About Me
Welcome! I’m Natalie.
I lived most of my young life in Wisconsin, up until graduating from University of Wisconsin- Madison with my Bachelor of Science degree. (Go Badgers!) After relocating to Oregon to be closer to family, I attended Lewis & Clark Graduate School, where I received my Master of Arts degree in Professional Mental Health Counseling and Addictions. I also completed their Eating Disorder Certificate program, which led to 6+ years of employment at an eating disorder residential program for adolescents.
When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with friends and family. I love going to the Oregon Coast to unwind and relax. Basketball has recently become one of my favorite sports, so I’m often watching an Unrivaled, college, WNBA, or NBA game. When I’m lucky enough, I love to go to those games too. As someone who advocates for building your relationship with food, I’ll say my favorite food is pizza, and I love trying out different pizza places throughout the Portland area (recommendations appreciated!).
My Reason for Being a Therapist
To me, therapy is about providing a support that others in your life likely cannot. It’s about having a place where you can come, be yourself, and use the space to explore the thoughts/feelings that you may not feel comfortable expressing outside of therapy. Whether your goals are about healing or changing, therapy can be that extra tool to help you figure out how to get there. I value being that person to hold space for you and your emotions. It’s hard enough managing our life stressors day-to-day sometimes, but as you add up the other challenges that are often out of our control (past trauma, systems of oppression, diet culture, social media, societal messaging, imbalances in the brain, etc.), moving forward and making change can feel impossible. I think everyone could benefit from having that extra support, and I’m proud to be that person.
Eating Disorders
My first 6+ years of therapy experience was with adolescents with eating disorders. When people think of eating disorders, they often imagine a stereotypical version, which doesn’t represent the majority of people who experience eating disorders and disordered eating. This is something that can happen to anyone, for many reasons. I view it as a way of coping, similar but different to addiction, that is aimed to help someone but has too many negative consequences. Whether you are looking to change your behaviors and/or mindset, I am here to help you better understand why you’re engaging in your behaviors and to decrease your need to rely on this specific way of coping. My biggest goal is always to help you find better ways to take care of yourself.