Sally Adelman, LCSW

3434 SW Kelly Ave Work: 503-348-9811
Portland, Oregon   97239 Voice Mail: same
Fax: 503-223-3279
Disabled Accessible: No E-Mail: sally.adelman@comcast.net

Location:

SW Portland
Near the entrance to the Ross Island Bridge in the Lair Hill neighborhood.

Degrees:

Masters in Social Work

Portland State University
Licenses: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Training & Certifications:
Availability: I will see any new client in one week of initial contact. If there are urgent circumstances which necessitate a quicker response, we can schedule sooner if needed.
Affiliations: NASW
WTPNW
AMHA 

Fees:

Initial appt - $135, Indiv/Couple/Family - $90/hr
Non-billing discount ($80-$50) available for those without insurance or those who would prefer to pay directly.

Specialization

Adolescent Issues Mindfulness skills
Anxiety/Depression Couples Therapy

Focus of Practice & Interests

Relationship Concerns – couples (straight, gay, bi, polyamorous), families, friends, roommates, coworkers - communication issues, blocks in connection, self-awareness and positive assertiveness, sexuality Adolescent Issues - mood swings, school and social frustrations, interpersonal conflicts with friends or family, relationship development, empowered decision making
Anxiety/Depression – working with difficult emotions and challenging thinking patterns Body image issues/Eating disorders
Self harm behaviors and trauma – severe internalized pain Family conflict/Divorce/Blended family systems
Spirituality/Creativity/Mindfulness practice Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer community/LGBT families
Grief/Loss

Life Transitions

Background & Experience

18 years of therapy experience Have counseled people with broad variety of concerns from many different cultures
Community Mental Health Individual and Family Therapist High School Health Clinic Psychotherapist
Private Psychotherapy Practice

Training in short-term therapies with a strong collaborative ethic, feminist therapy, cultural and sexual diversity, mindfulness therapies and meditation practice.

Patient & Client Populations Served

Adolescents (12+) Adults
Couples LGBTQ

Orientation & Approach

I am greatly interested in people, our lives and stories, and the impact of our surrounding culture.  My focus is on expanding freedom of action, emotion and expression through awareness of how our old stories limit us and developing mindful ways of orienting towards our values.  My style is warm, informal, and respectful.  In therapy, we use exploration, creativity, and humor to connect to life and others in awake ways. 

Personal Comments

In this crazy, confusing and painful world, how do we find a sense of belonging?  How do we risk connecting with others in heartfelt ways? 

  The culture we live in encourages us to adopt a system of evaluation in which our successes and failures are seen as a description of our character and personhood.  So, many of us live with a constant sense of never feeling good enough – there’s always something more to prove, something more we must need that we believe will finally give us total satisfaction.  Meanwhile, the present is endured and not savored – our focus on past worries and future hopes.  Our hearts are armored with fears of not measuring up and judgments of others.

  Therapy can become a window into our own values and beliefs in a way that creates a strong, grounded foundation and a compass for our life.  With a sense of what is truly important, we can slow down the mad dash into the future and the blame of the past.  We can begin to open more fully to the present and to risk opening our hearts to others.

Articles and Papers by Sally Adelman: