Portland Therapy Center
Brandy Tidwell

Brandy Tidwell (she/her)

Clinical Psychologist

PhD

Offering holistic, trauma informed, and culturally responsive psychological services for adults throughout Oregon and Washington

Client Status

accepting clients

Contact

5034066546

97210

Email Website

At a Glance

Me

Rate: $110-$210

Provides free initial consultation

Practicing Since: 2019

Languages: English

Services

  • Individual
  • Group

Insurances Accepted

  • Out of Pocket
  • Out of Network

My Ideal Client

I specialize in complex trauma and PTSD, LGBTQIA+ and women’s health, somatic and mindfulness-based therapies, and psychedelic harm reduction and integration. I welcome clients of all backgrounds and identities, though I work best with women, queer, and gender expansive trauma survivors who are seeking to heal their relationship with their body.

My Approach to Helping

I believe we each have a fundamental need to be seen, valued, and accepted for exactly who we are. My primary goal as a therapist is to provide a safe and affirming relationship where we can collaboratively explore who you are, how you came to be, and who you wish to become as we work together toward your goals. I practice therapy from a holistic and systemic perspective, taking into account the multitude of ways your physical, psychological, and relational health interact and inform one another. In session this might look like processing emotions through mindfulness and somatic exercises, practicing skills for regulating your nervous system, getting curious about your attachment style, learning to communicate your needs and boundaries, examining your belief systems, learning to relate with yourself more compassionately, and exploring ways to live in alignment with your values.

My Values as a Therapist

I’m a white, queer, cisgender woman. I grew up in a highly conservative and homogenous culture where I struggled to find a sense of belonging, which was my first lesson in the importance of diversity and inclusion, influencing my path toward becoming a psychologist and passion for working with marginalized communities. It is among my highest values to honor and celebrate diversity in all forms. I hold anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, and anti-racist values. I work to educate myself about various cultural backgrounds while also meeting each client with openness and humility to learn about their unique experience and expression of their identities. I strive to be aware of my privilege and remain open to feedback about my impact in the world. I’m deeply committed to the lifelong process of deconstructing systems of oppression within and around me and hope to contribute toward a more liberated, inclusive, and just world for all beings everywhere.

Techniques I Use

Specialties

  • Feminist External link

    I approach therapy from a theoretically integrative lens, building on a foundation of intersectional feminism, systems theory, interpersonal neurobiology, and trauma-informed care. I integrate a variety of evidence-based models tailored to each client’s concerns, background, and preferences. I have specialized training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, and Emotion Focused Therapy.

  • Somatic Therapy (Body Centered) External link

    Our bodies and minds are inextricably interconnected. Yet, so many of us learn to disconnect from our bodies messages as a survival strategy. Somatic therapies harness the innate wisdom and healing intelligence of our bodies. They help us reconnect with our bodies’ messages, learn to honor our needs, reclaim our bodily autonomy, and tune into our deepest truths, values, and purpose. I’m a registered yoga instructor (RYT-200) certified in the Trauma Conscious Yoga Method (TCYM) of psychotherapy.

  • Mindfulness-based External link

    Mindfulness is a practice of intentionally bringing awareness to our present moment experience with an attitude of non-judgment. It originated within traditions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Yoga, Taoism, and Jainism and was later brought to the West by Asian immigrants. Mindfulness has increasingly been incorporated into healthcare as an evidenced-based approach to working with many health concerns. I value honoring the cultural roots of mindfulness and adapt mindfulness offerings to each client.

Issues I Treat

Specialties

  • PTSD External link

    Traumatic experiences threaten our sense of safety and overwhelm our ability to cope, resulting in lasting adverse effects on physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. Many circumstances can be experienced as traumatic, and PTSD is only one of many possible outcomes. While I work with most trauma-related difficulties, I specialize in complex and interpersonal traumas, such as childhood abuse and neglect, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and identity-based traumas.

  • LGBTQ Issues External link

    I recognize the many challenges faced by queer people currently and historically and strive to provide inclusive and affirming mental health services that celebrate queer community and each person’s unique experience and expression of their identities. In addition to therapy, I offer brief assessment and referral letters consistent with WPATH guidelines for trans and gender expansive people seeking gender affirming medical services such as surgery or hormone therapy.

  • Women's Issues External link

    I understand how patriarchy and misogyny deeply impact women’s health and harm our communities as a whole, and I seek to support and empower women in the pursuit of equity and liberation. Throughout my career, I have sought specialized training in women’s health and advocacy, such as during my time at the Washington Corrections Center for Women and the Women and Gender Diverse Specialty Clinic at the Portland VA Medical Center.

Contact Brandy

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