Mattie McClaskey
MA, LPC
My goal is to connect with you and create a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can create a more nurturing and compassionate relationship with yourself.
I partner with clients to provide support and empowerment towards achieving goals, building on strengths, learning new tools and patterns, and healing difficult experiences.
I know firsthand how being vulnerable and sharing one’s story can be intimidating – and it is work that I am passionate about. Struggling with anxiety, perfectionism, and self-acceptance was a long challenge for me beginning in adolescence, and in it I found a passion for addressing and reducing the stigma around mental health. Having battled critical thoughts and low confidence, I came to find over the years the healing power of allowing oneself to make mistakes, connecting with others, learning new self-narratives that affirm worth, and going to therapeutic space where one can be heard, supported, and respected. My experiences inform my work with clients, as I bring compassion, understanding and passion to help connect to your strengths and learn new tools towards facilitating goals, healing, and self-worth.
I recognize that people are the experts in their own lives, and I believe in the inherent ability of each individual to create hope, change, and healing for themselves. I strive to help people navigate the maze of life, and may encourage more self-compassion along the way. I also encourage exploration of one’s narratives and thought and behavior patterns that may have developed throughout life experiences. I view counseling as a collaborative partnership between client and therapist and endeavor to understand each person’s unique social context, culture, and identity. Valuing warmth, humor, learning, and authenticity, I am honored and humbled to be a part of any client's journey.
Outside of the therapy office, I enjoy reading, arts such as drawing, painting, and crocheting, hiking and nature, spending time with my family and cat, and trying new types of coffee and tea.
I assist clients who are experiencing a wide range of presenting concerns, including: anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, OCD, college students and academic problems, women’s issues, communication and relational issues, family dynamics, personal boundaries, gender and sexual identity exploration, and major life transitions. I enjoy working with clients from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds and identities.
AREAS OF FOCUS
Who I Work With: Adults
While I work with a wide range of people and presenting problems, some of my most common topics of focus include:
Anxiety
Perfectionism
Depression
Trauma
Grief or Loss
Self-esteem
Family conflict
Personal boundaries
LGBTQIA+
Life transitions
Career stress and exploration
Emotional Regulation
Relationship Issues
Women's issues
Counseling Technique
With every client, I strive to create a space that is empathetic and supportive while respecting the important uniqueness of individuals and their circumstances, identity, culture, and values. I aim to be an empathetic listener and gentle facilitator of new perspectives and growth in helping people build new and more helpful patterns. My approach to therapy is eclectic and includes a blend of strengths-based, client-centered, holistic, and trauma- and culturally-informed techniques. I primarily draw from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Motivational Interviewing, mindfulness techniques, and tools from Gottman Method Couples therapy.
Professional Background
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Oregon and have worked with a diverse array of different concerns and populations in an outpatient setting. During undergraduate and graduate school I gained extensive background in academic service and clinical research focusing on exploring physical and emotional responses to daily stressors in marginalized cultural groups, and I have also worked in mentorship and counseling roles as a career development specialist supporting people with career exploration. As a therapist, I’ve worked with clients navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, OCD, communication and relational issues, family dynamics, personal boundaries, gender and sexual identity exploration, and unemployment. My passion is individual therapy with clients actively engaged in the process of therapy.
Education Credentials
MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Northern Arizona University
BS in Psychological Sciences, Northern Arizona University
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Oregon (C8132). I have completed Gottman Method Couples Counseling Level I & III, and regularly attend trainings and follow research and continuing education opportunities to provide the best service to my clients.