being gentle, kind, funny, understanding, approachable, and knowledgeable. I do my best to offer safe space to explore difficult topics, to gently question, summarize, provide reflection, and to assist the client in gaining perspective on an issue. Clients have expressed thanks in having a variety of interventions available to them – including writing prompts, storytelling, mindfulness activities, art explorations, and somatic exercises.
to meet my clients where they are at, without judgment or expectation, and provide inquiry, support, and perspective. All emotions are honored within our sessions, and each insight is explored for meaning and connection.
“get out of your head and into your hands”, which speaks to my offering of art therapy to my clients. There is great power in making!
I have found the most authentic way to support change for clients is to move forward fearlessly, with hope, an open mind, and a nod to practicality, safety, and the client’s hopes and dreams.
One of my greatest goals in addressing a client’s concerns is to be honest and to maintain unconditional positive regard. In simpler terms, I strive to accept and support my clients no matter what they say or do. I wholeheartedly believe that they are capable of making positive choices, and I value my role of supporting their exploration of what are the best choices for them. Regarding their concerns, I try my best to listen with focus to any concerns they share, acknowledge how difficult it might have been for them to share those concerns, and work with the client to brainstorm ways to seek repair, resolution, and new possibilities.
I specialize working with persons who need a safe and supportive space to explore their past traumas, experiences, and things which might be holding them back from being their best self. I find my approach has been especially effective for persons who appreciate a gentle approach, who are open to trying out new creative things, and need a validating and healing experience.
I am most passionate about helping persons who have not found a therapist in the past who could relate to their traumatic experiences, especially in high-control religions or cults, restrictive and authoritative upbringings, and instances of brainwashing and gaslighting. I can also provide specialized support in assisting clients with recovery from harmful homeschooling experiences and through their deconstruction process.
Thus far in my graduate training and professional career, I have worked primarily with adults, ages 20-70+. These individuals have participated in process groups I have designed and co-led focusing on life transitions and regaining spirituality, as well as clinical art therapy groups and treatment planning and therapeutic sessions for individuals who live with the diagnoses of PTSD, C-PTSD, ADD/ADHD, Antisocial Personality, Anxiety, Depression, Restricted Eating, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, Borderline, and Dual Diagnoses, as well as persons experiencing SI and Psychosis. I have experience working in a residential Crisis Respite facility, as well as co-facilitating groups in private and group practices.
I can provide talk therapy and a wide variety of creative interventions to my focus populations, including art-making, writing, movement, mindfulness activities, dream work, narrative tools, and personal symbolism. I am open to whatever the client is willing to try, and I always respect boundaries, access to supplies, and other practical and personal concerns. As a client and I continue our work together, I will offer ideas at each session which might support the client’s goals, and provide clear instructions and prompts to deepen the client’s experience.
Individual Online Psychotherapy & Art Therapy (Adults) in Oregon and Therapeutic Coaching elsewhere
I’ve always enjoyed helping people, but often found myself wanting more tools beyond just listening (though that is super important too!). I received peer-to-peer training in high school, volunteered as a peer counselor during my undergrad years, and knew I wanted to find a way to combine traditional therapy along with incorporating creative interventions, if possible. I discovered art therapy several years ago, when the closest brick-and-mortar program was taught at a local university. When that school closed, the program moved to Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education & Counseling, which is where I ultimately received my Master’s degree. I appreciate having even more “tools in my tool box” of therapeutic approaches to complement talk therapy, and continually try to learn new things!
I have had my fair share of challenges in life, which I hope helps me be more present and understanding to my client’s experiences. I was homeschooled in a very isolated setting, so socially I have always felt like I was “playing catch up”. I am a survivor of a high-control religion, and continue to strive to bring exposure to the traumas unique to those environments. I have also held positions of leadership within a corporate setting, and as a short-statured person (being 4’8″), I have always felt I had to work harder to prove myself. I highly respect the challenges presented by any intersection of these traumas, and all others as well, and will continue to recognize and validate the short and long-term effects they can have upon individuals, including relationship difficulties, loss of memory, and trust issues.
Components of one client’s experience in particular stand out clearly in my mind. This was a client who had never tried anything “creative” in their life, and shared that they were hesitant to try out an art therapy group. After their first couple of groups, they realized that it touched a part of their life, memories, and experience that nothing else ever had. They noted on multiple occasions that though they “didn’t want to go, they knew they needed to”, which resulted in one of the single most effective therapeutic experiences and progress in individual goals I have ever witnessed. I believe deeply in the process, and marvel often at the magic that is utilizing creative interventions to tap into deep wells of knowledge and experiences in each of us.
