Portland Therapy Center
Darin Bergen

Darin Bergen (he/him)

Clinical Psychologist

PsyD

I'm a licensed psychologist specializing in helping individuals overcome depression, past traumas, and helping people recover from divorce.

Client Status

accepting clients

Contact

503-341-6536

4531 SE Belmont

Suite 117

Portland, 97215

Email Website Schedule Now

At a Glance

Me

Rate: $200

Provides free initial consultation

Provides telehealth services

Practicing Since: 2007

Languages: English

Services

  • Individual

Insurances Accepted

  • Out of Pocket
  • Out of Network
  • First Choice Health
  • PacificSource

My Ideal Client

Do you just want to feel better? Feeling overwhelmed by painful emotions, or feeling numb, empty and robotic as you go about your life? Maybe you have both - you feel like you're going through the motions with little to look forward to, and then you have painful feelings that overwhelm you out of nowhere. Most people I work with also struggle with feeling alone - regardless of whether they are surrounded by people or not.

My Approach to Helping

We will work directly with your emotions. I will help you learn to navigate your feelings effectively, learning how to get beyond feeling "nothing" and increasing your capacity so painful feelings no longer overwhelm. We will heal the old emotional wounds that cause you so much pain. You will not be alone in this work, I will be there every step of the way. As much as I believe in the transformation that happens in therapy, I know that you don't have to go through it alone. I show up fully and help build a connected relationship so that I can help carry the burden, and you don't have to do it on your own. Last, therapy with me will be active and focused. Our work happens together and transformation happens in the therapy session. I won't be just telling you things and expecting you to go home and practice techniques. I won't sit quietly in the background. This isn't an intellectual exercise. We do the work together.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I believe in you. I believe in people. I believe much of our suffering comes from feeling alone with very painful emotions that we didn't know what to do with. I believe that as a result, we tried to find ways to make ourselves feel better and unfortunately those patterns can lead to more pain later on. I believe that while we all have a worst version of ourself, activated by suffering, we also have a best version of ourself - and therapy should help you live that version of yourself. I believe in you. Beyond the small world of therapy, I recognize that there are systems of power that function to repress people. I know that those people, living in oppression, have been blamed for their own suffering. I will not perpetuate this. I recognize my privilege because I have nearly every privilege. I stand as an ally to those who are oppressed. I am committed to doing the work of undoing my own internalized biases and prejudices, and playing my part in dismantling systems of power.

Techniques I Use

Specialties

  • Psychodynamic  External link

    My primary approach is Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP). This is a newer approach to therapy that focuses on the transformation of painful emotions, and this healing is done in relationship. We believe that painful aloneness is core to the experience of human suffering and undoing that aloneness is a main focus of the therapy. I believe in this approach because of the science, but also because it is the kind of therapy I have found most helpful for me, as a client.

  • Emotionally Focused External link

    My Emotion-Focused Therapy (for individuals) training has roots in the beginning of graduate school and it helps with the processing of emotional problems and healing old wounds. EFT has a strong basis in the science of emotion and therapeutic change. I have completed the Level 1 and Level 2 Emotion-Focused Therapy training with Les Greenberg.

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) External link

    My background in ACT shows up when I help people connect with what they value most and how to live those values in their daily life. I have participated in extensive training in ACT over the years. I am a past President of the Oregon chapter of the Association for Contextual and Behavioral Sciences (OACBS), the international organization for ACT practitioners.

Issues I Treat

Specialties

  • PTSD External link

    Surviving trauma has long lasting effects and most people don't realize how treatable it is. We have a number of effective treatments and I am passionate about helping people recover! I start with a stabilization phase where you learn techniques to regulate emotions, improve relationships and re-engage in life. I then offer reprocessing therapies that can help you leave the past in the past.

  • Depression External link

    Depression is so painful because it affects so many areas of life - often covering everything with a sense of emptiness and making normal tasks so tough. I work on helping you access the emotions underneath the numbing, so you can begin to re-engage in vital living. We also spend time healing longstanding woundings that caused the pain in the first place.

  • Divorce External link

    Divorce is one of the most stressful events a person can experience. I know because I've been through it. Because of that, I'm passionate about helping people through the divorce and finding healing. On the other side is a happy life - I know because I've seen it so many times. I typically start by processing the pain and loss of divorce before focusing on building a new life that you love.

Contact Darin

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