both with the biological family and the youth as they navigate emotions especially after a long periods in care.

For younger children, I believe their language is play so will often incorporate play therapy techniques in sessions. Parent participation is strongly recommended as young people often struggle with big emotions and don’t know how to express themselves. The best way for me to teach them and incorporate better coping strategies is for them to practice at home as well.

For tweens, teens and young adults I believe developing their voice and autonomy is very important. We will navigate treatment planning and therapy goals collaboratively with parental involvement as necessary. I rely strongly on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy(DBT) for this age believing the positive effects in learning distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation, and mindfulness skills will benefit everyone. DBT is especially effective when treating youth experiencing suicidal ideations or self harm.

I will work with any diagnosis including but not limited to Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, ADHD, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. I am accepting of all cultures, sexual and gender orientations. I look forward to getting to know you and help you be your best self!

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.

Mary Dolson, LCSW

"Our society is much more interested in information than wonder, in noise rather than silence...And I feel that we need a lot more wonder and a lot more silence in our lives." -Mister Rogers

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • Aetna

  • OHP Open Card

  • HealthShare OHP

  • InterCommunity Health Network OHP

  • Jackson Care Connect OHP

  • Oregon Health Plan Open Card

  • Pacific Source Private Insurance

  • Pacific Source OHP

  • Private Pay

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 0 to 6

  • Ages 6 to 10

  • Ages 17 to 19

  • Adults

  • Elders (65+)

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Telehealth

  • Beaverton Office

I am Mary Dolson, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oregon. I hold a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work and I am a trained Psychotherapist.

I practice strengths-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy with an emphasis on the neuroscience psychological effect between our body, our emotions and our brain.

I studied clinical social work at Simmons University with an emphasis on trauma and neurology.

I spent the past 5 years working on forensic teams supporting individuals recently released from incarceration and working alongside Multnomah County and Federal Probation officers. During this time I worked with a Portland community health center to start a program addressing ADHD treatment as it relates to substance use and traumatic events.

Alongside my forensic experience I am a parent, a former preschool director, a tortoise owner and a front porch bird watcher.

In this work I have always been honored to be the witness to our ability to change, rebuild and thrive. I look forward to meeting you.

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.

Jesse Johnson, CSWA

“Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced,” -James Baldwin

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • InterCommunity Health Network OHP

  • Kaiser Permanente

  • Pacific Source Private Insurance

  • Pacific Source OHP

  • Private Pay

  • Providence

  • Regence BCBS

  • Trillium OHP

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 6 to 10

  • Ages 11 to 13

  • Ages 14 to 16

  • Ages 17 to 19

  • Adults

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Telehealth

  • Beaverton Office

You are here. So, you are motivated to make change! I know life is challenging! It brings many hardships and sometimes, we might need a little support navigating them. My goal is to create a safe space where we can be open, honest, and authentic in our communication, and work collaboratively together to navigate the obstacles preventing you from reaching your full potential. I have experience working with youth and adults. I offer support in a wide range of issues including anxiety, family relationship concerns, racial identity, and trauma.

I’ve seen how culture and ethnicity can influence the realm of therapy. As a black clinician, I naturally specialize in understanding the needs of people of color and can relate to their experiences, and I’m equally passionate about supporting and guiding individuals from all backgrounds.

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.

Tabitha Michelle CSWA

“When you least expect it, Nature has cunning ways of finding our weakest spot…Right now you may not want to feel anything. Perhaps you never wished to feel anything…But feel something you obviously did. …If there is pain, nurse it. And if there is a flame, don’t snuff it out. Don’t be brutal with it. We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster…But to make yourself feel nothing so as not to feel anything ― what a waste!” - André Aciman

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • Cigna

  • Pacific Source Private Insurance

  • InterCommunity Health Network OHP

  • Regence BCBS

  • Providence

  • Kaiser Permanent

  • Private Pay

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 17 to 19

  • Adults

  • Elders (65+)

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Telehealth

  • Medford Office

Do you feel disconnected & detached? Are you struggling to find peace & security with yourself or in your relationships? Our minds & bodies are interdependent- so reliant on one another that they often try to protect themselves by splitting apart or shutting down. Pain, loss, & stress are unavoidable & it can be so tempting to numb ourselves to try to minimize their impact. Inevitably, we numb the good along with the bad.