One of my very favorite classes I have ever taken is Puppetry & Doll-making, and I found it to be a deeply personal and enlightening intervention. I have found that creating a character out of any materials you have available – be they toilet paper tubes, scraps of cloth, or clothes pins – and imbibing them with a personality and a backstory can touch a very deep part of your own personal story. I highly recommend it to everyone, and believe it to be an invaluable tool in explorating your own narrative, delving into generational trauma, weaving one’s own mythology, and expressing thoughts and fears. I would love to invite clients to explore this activity with me!
Good question… I think it would be “I believe you”. Having experienced parts of my life where I wasn’t believed, existing within systems where I held very little control over my own agency, decisions, or circumstances, I think the most valuable gift I have received, and can give to another, is to believe them. I try my best not to judge, and very, very little surprises me, so I welcome clients to share their honest reactions to sensitive and painful situations. I hold sacred the opportunity to explore those vulnerable spaces, and do my best to frame, hold space, and provide perspective on situations where the client experienced trauma at the hands of others.
I join the Seshio community with a lifelong love of art and helping people. I’ve had a varied and rewarding professional career, including many years of retail visual merchandising and management, work at an online school of holistic medicine, and volunteer positions ranging from supporting local art organizations to stewarding a Little Free Library.
I graduated in 2024 from the Master of Art Therapy program at Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling in Portland, Oregon. I received my Bachelor of Art – Studio Art/Drawing degree from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. I am working towards full licensure as both a professional counselor and art therapist, and am receiving supervision in both areas. I am also pursuing a certificate in Religious Trauma Studies from the Global Center of Religious Research.
I am excited about utilizing a remote therapeutic model because it not only supports various accessibility needs but also brings individuals together over a greater distance and with greater flexibility. I value consent, vulnerability, and the importance of unconditional positive regard. I am passionate about meeting people where they are at, whatever that looks like, and approaching each challenge with creativity, evidence-based training, compassion, and a good sense of humor!
In addition to talk therapy I also provide art therapy. To prospective clients who are unfamiliar with this therapeutic format and might feel some hesitancy, please allow me to share the following thoughts:
“You don’t need to be an artist to participate in art therapy! This form of therapy is all about getting ‘out of your head and into your hands’ and is more about the process than the product. More than anything, if someone discovers something new about themselves or gains additional insight into their healing journey, I consider that a valuable experience and another indicator of the supportive qualities of art therapy. I am excited to share a full range of creative and therapeutic experiences with the Seshio community!”
I honor the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, respect accessibility needs, and realize my privilege within the therapeutic relationship. I recognize that each of us lives with our own intersectionality of traumas, experiences, burdens, and gifts, and I never wish to place greater value on my experiences and viewpoints at the expense of someone from a marginalized and/or underserved population.
I have had the honor of working with marginalized communities within both my volunteering and professional experiences, and work from a social justice and trauma-informed lens. I provided volunteer support to an organization which serves female-identifying and non-gender-conforming individuals utilizing radical hospitality, and also supported individuals experiencing homelessness, systematic injustice, and lack of resources within my Crisis Respite work.
I have had the privilege of serving many underrepresented communities, including unhoused individuals, persons with dual diagnoses, non-binary and non-gender-conforming folx, and individuals who have experienced significant trauma. I have provided trauma-informed one-on-one and group therapy to hundreds of persons, including clinical art therapy groups, open studios, and process groups. I have also supported individuals seeking skill-building around their unique challenges and gifts, as well as organizational and communication tools. I am committed to serving these communities and am always seeking new skills and resources to share with my clients.
First, I remember the privilege I enjoy as a White, able-bodied, English-speaking, educated, cis-gender female. Then, I ask a lot of questions, and LISTEN. The person in front of me is the expert on their culture, their experiences, and the discrimination they have experienced. From there, I invite collaboration on incorporating their community and their traditions into the work we do, always remembering the systems and intersections they function within. I strive to not be an “expert” designing and implementing the help I think they need… I want their voice to ring loudly in every interaction and every goal set during our work together.
Primary:
Extended:
I love getting together with friends to make art. Several of my old classmates and I get together fairly regularly to make collages and check in with one another. Community is so important, and connecting with my friends definitely helps keep me grounded and “fills my cup”.
I’m not sure if anyone remembers it, but grocery stores used to have coloring contests back in the day. They would hand out the same coloring page to kids in the community, and would tack them up all over the check-out area when they were returned. The submissions would be judged by staff and management of the store, usually with different age categories. These were anxiously-awaited events in my household, and I’m not too proud to admit that I’m something akin to Coloring Contest royalty. My biggest haul was winning a stuffed rabbit as big as I was.
