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Hi, I’m Tenaya! (sounds like Papaya)

Pronouns: she/they

Experience has taught me that the more we engage our deepest, truest, most vulnerable self, the more alive and peaceful we feel. This is because in those moments we are living in accordance with our values, regardless of what life has thrown at us, or what our automatic thoughts or reactions might be. We can then hold things more lightly and make better choices.

My Therapeutic Style

One goal of therapy is to gain skills and practices that can help us be more resilient, kind, and compassionate in the face of life’s inevitable stressors. Talk therapy is one tool that can help us better understand ourselves and practice taking on different perspectives, to challenge our assumptions and automatic thoughts, and check-in with ourselves to see what is happening in the moment. It’s not an easy process and there are no guarantees; however, the process can be exhilarating and help you create an internal and external world that you truly wish to inhabit.

My style is to approach each client with curiosity, compassion, and lack of judgment. I start from the belief that we are all doing the best we can with the resources we have, or had at the time.

My Clients

I see individual adult clients (18+) and my practice focuses on those with symptoms of depression or anxiety that may stem from:

Adjusting to life changes

Going to college, career challenges, coming out, partnering and divorce, death of a loved one, mid-life crisis, retirement, empty nest, etc.

Relationship conflicts

Reduce stress at work or in your personal life.

Identity development

Answer the questions of, ``Who am I, what box do I check, what is my purpose?``

Social isolation or media exhaustion

Let's build fulfilling connections instead.

Institutional betrayal

Learn how to heal when institutions that should have protected you failed to believe or support you.

Climate change or social justice concerns

We can build resilience and hope in these difficult times.

Poor attachment to childhood caregivers

Together we can develop a more secure attachment style.

Traumatic experiences

It's never too late to heal from trauma, whether during childhood or adulthood.

Experiences as a member of one or more marginalized groups

I see you.

Therapies and Interventions

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Solution-focused Therapy (SFT)
  • Motivational Interviewing (MI)
  • Grief and Loss Counseling
  • Expressive Arts Processing
  • Identity Development
  • Empowerment
  • Psychoeducation
  • Empathetic Listening
  • Mindfulness Practices
  • Skills Training for Emotional Regulation/Distress Tolerance

A Little More About Me

I have a long career working in nonprofits, primarily in higher education and community service organizations in Lane County. I’ve lived in Oregon since 1999 and very much consider myself a left coaster and an Oregonian. Prior to moving here, I lived all over the U.S. but I grew up in Louisiana (in the heart of Cajun and Creole country), where I experienced just how suffocating racial, gender, and sexual stereotypes can be.

I identify as a white member of the LGBTQIA+ community (gender queer and bisexual), as a feminist, as a BIPOC ally, and as a racial and social justice advocate. While I am not a member of any religious group, I find my spirit is lifted by being present in nature and by playing music, eating good food, moving my body, gardening, painting, and spending time with loved ones.

Certifications and Specific Trainings

  • NPI #1982153623
  • LCSW #L11825, Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers
  • Master of Social Work (MSW), Portland State University
  • Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Oregon
  • Bachelor of Psychology, University of Washington
  • Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training
  • Trauma-informed Care Basics & Crisis De-escalation
  • Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)
  • Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence 40-hour Training
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: 2-Day Intensive ACT Training
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy: DBT in a Nutshell

Ready to Get Started?

Research continually shows that the most important factor in therapy is the therapeutic alliance. You need to feel safe, heard, and seen, and like you have a partner in the journey for it to be most effective. Makes sense, right?

If you would like to set up a free 15-minute consultation to see how it feels to work with me, click below, complete the form, and I will be in touch as soon as possible.

GET STARTED