I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Oregon and graduated from St. Louis University with a Masters of Social Work with an emphasis on family therapy in 2001. Since my graduation, I helped start an alternative high school in SE Portland and have served as the school therapist for last seven years helping adolescents and families. I am currently working on my Doctoral degree at Oregon State University in the Counselor Educator Program. My dissertation work is focused on Narrative Therapy with people who have been diagnosed with life changing physical illness.
I have spent the last fifteen years working with adolescents and families in shelters, schools, and family therapy programs. I believe my areas of specialty revolve around adolescent females who are struggling with self-esteem issues, relationship issues, depression, confidence, and adjustment to school and peers. Secondly, I have a strong interest in working with people and families dealing with the diagnosis of a life changing illness (e.g. cancer, kidney failure, leukemia). My personal experience with physical illness along with my work with those dealing with illness has inspired me to provide support and counseling to those who also face this challenge.
I approach each individual and family with the belief that they possess the ability to grow, heal, and change. I work from a Narrative framework which emphasizes listening to the stories of those I work with and helping them transform their story into one of healing and growth. This can be especially helpful for those who may feel stuck in the story of illness or with adolescents who do not know how to write a new story about themselves yet.
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Heal ~ Grow ~ Flourish
Website created and maintained by Rachel Starck LPC, March 2011
