Counseling

Why counseling?

Counseling or psychotherapy is there for when you need to explore the inside of who you are because you are noticing patterns on your outside relationships and environments that coincide with repeated difficulties in your thoughts and feelings.

Counseling with Ruth?

Ruth is a licensed professional counselor (C4417) and has a doctorate in clinical psychology with training in organizational consulting. She has over 10 years experience working with all ages of humans and a variety of concerns (see below for details). Ruth prefers to work with individuals, groups, and organizations. These are some photos from the physical space where counseling or psychotherapy with Ruth occurs. Below you can see links to options on working with Ruth, how to schedule a free consultation appointment, and fees for working with her in a therapeutic relationship. Read some counseling reviews here.

A letter from Ruth...

Hi There! My clients have often described working with me as feeling like they are having a really interesting conversation, but when they walk away from their time together with me, they see their world differently, and then notice that things begin to change in amazing and new ways. I work as a Gestalt Relational therapist. This means that I believe that all of your different experiences and parts of who you are always changing and transforming. With the right kind of support, you will find your way to deepening the connections you want to grow more of in your life and distancing the ones that feel unhealthy.

You might be feeling stuck in your life, or unable to be present with the things you believe you should feel happy about. You might wish that you could be more outgoing or take better care of yourself, and you might be looking for a sense of calling or purpose in your career. Maybe you're just mad at your significant other or a friend that you used to feel very close too. Whatever the discomfort, I believe that the relationship we can build together will assist you in creating more of what you want in your life. I have worked with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, career challenges, and ADHD. I also have helped many people who have experienced physical trauma or emotional abuse.

Whether you chose to work with me or someone else for therapy, my advice is the same: Trust your gut. It is easy to become intimidated by a mental health professional and believe that they know better. After 10 years experience working in mental health, believe me when I say that you are the expert on you, and you will know if a connection with a therapist is growing you, or ultimately just confusing and disorienting. Whatever you chose, I wish you well on your journey.

How therapy happens

The therapy hour is 45 minutes and is a time reserved for you (usually weekly in the beginning) to explore yourself with a supportive and curious learner (i.e., Ruth!). Advice comes only when asked for because mostly Ruth practices therapy with the belief (stemming all the way back from Socrates!) that you have most of the answers you are seeking already inside. Therapy can be as short as a few sessions, but often lasts for months and sometimes even years depending on your needs and the goals you are working on with Ruth. Ruth is available for individual sessions, group counseling, and at times will offer short-term family or couples therapy depending on the situation. Counseling/Psychotherapy happens in the following ways:

Remote

Some clients find Ruth online and prefer to work with her by phone or video for some or all of their sessions due to difficulty with transportation or traveling distance. For therapy clients, you must live in the State of Oregon where Ruth is licensed. Fill out the form below to learn more on what this might look like and schedule your free consultation.

In Person

Ruth sees clients and groups in-person at her downtown office in Portland Oregon.

What about cost?

Counseling fees vary depending on what service you need. Please fill out the form below to set up a time to discuss with Ruth directly. Ruth offers a free 15 minute initial consultation by phone or video. The progress you make will in large part depend on how safe you feel to explore yourself with your therapist, so finding a good fit is really important. Ruth finds meeting by video online or at least live on the phone will help you discover what working with Ruth can be like. If you and Ruth find that you are not the best match, Ruth will try to provide referrals to colleagues who may be better able to meet your needs.