$250 per 55-minute session • Remote sessions from your home • Serving Portland metro area
Anxiety Therapy in Portland, Oregon
For high-achievers who feel anxious & invisible despite external success
You’re smart, successful, and self-aware
You can describe these patterns when they happen, but talking about it hasn't helped you feel better.
You're in the right place if you're a Portland professional who experiences:
That constant emotional radar that's exhausting to maintain. You can sense when your coworker is stressed before they even speak, when your partner’s “fine” isn't actually fine, or when the energy shifts in a team meeting. This hyper-awareness served you well climbing the career ladder, but now it's draining.
Taking criticism harder than it should affect you. Your manager gives feedback in a one-on-one, and even though it's constructive, your heart races and your chest feels tight. You spend the rest of the day (and weekend) replaying the conversation, analyzing what you did wrong.
Feeling unseen despite being surrounded by people who care. You're the friend who remembers birthdays, the colleague who covers extra projects, the partner who anticipates needs. People appreciate your reliability, but you feel like they only see a highlight reel, not the full picture of who you are.
Questioning if your 120mph approach is sustainable. Portland's ambitious culture rewards high achievers, but you're secretly wondering if there's a way to be successful without sacrificing yourself in the process. You watch colleagues set boundaries you can't imagine enforcing for yourself.
When traditional anxiety treatment isn’t enough…
Many Portland therapists will tell you that you need better coping skills or mindfulness techniques. But you've probably already tried meditation apps, breathing exercises, and cognitive strategies.
Here’s why Those approaches often fall short for high-achievers:
Your anxiety isn't just about stress management; it's rooted in deeper patterns about worth, acceptance, and belonging that were formed long before you had words to describe them.
Talk therapy works primarily with the thinking, rational part of your brain, the part you've mastered in your career. But your protective responses (like people-pleasing or taking criticism so hard) are stored in emotional brain regions that don't respond to logical explanations.
This is exactly why you can say “I know I shouldn't take feedback so personally,” but you still have intense physical and emotional reactions.
Art Therapy & Somatic Therapy for Portland Anxiety
I use therapy methods that go beyond just talking to help you access emotions at a deeper level, where long-term change actually happens.
I combine art therapy and somatic therapy (body awareness) when working with Portland clients via secure telehealth sessions.
Meeting online from your Portland home offers unique advantages:
Explore these approaches in the same environment where you experience anxious thoughts
No commute through Portland traffic after emotionally intensive sessions
Create art and connect with your body in your own familiar, safe space
Flexible scheduling that works with demanding Portland work culture
Before our first session, I'll provide a simple list of art materials to have available — basic supplies like oil pastels, colored pencils, or paint.
Not just managing symptoms… We’re healing what is causing the anxiety
Your anxiety, people-pleasing, and hyper-awareness aren’t character flaws. They're brilliant strategies that helped you succeed in Portland's competitive environment and maintain important relationships.
But now they're working against you.
Think about it:
Why do you rehearse important conversations in advance? Because some part of you believes your unfiltered thoughts aren't acceptable.
Why do you work late while colleagues leave at 5pm? Because some part of you believes your worth depends on what you accomplish.
Why do small criticisms throw you off balance? Because some part of you believes mistakes confirm your deepest fear — that you're not good enough.
Our work together is about fundamentally changing your relationship with yourself:
Not just being seen by others, but finally seeing yourself clearly and recognizing your worth as a person
Not just being accepted in Portland's achievement-oriented culture, but accepting yourself — without conditions
Not just connecting more deeply with others, but reconnecting with parts of yourself you've hidden because they felt too vulnerable or too much
What Portland clients experience in our work together
Permission to have your feelings — without immediately jumping to fix them or figure out why they're "wrong"
Permission to experience — without analyzing or overthinking every sensation and emotion
Permission to just be — without the constant pressure of producing, earning, managing, or accomplishing
When you create art that captures a feeling you couldn't previously name, or notice tension in your body during certain conversations, you're not "learning a skill" — you're recognizing your own authentic experience.
This recognition by itself changes your experience in a way that endless self-improvement strategies cannot.
Imagine going about your Portland life without the constant anxiety
Instead of exhausting hypervigilance, you have:
Genuine conversations — no more monitoring or filtering your every word in networking events, team meetings, or coffee dates
Authentic relationships — letting your partner and friends care for you without feeling like you need to earn it first
Sustainable success — allowing "good enough" to be truly enough when it comes to work projects and deadlines
Real presence — actually enjoying the beautiful life you've created in Portland instead of always scanning for the next problem to solve
This isn't because you learned "better anxiety management skills." It's because you no longer need to cope with feeling unworthy, unloved, and unaccepted.
It's because you finally healed what's causing the anxiety in the first place.
who THIS IS for
This is for you if…
You’ve experienced success in your life but you continue to feel a sense of emptiness and loneliness you haven’t been able to shake
You’re ready to try something different besides performing and earning — you’re done trying to optimize yourself
The idea of somatic and art therapy is appealing to you because either you don’t like the idea of talk therapy, or it hasn’t worked well for you in the past
who THIS IS not for
This is not for you if…
You are only looking for more “techniques” or “skills” to manage your anxiety
You’re not ready to really commit to therapy — you’re still deciding if this is something you want
You need in person therapy sessions, evening or weekend availability, or you need to use insurance benefits for anxiety counseling
Hi, I’m Jen
I don’t do therapy that lets you hide behind your “I'm fine” mask.
Through our work together using art therapy and somatic approaches, you’ll get in touch with parts of yourself that feel risky to express, and discover who you are underneath the intellect and performance.
The crazy part? You’ll come to find you actually like her.
