Melissa Sanders (she/they)

LPC-A
Accepting Clients

Hello! Thank you for reaching out. I look forward to helping you on your healing journey.

Associate Professional Counselor in Oregon
Supervised by Justine Elstad LCSW

Services
  • Individual

About My Clients

You are feeling stuck and unsure of how to move forward. You are dealing with unresolved trauma, depression, anxiety or other complications that are making life difficult. You may feel like you are "going through the motions" and cannot find a way to enjoy your life in the ways you want. You feel disconnected from yourself and others. You want to feel motivated to live to your fullest potential and make the changes needed in order to reach your goals. I strive to create a space for that process.

My Background and Approach

I believe that the therapeutic relationship is an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Self and make choices that are more aligned with personal goals. I use a Person Centered approach using Gestalt, Somatic awareness, Internal Family Systems and Narrative Therapy, DBT, CBT and creative expressive tools. Creating a deeper connection to body responses, and discovering different perspectives to develop more self awareness, I hope to work as a facilitator for your growth. I believe that you are always the expert in your own life, and I welcome feedback and collaboration about tools that you find most useful for your progress. At our initial sessions, we will explore what brought you to therapy and some potential types of therapies that may be beneficial for your treatment. I often use creative expressive activities during our sessions, with additional focus on somatic body awareness to bring more awareness to physical responses to thoughts and emotions.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

As I child, I experienced traumatic events that I addressed through my own healing journey. I found that a combination of therapeutic interventions, including expressive therapies helped me identify the behaviors that were no longer serving me and strengthen my ability to access tools I was unaware of before. I believe that we all have the answers we seek already within us and the therapeutic relationship is a chance to have a supportive person to help guide you to understanding yourself on a deeper level of awareness. As humans, we develop behavior based on our experiences and what has provided us with our needs, even if this behavior is unhelpful or damaging to ourselves or our lives. I view therapy as a place where we can learn new ways to move closer to congruence with the people we want to be and the lives we want to lead.

Techniques I Use

Specialties
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Expressive Art Therapy
Other Techniques
  • Addiction Counseling
  • Attachment Theory
  • Coaching
  • Gestalt Therapy
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
  • Psychodrama
  • Internal Family Systems
  • Trauma Therapy

Issues I Treat

Specialties
Addiction Anxiety Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Other Issues
  • Abuse
  • Addiction
  • ADHD Therapists
  • Anxiety
  • Attachment
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Bipolar
  • Body Image Issues
  • Burnout
  • Career Counseling
  • Codependency
  • Depression
  • Divorce
  • Historical/ Intergenerational Trauma
  • Parenting
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Relationship Issues
  • Self-Esteem
  • Sexual Abuse or Assault
  • Suicidal Thoughts
  • Women's Issues
Insurance Plans Accepted
  • Cigna
  • PacificSource
  • Providence Health Plan
  • Evernorth
I offer online counseling in the following states:

At A Glance

  • Experience: 8 years of practice
  • Languages: English
  • Rate: $140 - 140/session

Reach out to Melissa