Portland Therapy Center
Deborah Ranker

Deborah Ranker (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

I specialize in helping adults improve their relationships with themselves and others using a trauma-informed and collaborative approach.

Client Status

accepting clients

Contact

503-308-8106

Portland Collaborative Therapy

811 East Burnside Street

Portland, 97214

Email Website

At a Glance

Me

Rate: $125-$185

Provides free initial consultation

Provides telehealth services

Practicing Since: 2012

Languages: English

Services

  • Individual

Insurances Accepted

  • Out of Pocket
  • Out of Network
  • Aetna
  • PacificSource

My Ideal Client

I provide individual therapy to adults on issues relating to: anxiety, depression, people-pleasing, codependency, extreme empathy, self-judgement, spiritual abuse (cult) recovery, trauma, grief, and relationship dissatisfaction. I can support you to cultivate self-compassion, develop healthy coping skills, learn effective communication tools, and build confidence to change patterns and to feel more integrated and emotionally resourced.

My Approach to Helping

I completed my Master's in Social Work from New York University in 2012 and I have been fully licensed as an LCSW in Oregon since 2015. I have over a decade of direct clinical experience working with adults. I offer EMDR for trauma treatment, and incorporate elements of mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, compassion-focused therapy, nonviolent communication skills, and traditional talk therapy techniques into my practice. I am also trained as a Level II provider of Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), which can help with processing stuck emotions and addressing relational challenges and attachment issues. If we choose to work together, I will tailor our work together to best meet your individual needs as much as I am able to. I also seek to create a supportive space for people to explore identity issues and the impacts of systemic oppression in their therapy if they choose to do so.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

In addition to being a therapist, I also have experience working with a number of social justice causes. As a result, I hold an anti-oppressive framework and strive to be culturally humble, anti-racist, trauma-informed, weight-inclusive, sex positive, poly/kink friendly, and LGBTQIA+ affirming in my practice. I see you as the authority on your experience and will work collaboratively with you to achieve your goals on your own terms and in accordance with your own values and beliefs. If my approach seems like a good fit for you, I invite you to send me a message or call me to schedule a free consultation to explore working together.

Techniques I Use

Specialties

  • EMDR External link

    Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy that helps people recover from trauma, anxiety, phobias, negative self-image, and more. It uses bilateral stimulation to aid in processing trauma stored in your nervous system. It’s a great way to address deep-rooted feelings that haven’t shifted through talk therapy. I have been using EMDR since 2015 and have specialized training in attachment-focused EMDR as well.

  • Nonviolent Communication External link

    Nonviolent Communication (or NVC for short) provides tools for accessing our own feelings and needs with compassion, and being able to communicate with others in a skillful way. It is an excellent toolkit for those looking to improve their relationships with themselves and others.

Issues I Treat

Specialties

  • Personal Growth External link

    I offer proactive, individual counseling to help you uproot and transcend negative self-beliefs, insecurities, and past traumas that leave you feeling stuck and overwhelmed. I support clients to cultivate self-compassion, develop healthy coping skills, learn effective communication tools, and build confidence to change patterns and heal.

  • Relationship / Marriage Issues External link

    Relationships can be very confusing. I can help you demystify the dynamics in your relationships and give you tools for building relationships with better boundaries, healthier communication, and more intimacy.

  • Codependency External link

    Being a deeply caring and empathetic person can make it difficult to figure out how to maintain healthy boundaries in relationships and often leads to burnout and resentment. I enjoy helping people with high amounts of empathy figure out how to build confidence in themselves, maintain compassion for others, and develop the life-serving boundaries and skills needed to have thriving relationships.

  • Anxiety External link

    I can help you build a toolbox of coping skills and strategies for managing anxiety. I draw from CBT, mindfulness and trauma therapy techniques in my work. Together we can also find ways to identify and work through the origins of your anxieties and insecurities so you can find peace and confidence in the present.

Contact Deborah

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