John A. Barnes:
John A. Barnes has been practicing as a licensed Clinical Social Worker for over 30 years, with 29 of those years being in private practice.
He believes in outcome-focused therapy, based upon the family systems approach. He also believes in cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness practices.
His approach is always client-centered and empowering, and is effective at addressing a number of issues, including marriage and family problems. He is also a provider of Employee Assistance Services.
As mentioned above, Barnes has over 30 years of experience, with specialties in anxiety, family conflict, and depression.
His main approach to these issues are through cognitive behavioral treatment, with a focus on the interpersonal and relational aspects of therapy. He graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1978 and currently practices in the Portland area.
Sheila Walty:
Working in the Portland area, Sheila Walty offers comprehensive therapy that works through different mind, body, spiritual, and emotional elements.
She specialized in trauma recovery by using a focus on the body as well as cognitive techniques. She has experience with a wide range of different disorders that could affect a relationship.
The therapeutic techniques that she uses include, EMDR, sensorimotor psychotherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. These scientifically proven and effective techniques are used to promote growth, connection, and healing.
She is a master’s level counselor with over 25 years of experience, having graduated from Portland State University in 1992. She is energetic and results oriented, with a focus on providing leadership and interpersonal skills to achieve personal goals, and maintain relationships built on trust and integrity.
Michael Alter:
Michael Alter believes in therapy as an experience where client’s strengths are supported towards a desired goal or outcome. He wants to work together to engage with his clients so that the goals of the therapy are clear and that the pace or progress of the treatment respects the needs of the individual.
He uses narrative, solution-oriented, cognitive-behavioral, family of origin perspectives, internal family systems, and energy psychology approaches among many other methods and strategies. He has supported couples across a spectrum of issues and specializes in relationship issues, as well parenting.
Alter has over 15 years of experience, and has specific training in energy psychology interventions and is a practitioner of dynamic energetic healing.
This approach can be especially effective in healing issues of trauma, spiritual questions, identity and self-esteem issues, anxiety, and negative thinking, all which can interfere with interpersonal relationships among other things. He graduated from the Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work in 1991 and currently practices in the Portland area.
Anya Valsamakis:
Anya Valsamakis believes in building trust, telling the truth, and working collaboratively to bring transformation to her clients.
She is a licensed clinical social worker and a first-generation American. This allows her to integrate cultural, racial, and ethnic lenses into her work with clients.
She focuses in relationship counseling, somatic psychology (body-mind connections), as well as helping caregivers of mentally or physically ill family members, and assists those with career or employment-related issues.
She believes in having 60-70 minute long sessions, which is longer than average, as she believes that the most productive conversations happen towards the end of the session, when people have become more relaxed in the conversation.
She has 7 years of experience, graduating from Portland State University in 1987, and currently works in the Portland area.
Read also: Here is the list of top marriage counselors in Portland