Sounding Board Counseling Services
Contact
1500 NE Irving St. Portland, Oregon 97232
Call: (971) 352-6971
Text: (425) 321-3920
For intake and scheduling, ask to be scheduled with Alicia [AH-LEE-SHAH] at the East Portland office.
Learn more about the therapy process.
Where do I start?
Send me a message under "contact" and my scheduling and intake team will reach out to you to get started.
Is therapy expensive?
If you're paying out of pocket, therapy can get very expensive. However, I accept several insurances. If you have Regence, Aetna, United, Cigna, Pacific Source, or Kaiser Northwest, then you're covered! To learn more about insurance coverage, click here.
What is therapy like?
The first session will mostly be questions about your life so I can get to know you. I may utilize psychological assessments to assist with diagnosis. For the first few sessions, you'll tell me about your life, and over time I'll help address the issues that you'd like to work on.
What kinds of diagnoses should I expect?
I do my best to use the least pathologizing diagnoses possible, and only apply more severe ones if it's useful in the treatment process. Remember that mental health diagnoses are often temporary.
About Me.
My focus is on creating an atmosphere of acceptance and empathy for my clients so they can process complex thoughts and feelings and learn how to see things in a new light. I research the best scientifically-backed methods for helping different conditions, and strive to tailor my approach to the unique needs of each client. I fundamentally believe that people are capable of great things, seeing potential in others they may not see in themselves and working to help them reach it.
I graduated from University of San Diego with a Master’s in clinical mental health counseling, receiving special training on evidence-based practices for mental health conditions. I particularly focused in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, which beautifully blends mindfulness, communication skills, and advanced relaxation techniques into counseling. I wrote my research thesis on the potential for psychedelic-assisted therapy to intervene in individuals with persistent suicidal ideation. Throughout graduate school, I trained at a clinic working exclusively with children, adolescents, and families. Thus, I have extensive experience teaching big psychological concepts to developing minds, and bringing art, games, and toys into the therapy room.
I’m an outdoorsy gal, going to the mountains and the beach in my spare time. I’m an avid reader and podcast listener; I love to learn, so non-fiction and science are my main genres. I also play guitar, and have performed at coffee shops in the past.
I work directly with LGBTQ+ and non-monogamous folk. It is an honor for me to walk alongside those who are on their journey to discovering and developing themselves in this way.
While I am a Caucasian American with no religious affiliation, I have worked with ethnic minority, immigrant, and religious individuals. While I’ll never truly know what it’s like to be in these groups, I hope to align with whoever walks through my door through the work we do together. I have participated in trainings to deepen my understanding of the unique needs of these individuals, and will continue to do so throughout my career.
Education
2021-2023
Master's in clinical mental health counseling
University of San Diego
My Master's degree in counseling was the most challenging and humbling experience of my life. I learned how to go to the depths of my own and others' psyches.
2019-2021
Bachelor's in psychology and biology
State University of New York at Brockport
At Brockport I majored in psychology and double-minored in biology and pre-professional health, which uniquely equipped me for a holistic approach to mental health.
2017-2019
Associate's in psychology
Monroe Community College
Here I learned the foundations of cognitive and positive psychology.