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Leslie E.
Carter, PhD
".
. . helping people find balance in their lives again."
Psychological
evaluations and treatment for individuals of all ages and families emphasizing
learning problems, developmental disabilities, chronic medical illnesses or
general mental health issues (e.g. anxiety and depression).
Carter
Counseling and Consulting, PC
9600 SW Oak,
Suite 280 |
Work: |
503-807-7413 |
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Tigard, Oregon
97223
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Voice Mail: |
503-601-5400 x511 |
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Fax: |
503-935-5884 |
| Disabled Accessible:
Yes |
E-Mail: |
Lcarter004@earthlink.net |
Location: |
SW Portland/City of Tigard |
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The
office is located in the
Plaza
West
Building
near Washington Square Mall in Tigard (
SW Portland
). Take the
Greenburg Road
Exit of Hwy 217. Turn toward the mall (east) on Greenburg and take a
right on the first side street (Oak) on the east side of the freeway. Plaza
West is the first building on the right. |
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Degrees: |
Doctorate (Ph.D.) |
Clinical Psychology |
|
Master of Science
(M.S.) |
Clinical Psychology |
Licenses: |
Oregon Licensed Psychologist |
|
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| Advanced Training & Certifications: |
Ph.D. in
clinical psychology with specialization in Medical psychology.
Residency and Post
Doctoral training: Chronic Pain Management, Physical Rehabilitation
Psychology, and Neuropsychology.
Clinical Supervisor
Certification completed at
Portland
State
University
.
Extensive training in
Learning Disabilities, Autism, Asperger's and Attention Deficit Disorder.
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| Availability: |
Routine - I can usually see routine patients on a weekly basis if they wish.
I can usually schedule new clients within a week of first contact. |
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| Affiliations: |
American Psychological
Association (APA) |
|
American Pain Society
(APS)
Oregon Psychological Association (OPA)
American Mental Health Alliance - Oregon (AMHA-OR)
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Fees: |
Insurance billing rate - $165 per 50 minute session. Insurance Intake rate
- $260 per 70 minute session. (Sometimes co-pay amounts can be
negotiated). Cash pay discount $140 per 50 minute session. Cash pay intake
rate: $210 per 70 minute session. |
Specialization
| Autism |
Asperger's & ADHD |
| Assessment of Learning and Thinking Abilities |
Chronic Pain Rehabilitation |
| Individual and Family Counseling |
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Focus of Practice & Interests
| Autism & Aspergers |
Pain Management |
| Parenting
Children with Autism, Asperger's, ADHD and other special needs, Assessment
of adults and children with learning and thinking challenges, Counseling
for self esteem, social skills, etc. for special needs individuals, IEP
Development and School Advocacy.
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Individual
or Family counseling for adjustment to chronic pain, medical illnesses,
and other disabilities, Assessment for chronic pain and disability for
legal or medical purposes, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety
and Depression, Individual and family therapy for general mental health.
|
Background & Experience
| Private Practice |
Physical Rehabilitation Hospitals |
| Community Mental Health Clinic |
Clinical Director of Pain Rehabilitation
Program. |
| Child Psychiatry Clinic |
Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation |
| Domestic Violence Crisis Line |
Stroke/Brain Injury Rehabilitation |
| Pain and Anxiety Researcher |
Obesity Rehabilitation |
| Community Speaker/College Instructor |
Pulmonary Rehabilitation |
Patient & Client Populations
Served
|
Children of all ages, adolescent, adults and elders |
Orientation & Approach
| As a psychologist, I
recognize that each person is on a unique journey and therefore my
approach is different depending on his or her needs.
Some people come into therapy very confused and benefit from a few
suggestions to get them started. For
those people a cognitive behavioral approach may be useful for a while.
Cognitive behavioral techniques can be very efficient in treating
certain conditions like anxiety, depression, panic and low self-esteem.
Others may rebel against such suggestions and benefit from more of
a self-discovery approach for which I draw on a humanistic/existential
perspective. Both
perspectives allow for supportive exploration of past and current patterns
of strengths and weaknesses and encourage gradual life change in a safe
environment. We explore
thoughts and feelings that may no longer accurately describe who we are
and that we wish to change. The
goal is to become more confident about who you want to be and learn the
skills to keep your life moving in that direction. |
Personal Comments
I bring to my
profession a rich range of life experiences including being raised on a
local farm, racing sailboats, climbing mountains, playing music, living in
different regions of the United States and over-seas.
Most importantly, I am a mother and life partner to my husband.
As a result, I bring a certain practical perspective to my work and
have learned that everyone has strengths, talents and important things to
say even if they may have forgotten what they are.
My goal is to help people remember them and discover other
qualities and skills they may not have even realized they had. Knowing where a person is starting from is only the first
step in the journey of recovery and self-discovery.
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. |
Articles & Papers by
Leslie E. Carter, Ph.D:
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