First off, Star Trek – not Star Wars. I’m a sucker for the original series. I’m a nerd at heart… whether that be cosplaying at Comic Cons or playing with Legos. I try to stay in touch with my inner kiddo, and that kiddo loves collecting memorabilia (a personal highlight is owning some of the props from the Spice Shop from the show Grimm), 80’s Saturday morning cartoons, and Wonder Woman.
I currently receive supervision as I am working towards full licensure as both a Registered Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Oregon. My current title is Associate Mental Health Therapist. In this role at Seshio, I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues and continuing to gain knowledge and experience to better serve my clients.
I am currently working towards completing a certificate in Religious Trauma Studies, which I will use to better serve survivors of religious and spiritual abuse, and persons who have left high-control groups. A professional goal of mine is to continue finding ways to support those communities utilizing art therapy, and I am going to be co-presenting a paper on that topic at the American Art Therapy Association’s 2025 National Conference. I am also pursuing teaching Continuing Education (CE) workshops at the graduate level on the utilization of creative interventions in support of these populations, with a focus on practical applications.
My theoretical orientation is Person-Centered, also known as Humanistic or Rogerian. It was created by Carl R. Rogers, who practiced “unconditional positive regard” (and whose work was carried on by his daughter, Natalie Rogers). I prefer it because I believe that individuals are the best experts on their experiences, and that as a therapist, I shouldn’t judge them but instead partner with them during their healing journey. I also highly value the therapeutic relationship, and strive to seek understanding of the client’s needs and goals.
Licenses & Credentials:
Degrees & Education:
Ongoing Education:
Currently, I am in the application and writing phase to begin teaching Continuing Education (CE) courses at the graduate level. I am exploring ways of utilizing creative interventions to support religious trauma survivors. This research will also be utilized in future projects, and hopefully incorporated in curriculum for future Art Therapy and/or Religious Trauma groups.
I hope to further my research into the power of symbolism and storytelling by seeking certification over the next few years in both Sand Tray therapy and the use of SoulCollage. I am excited about the possibilities of using these two methodologies via a remote platform, to further support accessibility needs of clients.
I am someone who is curious about the root of things, whether it be events which lead to patterns, or the effects of a person’s environment, and I bring this curiosity to the variety of client populations I am most drawn to support – religious trauma survivors, highly sensitive persons, persons facing big transitions in their life, and fellow artists who feel stuck. I love really “digging into” a challenge with someone, and witnessing as they gain new insights into their lives and their actions. I want to keep learning how I can support these discoveries and these populations using both talk therapy and art therapy.
2025 AATA Conference (American Art Therapy Association), October 8-11, 2025, in Portland, OR. Along with my co-presenter, I will be sharing the professional paper: “Utilizing Art Therapy to Support Religious Trauma Survivors: Professional Considerations & Applications”. https://arttherapy.org/
For prospective clients reading this, I want to emphasize one big component of my process – I seek for us to work in partnership. I constantly seek feedback, especially if we need to slow down, revisit a previous conversation, or handle something with sensitivity. Working with me will not be me talking at a client for an hour, using fancy terms and never seeking input. I strive to make therapy accessible, and to bring whatever resources, research, and interventions into the session which will be most supportive to the client at that time.
This is a great question, and is nuanced from client to client. If clients are open to it, I love to give “further exploration” homework, if that is appropriate to the situation and does not place a burden on the client. This can look like offering book or article recommendations which I think might deepen the exploration of a topic, writing prompts to “continue the conversation”, “invitations for wonder” – which might include a taking a mindful walk or creating a meaningful assemblage of items, or creating art using easily-accessible materials. I will never ask a client to go purchase expensive supplies, or recommend something which will place undue stress on their time or circumstances. My goal for homework between sessions is for clients to further deepen their exploration of a topic, their feelings about it, and further insights, at their own pace… which we can discuss and build upon during our next session.
It can be scary to start working with a new therapist! Here’s a little peek into what a session might look like with me. I like to start with a check-in and activity, such as a breathing exercise, meditation, art-making, reflection on an event over the past week, etc. Then I will ask the client if they have something specific they wish to work on during that session. I will partner with the client to set goals for our time together, then include a variety of approaches to explore the topic. To wrap-up, I will offer another check-in, including holding space for insights into larger themes discussed throughout therapy, will offer homework as is appropriate, then conclude with a supportive thought or focus for the client to carry with them until our next session together. Of course I will always remain flexible to best suit the client’s current needs, and will collaborate with the client to add variety and explore different interventions.
