Matt Joslin (he/him)

My Approach to Helping

I work from a client-centered approach that places significance on the therapeutic relationship. I work to get to know you as an individual, to know your stories, experiences, values, pain, strengths, and desires. I enjoy helping clients build upon their already existing strengths, utilizing them to build confidence and trust within yourself. I incorporate aspects of narrative therapy (the stories we tell ourselves), attachment theory (how we relate to ourselves and others), mindfulness (being present in our experiences), and somatic therapy (focusing on the impact of trauma on our bodies). I believe healing happens when we extend compassion, empathy, love, and care to ourselves and others, recognizing harmful patterns and working to change them. I believe that in order to heal our pain, we are required to feel and experience the depths of that pain. I value sitting with clients as they feel their pain, providing care, kindness, empathy, compassion, and humor in the midst of it.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I firmly believe in the human capacity and desire for growth, change, and connection. Humans are relational, social creatures that require healthy attachment to ourselves and one another in order to truly live. I also believe that the social systems in which we live create barriers for us to connect with ourselves and others, and that our individual pain reflects the societal pain of our environment. Working from a systems perspective, I am dedicated to providing inclusive, culturally-sensitive, affirming, anti-racist, anti-colonial care for all people, of all identities and expressions. As a white male, I recognize the need to educate myself on the experiences of others, especially marginalized people. In my spare time, I enjoy walking my dog, connecting with nature, reading, spending time with friends and family, and visiting wonderful coffee shops in Portland.