Portland Therapy Center
Allison Strausberg

Allison Strausberg (she/they)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

Welcome! I specialize in EMDR, parts work, somatic therapy, and assertive communication and boundaries.

Client Status

accepting clients

Contact

503-208-6748

Email Website

At a Glance

Me

Rate: $180

Provides free initial consultation

Practicing Since: 2016

Languages: English

Services

  • Individual

Insurances Accepted

  • Out of Pocket
  • Out of Network

My Ideal Client

I work with adults feeling stuck in thoughts, emotions, or relationship patterns that just aren’t working. I also work with those struggling with a sudden stressor or those who want to work through past events. This includes things like trauma, depression, a challenging transition or the loss of a loved one, or low self-esteem and persistent self-criticism. You might feel the impact at work, in your close relationships, or in your relationship with yourself. Change is possible.

My Approach to Helping

My collaborative approach integrates evidence-based therapy methods with compassion, humor, and deep listening. My practice is Internal Family Systems informed and incorporates mindfulness-based somatic work, interpersonal effectiveness skill building such as mutually respectful boundary setting, and Somatic and Attachment Focused EMDR. I am directive as needed, provide structure, and welcome long silences, fast-paced intensity, and everything in between. I find that most people who come to see me are ultimately longing for a sense of inner peace, personal agency, and meaningful connections. My focus is on creating a safe and authentic space where you can heal your nervous system, learn to work with your emotions, and begin to build a life that resonates deeply with your dreams and values.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I received my Bachelor of Arts from Juniata College with a double major in International Relations and Theater. I have worked as a process facilitator of restorative justice in Maine and a housing access case manager in rural Colorado. I practiced applied arts and theater for social change across many settings including rural Ecuador and Portland, ME before receiving my Master of Social Work with a certificate in Applied Arts and Social Justice from the University of New England in 2016. As a clinician, I worked in residential treatment programs with adults struggling with co-occurring mental illnesses and houselessness and residential treatment programs with teens struggling with complex trauma and neurodivergent teens, before transitioning to outpatient therapy settings in 2019. I am originally from the east coast and relocated to Oregon in 2020. My life outside of work is guided by a love of adventure, play, and connection.

Techniques I Use

Specialties

  • EMDR External link

    I provide Somatic and Attachment Focused EMDR. SAFE EMDR harnesses the brain and nervous system’s natural healing process to make sense of the past and the present, release old negative beliefs, and to alleviate symptoms. EMDR is unique in that is does not require discussing details of distressing events in order to be effective. SAFE EMDR is effective for a wide range of challenges including trauma, anxiety, depression, and complex grief.

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) External link

    I am an IFS-informed therapist and integrate the principles of IFS throughout each therapy session. IFS understands each of us as comprised of protective and wounded parts, with a centered Self at our core. Through relating to protective and wounded parts from Self, rather than pathologizing them, IFS offers tools for healing and transforming the way you relate to yourself and others.

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) External link

    I help my clients build skills in the four pillars of DBT: distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) External link

    ACT is a mindfulness-based approach that emphasizes understanding and acceptance of difficult thoughts and emotions while cultivating psychological flexibility and encouraging you to commit to new actions that align with your values.

Issues I Treat

Specialties

  • PTSD External link

    I am trained in Somatic and Attachment Focused EMDR. This approach integrates the evidence-based models of EMDR, somatic therapies, mindfulness, neurobiological regulation models, and attachment theory.

  • Anxiety External link

    I utilize various evidence-based modalities to help my clients learn to work with emotions and the body so that they can better understand underlying needs and discern when the past might be interrupting the present in order to cultivate deeper understanding, grounded decision-making, and emotional resilience.

  • Self-Esteem External link

    I utilize a variety of modalities, especially Internal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, to help folks better understand and address the underlying causes of low-self esteem. I also support folks to build skills in identifying and expressing needs and boundaries across relationships and settings.

  • Gender Identity External link

    I am a nonbinary therapist and have training and experience in working with gender expansive folks to relieve symptoms of gender dysphoria through identity exploration, psychoeducation, support accessing gender affirming care, and treatment of co-occurring mental health concerns.

Contact Allison

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