As a Master in Social Work and pre-licensed clinician I’ve worked with clients of all ages and circumstances, but have dedicated much of my personal study over the years to sex and relationship dynamics. In my private practice, I specialized in working with clients who are in relationship transitions. Some may be seeking conscious uncoupling, navigating painful breakups, identifying and understanding patterns in romantic or platonic relationships, shifting from monogamy into polyamory or other partnership structures, or working to better understand their own bodies when it comes to sex, sexuality, and gender experiences alone and with peers or partners.

Whether you have a specific goal in mind, need someone to offer blanket support, or seek to learn and practice new skills, I can incorporate interventions from a variety of modalities, including compassion-focused therapy, narrative therapy, CBT, DBT, art therapy, EFT-tapping, attachment-based therapy, Gestalt, eclectic therapy, somatic therapy, and mindfulness & guided meditation. We all need something different to tap into our unique healing and growth. Vulnerability is uncomfortable at best but so very necessary, & I would be honored to accompany you on a journey to find your way to face these challenges with confidence, strength, grace, & resilience.

I am happy you’re here, & I can’t wait to meet you!

My practice is person-centered, which means it is anti-capitalist and liberationist: for fat bodies, for LGBTQIA+ bodies, for disabled bodies, and for black and brown bodies first and foremost.

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.

Sarah Holland, Professional Counselor Associate

My approach to healing is holistic and utilizes client centered, strength based practices that are designed to help the individual find their way back to a place of balance. With specialized training in trauma healing and experience working with clients ranging from pre-verbal children through adulthood, I strive to create an environment of safety where the client is able to move at their own pace through their unique set of obstacles and toward experiencing a deeper sense of wellness.

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • InterCommunity Health Network OHP

  • OHP Open Card

  • Pacific Source Private Insurance

  • Regence BCBS,

  • Providence

  • Private Pay

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 0 to 6

  • Ages 6 to 10

  • Ages 11 to 13

  • Ages 14 to 16

  • Ages 17 to 19

  • Adults

  • Elders (65+)

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Pure Telehealth

  • Medford Office

When we bring consciousness to unconscious patterns of thoughts and behaviors and heal areas that have been wounded, we regain the option of choice where there previously wasn't.

I draw on training in client centered approaches to mental health counseling such as Somatic Experiencing, Gestalt therapy, and Humanistic Psychotherapy. I have also studied behavior based approaches to therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. In each session I work to assess the needs of the individual and tailor the treatment provided with the necessary balance of structure and exploration. I specialize in taking a trauma informed approach, focusing on the client feeling safe enough to explore difficult areas that have been challenging with curiosity and openness. In this exploration unconscious areas become more consciousness and one has an increased sense of agency and choice.

My formal education includes an M.A. in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA and completion of the 3 year Somatic Experiencing Training. I also have work experience in the fields of child and youth therapy and substance use disorder treatment.

I have lived Internationally which allows for heightened cultural sensitivity, and am able to work with clients in both English and Spanish.

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.

Julio Valdez-Nolasco CSWA

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." - Viktor E. Frankl

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • Pacific Source OHP

  • Oregon Health Plan Open Card

  • Providence, Private Pay

  • InterCommunity Health Network OHP

  • Jackson Care Connect OHP

  • PacificSource Commercial

  • Pacific Source Private Insurance

  • Regence BCBS

  • Private Pay

  • Kaiser Permanente

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 14 to 16

  • Ages 17 to 19

  • Adults

  • Elders (65+)

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Telehealth

  • Milwaukie Office

  • Beaverton Office

Bilingual in Spanish and English

I was raised in Minnesota and later moved to California, where I earned my MSW at Loma Linda University. I spent five years working with the homeless population before transitioning to a more therapeutic setting. Although I initially began as a group therapist, my focus has shifted to individual therapy.

In my practice, I employ a non-judgmental and person-centered approach. I integrate motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) modalities. Additionally, I may incorporate dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills during the therapeutic process. I am committed to helping individuals establish and work towards ongoing goals, recognizing and respecting the existence of limitations in the therapeutic journey. I create a supportive space where people can use their natural abilities to grow personally and overcome their challenges.

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.

Kayla Boyd, Professional Counselor Associate

Hello! My name is Kayla and I am a Professional Counselor Associate working towards my professional licensure. I quite literally like long walks on the beach, chasing waterfalls and getting lost in nature, in the stars and in a good book. Getting lost in nature and books and the stories they possess helps ground me and remind me of my purpose, my story and the bright spots around me and I hope to spread some of that light to others who may need it for writing and finding their own stories.

