Why Spiral Tide?
Healing isn’t linear.
Recovering from trauma doesn’t look like a straight line in the sand, and it can often feel like we’re going in circles, returning to the same themes and triggers over time.
That’s why I like the imagery of a spiral: each pass a little wider, with a little more perspective and wisdom under our belts.
Effective therapy should help us widen our spiral, and learn to weather the natural ebbs and flows of life with more grace and spaciousness.
Meet Kelsey
I’m glad you’re here! Here are some things to know about me:
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oregon, and I work with adults across the lifespan via individual therapy.
I specialize in working with trauma, chronic pain, chronic illness, and body image struggles. I also have experience working with a number of other mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, burnout, attachment and relational issues, identity exploration, grief, life transitions, disordered eating and eating disorders, and more. This may seem like a lot of different concepts to work with, but I find that most people aren’t struggling with just one thing, and many of these concerns occur together.
My lens is trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ affirming. My theoretical orientation is relational, ecological, somatic, and depth-oriented. I approach body image and disordered eating with a focus on body neutrality, and a Health At Every Size (HAES)-informed perspective.
I received my Masters in Social Work from the University of Washington, and a certificate in the treatment of eating disorders from Lewis and Clark Graduate School. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Lifespan Integration (Level 1), both of which are designed as trauma processing modalities. I also use mindfulness, narrative techniques, and dialectics in my work with clients. I seek opportunities to my learn more and grow in my skills on a regular basis.
Clients and colleagues describe me as warm, insightful, and nonjudgmental. I am known for my patience, curiosity, and compassion.
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and my favorite places are the beaches, forests, and islands of Oregon and Washington. I also love poetry, Studio Ghibli movies, dancing, board games, and cats. You may get to meet my two cats, who sometimes co-work with me in my virtual office.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes! In fact, I only offer telehealth therapy at this time.
Please note that I am only able to meet with folks who are currently in the state of Oregon at the time of our sessions.
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I work with adults across the lifespan in Oregon via individual telehealth therapy.
I especially enjoy working with folks who experience chronic pain or chronic illness, people who tend to intellectualize or struggle to move past insight into action, people with complex trauma, people who grapple with their body image and relationship to food, fellow helpers and therapists, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
You can learn more about my style and approach here.
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I find that many of the people I work with come into therapy with a number of concerns, and I am comfortable working with that complexity. For example, things like depression and anxiety often coexist with the issues I focus on, and I have prior experience working more deeply on a wide variety of mental health issues. You can read more about my approach on my About Kelsey page.
I won’t be a good match for absolutely everyone - no therapist is! For example, I don’t work with minors, couples, people who need in-person sessions for any reason, or folks whose primary concern requires specialty care and training that I don’t have. Even folks who seem like a good match on paper may not find me to be the right fit for them, and that’s ok.
If you aren’t sure we’d be a good fit, feel free to reach out. I offer a free 15-30 minute consultation call to help you decide, and if I’m not the right match, I’m happy to help you find someone who is.
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Nope. I do not use AI in any part of the therapy process, including creating treatment plans, writing notes, etc.