Licensed Professional Counselor providing specialized anxiety therapy for Portland, Oregon residents. Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors License #C3022. Specializing in art therapy and somatic approaches for high-achieving individuals who feel anxious and invisible despite external success.
Serving Portland Metro Area
I provide anxiety therapy via secure telehealth sessions to Portland area residents, including:
Portland • Beaverton • Hillsboro • Gresham • Lake Oswego • Tigard • Tualatin • Oregon City • Milwaukie • West Linn • Gladstone • King City • Sherwood • Durham • Rivergrove • Johnson City • Maywood Park • Fairview • Wood Village • Troutdale
Whether you're in the Pearl District dealing with startup pressure, in Southeast Portland balancing creative work with financial stability, or in Beaverton navigating tech industry demands, I understand the unique stressors of Portland life.
Crisis Resources: If you’re experiencing a mental health emergency, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or go to your nearest emergency room.
Contact me
Let’s get started.
Contact me to schedule a complimentary consultation, or your first therapy appointment.
Complete this form and I’ll be back in touch via email, text, or phone within 1-2 business days.
Call or Text
503-974-4140
jduncanlpc@gmail.com
MAILING ADDRESS (Services are conducted 100% online)
4207 SE Woodstock Blvd. #398 Portland, OR 97206
frequently asked questions About working with me
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This is for high-achievers who have everything together on the outside but are exhausted from constantly reading everyone's mood, people-pleasing, and hiding your real self because you're convinced you have to earn the right to be loved.
This is not for the type of person who wants a quick fix or who doesn’t have the time and capacity to put the required work in. -
Yes, I am currently accepting new clients. I generally work Monday through Wednesday. I have limited afternoon availability, so please contact me to inquire about hours.
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No, I only see clients online.
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My fee is $250 for 55-minutes. If you prefer to work more intensively, I offer 90-minute sessions for $375. If you’d like to schedule a half-day or a multi-day therapy intensive, please see my rates page for more information about package options.
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No, I am not in-network with any insurance company. I would be happy to provide a Superbill (an itemized receipt) for you to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
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I primarily use art therapy (also called expressive art therapy, or creative art therapy) and somatic therapy.
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Yes, but only when it will be helpful and effective for you. If you’ve already had a lot of talk therapy, it’s likely time to try a more body-based approach.
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I offer complimentary 30-minute consultations to prospective clients so that you and I can get a feel for what it will be like to work together. However, if that doesn’t work for you, I’d be happy to schedule your intake appointment.
Please scroll down to my contact form, or send me a message on my contact page and I will respond within 48 business hours with my availability.
frequently asked questions About therapy for anxiety
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Yes. Many people with anxiety live full, successful lives. Therapy can help you manage symptoms so anxiety doesn't control your choices.
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Therapy that addresses root causes, not just symptoms. Art therapy and somatic therapy help by working with your body and emotions, not just your thoughts.
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There's no single "strongest" natural remedy. Deep breathing, regular exercise, and therapy that helps you understand your anxiety patterns are most effective long-term.
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Often early experiences where you learned the world wasn't safe, relationships where you had to be “perfect,” or trauma that taught your nervous system to stay on high alert.
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There isn't one universal trigger. For many people, it's situations where they feel judged, out of control, or like they might be rejected.
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Slow, deep breathing. Feel your feet on the ground. Name 5 things you can see around you. These help calm your nervous system in the moment.
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Usually that something doesn't feel safe - emotionally or physically. It's your body's alarm system trying to protect you.
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There isn't one single cause. It's usually a combination of genetics, brain chemistry, and life experiences — especially early relationships.
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Panic attacks, avoiding normal activities, constant worry that interferes with work or relationships, physical symptoms like racing heart or trouble sleeping.
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Anxiety can be significantly reduced with proper treatment. Most people learn to manage it so well it doesn't interfere with their lives.
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Somatic therapy, art therapy, and trauma-focused therapies that help you process experiences stored in your body and emotions, not just talk about them.
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Learn to recognize when past experiences are affecting present relationships. Therapy helps you understand your patterns and develop healthier ways of connecting.
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Through therapy that helps you process what happened and learn that not all relationships will hurt you. Art and somatic therapy let you work through feelings without just talking.
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Therapies that work with your body and nervous system, like somatic therapy, combined with creative approaches like art therapy. Traditional talk therapy alone often isn't enough.
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No. Relational trauma is ongoing harm in relationships. PTSD is a specific set of symptoms that can result from any traumatic event, including relational trauma.
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Portland clients often experience workplace anxiety, especially those in the city's thriving sectors like technology (companies like Adidas, Columbia Sportswear), healthcare (OHSU, Legacy Health), and creative industries. Many are high-achievers dealing with perfectionism and people-pleasing patterns in Portland's competitive professional environment.
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Yes, I specialize in anxiety and complex PTSD therapy for Portland residents through secure online sessions. My art therapy and somatic approaches are particularly effective for trauma survivors who've tried traditional talk therapy without lasting results.
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Yes, I work with many Portland residents who experienced childhood emotional neglect, ongoing family dysfunction, or workplace trauma. Complex PTSD often shows up as difficulty trusting others and chronic feelings of emptiness despite external success.
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Portland has several crisis resources including the Multnomah County Crisis Line (503-988-4888), OHSU Emergency Department, and Lines for Life (1-800-273-8255). For ongoing support, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare and Legacy Health offer community mental health services.
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If you're experiencing a mental health crisis between our sessions, Portland has several immediate resources available. Contact the Multnomah County Crisis Line at 503-988-4888 for 24/7 support, or go to Unity Hospital for psychiatric emergencies. Lines for Life (1-800-273-8255) also provides crisis counseling. I'll work with you to create a safety plan during our sessions so you know exactly what steps to take if you're in crisis.
Anxiety Therapy: Oregon Locations
