Tigard, Oregon   97223-5481

When life feels good we are challenged and directed in ways that are stimulating and enjoyable.  Sometimes, however, adversity throws us off balance and we lose our way.  During these times life may seem extremely stressful, frightening, and confusing or just plain frustrating and stuck.  It is during times like these that it is helpful to talk about those difficult to discuss problems.  It is important to have a place to explore your confusion and regain the balance in your life:  a place to say things that others can’t easily hear or understand.  My role is to try to create a place to discuss things that might be uncomfortable to talk about with friends and family: to create a partnership that facilitates growth, understanding and clarity from the confusion.  A place not just to talk about change, but to plan it and accomplish it.

Although I work with people with many types of problems about 50% of my practice includes helping individuals and families impacted by chronic medical illnesses (e.g., fibromyalgia, chronic back pain, obesity, spinal cord injuries, autism, etc).  For these people I think from a physical rehabilitation perspective in addition to my usual orientation.  I help individuals and their families understand the physical and psychological issues before them, but also keep in mind what referrals to other community resources they may need to improve their quality of life (e.g., physical therapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture, medical physician, naturopathic physician, pharmacist).  My existential perspective allows me to explore how their sense of identity may have changed as a result of their illness and how that effects their relationships with others.  Parents of autistic children may also need referrals to community resources and time to grieve the loss of expectations and deal with the ongoing challenges of supporting challenged children.  The challenge for everyone struggling with chronic illnesses is balancing the need for your own self-care with the needs of others around you who may not fully understand the challenges you face.