Art Therapy in Portland, Oregon
Jeniffer Duncan, LPC, LAT
Art Therapy in Portland
You've tried talking about your feelings, but words keep failing you. Maybe you sit in your Hawthorne apartment with a journal, staring at a blank page, knowing something needs to come out but having no idea how to say it. Or you're exhausted from explaining your trauma story one more time to one more therapist.
As an art therapist, I help Portland residents express and process what words can't touch; no artistic skill required.
Why Art Therapy?
You're surrounded by murals in Portland: the Alberta Arts District, First Thursday galleries, and friends who make zines or play in bands. But somewhere along the way, you decided you’re not creative because your sketches don't look like what's hanging at Portland Art Museum.
Here's the thing: art therapy isn't about making something pretty. It's about letting your hands express what your words can’t. Maybe you're a software engineer at a Pearl District startup who's been living in your head for so long, you've lost touch with your emotions. Or you're a PSU grad student whose anxiety is so loud, you can't even hear your own thoughts anymore.
The endless gray from October through May can make everything feel flat and colorless, including your internal world. When you haven't seen the sun in three months and your seasonal depression is in full-force, sometimes making marks on paper is the only way to externalize what's happening inside. It can be easier to draw the weight on your chest than to find words for it.
About Art Therapy
Art therapy works because trauma lives in the part of your brain that doesn't speak any language. That's why you can explain your childhood perfectly, but you still feel hijacked by old patterns.
Creating bypasses the verbal part of your brain and goes straight to where the feelings live.
I am happy to suggest art supplies to bring to our first session. Or, you can use whatever you have on hand: printer paper and a pencil, your kid's markers, that dusty watercolor set from when you were quarantining in 2020.
You might draw your anxiety as a scribble that takes up the whole page. Or create a collage from old Willamette Week copies that somehow explains your grief better than words ever could.
We’ll look at what you create together and gradually we’ll start to understand what your creative self knows that your talking self doesn’t. And slowly, you'll start to trust that part of you again.
FAqs For Portland Residents
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Most of my clients say this at first. But art therapy isn't art class; there's no critique, no right way, no judgment. If you can make a mark on paper (and you can), you can do art therapy. Some of my most powerful sessions have involved stick figures and angry scribbles.
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You’ll create in your own space with your own supplies, then hold your art up to the camera or snap a photo to share. Honestly, being in your own Portland home — whether that's a studio in Multnomah Village or a house in Woodstock — often feels safer for vulnerable creative work than a clinical office.
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Sometimes words aren't enough, and that's where art therapy comes in. Many people do both, using art therapy to access and process what verbal therapy can't quite reach. I’m happy to coordinate with your other therapist if you'd like.
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Please contact Multnomah County Crisis Line, or dial 988 if you’re having an emergency.
For community-based support groups, please visit NAMI Multnomah County.
About Your Portland Art Therapist
Jeniffer Duncan, LPC, LAT
I’m Jeniffer, a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Art Therapist based in Oregon. I help adults who feel stalled in their healing: people who have talked about their story many times over, but still feel trapped in their bodies. My Portland clients appreciate having a creative outlet that doesn’t require perfection or performance.
I offer online art therapy to all Oregon residents, which means you can create from your own kitchen table; no need to haul art supplies on the MAX or find parking in the Pearl.
Jennifer Duncan, Oregon Licensed Professional Counselor
License #C3022 · Verify with State Board-
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
Let’s Get Started
Contact Me
Contact me to schedule 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
Official MAILING ADDRESS (Services are conducted 100% online)
4207 SE Woodstock Blvd. #398
Portland, OR 97206
Serving Portland with Specialized Online Therapy…
I provide online therapy to adults throughout Oregon with focused support for residents of Portland and the surrounding area.
Find the right support in Portland:
Art Therapy in Portland