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • Pacific Source OHP

  • Pacific Source Private Insurance

  • Regence BCBS

  • Providence

  • Private Pay

  • Kaiser Permanente

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 6 to 10

  • Ages 11 to 13

  • Ages 14 to 16

  • Ages 17 to 19

  • Adults

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Pure Telehealth

  • Springfield Eugene Office

I believe that every individual has the ability to grow, change and live a life that they are not only proud of, but a life that they feel safe in and in charge of. I believe that everyone is full of potential and has resiliency to overcome the hard and difficult things that life throws their way. I also believe that people should not have to go through these things alone. I want to offer that safe place where people can come and know that they have someone on their team and someone who will be there to sit with them in the dark times as well as the happy ones.

I tend to utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness as well as enjoy using Narrative and Expressive arts. I do use a multi-modal approach because I believe that there is no “cookie cutter” approach to counseling, that not every person can fit into one specific approach, but instead that there is an approach for every person. I aim to work with my clients at their level and with an approach/s that is best suited for them and their needs. Meeting my clients where they are at is an important foundation to the work that I do. Whether you need gentleness and guidance, someone who will challenge you and be direct or a mixture of both, we can adjust to your needs to help you feel more safe and in charge of you.

I attended Oregon State University and graduated with my Bachelor’s in Psychology with a minor in Public Health in June 2017. I took a year off to work with Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in a 24 hour Residential setting and continued that work there through my graduate school career. In 2018, I then went on to pursue my Masters of Arts degree with a focus on Mental Health Counseling and graduated in May 2022. During the final year of my degree (May 2021-May 2022) I worked as a Child and Family Therapist-Intern at Trillium Family Services-Children’s Farm gaining experience in Individual, Family and Group counseling with Adolescents 12-17 years old in a residential secure adolescent inpatient psychiatric facility. I continued my time at the Children's Farm Home after graduation as a full-time Child and Family Therapist until January 2024.

I have experience working with teens with severe depression, anxiety, impulse control, mood instability, ADHD, PTSD, family relational issues, psychosis, attachment issues, self-esteem issues and behavioral/anger/violent outbursts. I have had a passion for working with these small humans and transitional age youth. However, not a teen?? Don’t worry! There is an inner child and teen in all of us that still needs nurtured and cared for. Skills used with children and teens transfer to adults as well and I am excited to help adults through life's ups and downs as well. Life is a journey and I am honored to help be a part of bringing you back to you.

Quote: "It is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change"

-HRM Queen Elizabeth II

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.

Kimber Gunter, Professional Counselor Associate

I am an LGBTQ+ Identified counselor. My passion is helping others find healing, and acceptance for themselves while being a support in their self-discovery, and journey to being the best version of themselves.

­­Before Booking

Please be Sure One Option from Each Section is True

Insurances Accepted                                                        

  • Kaiser Permanente

  • Providence

  • Pacific Source Commercial

  • Private Pay

  • Regence BCBS

Age of Client                                                                     

  • Ages 6 to 10

  • Ages 11 to 13

  • Ages 14 to 16

  • Ages 17 to 19

Locations of Services (If Available)                               

  • Pure Telehealth

  • Salem Office

  • North Sanitam School District

Welcome! As you may already know, counseling may be tied to stigma, and can feel like a scary place to begin - Know that you are not alone! Many people seek counseling for a variety of reasons: tragedy, trauma, stress, relationships, overwhelming feelings, loss of purpose, depression, anxiety, lack of self-worth and value, and sometimes just to have a non-biased person to be able to let it all out with.

Though counseling may carry a stigma, it can be a very empowering, healing, and rewarding journey. The fact that you made it here shows you are taking the first steps in finding the right counselor for you.

It is my belief that every individual has the ability to reach and maintain their desired state of being through the counseling process. I am passionate about helping individuals achieve self-awareness, and acceptance while providing a safe space for exploration, processing, and implementation of change to occur. My therapeutic orientation is grounded in humanistic, person-centered, and CBT approaches. These approaches are highly effective when being used in a conducive, and collaborative therapeutic relationship.

Whether or not you choose me as your counselor, I am proud of you for making it this far in your search for the right counselor for you! Counseling Heals!

Stronger Oregon Admin Message:

Availability is updated once a day, or less, leading to your chosen provider possibly not being available. Please call for the most accurate information and fastest assignment.