Carissa Ponting (She/Her)

My Approach to Helping

Therapy should be a place for you to feel safe and cared for. A therapeutic relationships efficacy depends on solid rapport. I use humor, skill and a deep curiosity about life to help develop this important connection. I will provide an authentic lens and specialize in working with parents, those experiencing significant life change, and trauma. As a trained licensed clinical social worker who has lived around the world and engaged in many different systems, I am well versed in how systems and social structures can impact a persons mental health which is something we will likely discuss! Peoples mental health is often pathologized for having a very natural response to systems that create oppression and this is something we will likely discuss. You are not crazy for having a response to life being hard!

Why I Became a Therapist

I became a therapist for many different reasons! I initially entered this field working with pregnant and parenting teens in the custody of the state. I have worked within state systems, in Oregon and in Japan, am a parent, and a person in the world who has navigated difficult circumstances. I have worked with individuals of all ages and specialize in working with parents and couples. Anxiety and depression can be identified on a spectrum and our experiences with these labels can and will fluctuate depending on external circumstances that are not always within our control. I look forward to getting to know you better to provide you with the tools you need to live the life you want to live!