CREDN Provider Directory

I believe no matter what you face, there is hope for change. Many of my clients come to me for trauma and abuse recovery, depression, anxiety and panic attacks, disordered eating and body image issues. I am a certified Brainspotting therapist, Clinical Trauma Professional, Certified in Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST), and use Gottman method for couples work. I use a Body Trust and HAES perspective and partner with medical or nutritional providers for optimal care. Read more on my website at proteacounselingpnw.com.

Healing is HARD freaking work! It's my goal to provide a non-judgmental and compassionate space as we work together. I try to meet each client right where they are at. I have a lot of tools in my toolbox but there is no specific blueprint. Sometimes that means holding space while you cry your face off. Sometimes it listening and reflecting back where I see your eating disorder is at play. Sometimes it means creating small goals, meal planning or eating together. Sometimes it's debunking health and diet culture myths. Sometimes it's having a good laugh. ALWAYS, it's me believing that recovery is possible for you. I've been in the ED field for over ten years and LOVE what I do. I am especially passionate about working those who have been deemed "difficult" or "treatment resistant." It’s important for me to acknowledge that my lived experience has been as a thin, white, cis, hetero woman which as afforded me much privilege as I navigate the world. I practice from an anti-oppression, trauma informed framework and am continually trying to learn and grow in these areas.

I’m Dr. Sarah Kopencey, a licensed clinical psychologist serving adolescents, adults, and families. I offer compassionate, evidence-based therapy for eating disorders, anxiety, OCD, and depression. Eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or body size. I support clients from a weight-inclusive perspective and utilize a holistic treatment approach to address the biopsychosocial-emotional and systemic aspects of a person’s struggle beyond food and body image. I’m here to help you improve your relationship with food and reclaim trust in your body.

I believe that language creates meaning in our lives to the extent that our problems can become totalizing and we begin to believe we are our problems. Problems with food, body image, and movement become “disordered” when they evolve into a singular expression of a person’s identity, masking the intricate threads that make us all unique, creative individuals. I am interested in collaborating with my clients to re-author the problematic stories that have glossed over their unique threads. I do this by encouraging the development of “preferred stories”, enhancing personal agency by exposing other invisibilized narratives and values and asking what are the effects of the stories we tell ourselves. I believe it is vitally important to expose our assumptions, values, beliefs and implicit biases, as well of those of our environment and society at large, in order to move out of binary thinking. I employ a variety of therapeutic techniques including but not limited to CBT, ACT and Mindfulness. I am influenced by Narrative, Post-Modern theories and Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT). Additionally, I am a Level Two Graduate in Sensorimotor Training and am a trauma informed therapist. Formal Education: I hold a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Antioch University Los Angeles. Major coursework included systems theory, personality theory, child and adolescent development, group treatment methods and psychological testing. Antioch provides itself on linking theory and practice through personal, clinical and societal applications of learning in addition to experiential learning and support for creativity.

I practice nutrition counseling with an anti-diet, intuitive eating, and HAES® approach. This means that I uphold the belief that food is not black and white and that people in larger bodies deserve equal treatment in society, including healthcare. Additionally, I support and align with the fat liberation movement by acknowledging the systems within our society that oppress fat individuals and by participating in dismantling these systems. I am also passionate about providing care to people of all backgrounds and identities. It is important to me to create a space that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone and every body. In working with individuals with diverse backgrounds, I feel it’s important to acknowledge the various forms of privilege I have as a white, cis-gendered, able-bodied, straight-sized person. Because of my own privilege, I realize that I do not share the lived experience of everyone I work with, which is why it is important to me to listen to your story and understand who you are as an ally in your journey and pursuit of healing. My previous work experience includes working in primary care settings where I supported individuals with various nutrition-related health concerns as well as at eating disorder treatment centers at the residential, PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program), IOP (Intensive Outpatient), and outpatient levels of care. In addition to working with individual clients, I also offer supervision to dietitians looking to enhance their eating disorder recovery and anti-diet nutrition counseling skills.

Let’s be honest, being a human is a messy experience and living in a body is hard! We are all deserving of spaces where we can be our most authentic and vulnerable selves, where we feel supported and seen. My goal as a therapist is to create a safe, non-judgmental environment to support you in telling your story and engaging in transformative work. Through authentic connection, I work with clients to repair attachment wounds, process grief, and reconnect with their truest selves. I’m passionate about working with clients on issues of body grief, which is often the manifestation of the intersection of two or more of the following: -Chronic illness and disability -PTSD, relational trauma and CPTSD -Body image challenges and disordered eating -Aging and death concerns -Marginalized identities (LGBTQIA+ and those of the racial global majority) -Unfulfilled roles (e.g. motherhood) -Religious trauma and purity culture Body grief can leave us with feelings of disconnection, resentment, anxiety, and isolation. In witnessing our grief and dismantling what has led us to feeling “at war” with our bodies, we can find increased resilience, hope and eventually a return to body trust. *I believe reconnection with our bodies, and specifically recovery from eating disorders, is possible and I subscribe to harm reduction philosophies that allow clients to heal at whatever pace is sustainable for them. I strive to engage collaboratively and compassionately with all of my clients throughout their therapeutic journey. I offer trauma-informed, culturally grounded, and relational therapy rooted in liberatory perspectives. My collaborative and eclectic approach integrates Somatic Therapy, Depth Psychology, Parts work, ACT, DBT, and Existential Therapy. I believe in client led work, meaning that I trust you as the expert of your own story and that you are in control of our time together. I may provide guidance and suggestions, but I will always encourage clients to trust their own inner knowing and sense of timing in this work. I am a HAES aligned, identity-affirming therapist who whole-heartedly welcomes all clients including LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, disabled, BIPOC, poly and kink identified folks. Whether you’ve had many counseling experiences, or this is your very first, I look forward to learning about who you are and where you want to go on your path towards healing. Reach out to schedule a free consultation to learn more about working together.

Annika is trained as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and has been practicing for 15 years. She creates an affirming and compassionate space to explore some of the most tender parts of ourselves. She is trained as an Intuitive Eating Counselor and has extensive training in Internal Family Systems and Mindfulness Based practices. All people are welcome here. Together we can create a space for exploration and healing. We want to specifically state a welcome to all folks living in marginalized bodies. We work from an anti-oppression lens and feel strongly that we must openly acknowledge the privilege in our bodies and the power we hold as providers in order to do our best to create that healing environment.

I hold a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree from Antioch University, a CACREP accredited program. Major coursework included individual counseling, group counseling, counseling theories and skills, human development, social and cultural diversity, crisis counseling, understanding addiction, diagnosing mental health disorders, assessment of mental health disorders, human sexuality, and gender affirming care. I am registered with the Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor – I (CADC-I) and with the National Board for Certified Counselors as a National Certified Counselor (NCC). I also have a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and Psychology from Portland State University. As a Professional Counselor Associate, I am currently supervised by Selin Strait, LPC, CHT, and Tever Nickerson, LPC. I have direct experience working with adolescents with eating disorders in a residential setting as an intern as well as experience working with adults with eating disorders in an outpatient setting. I completed an internship and worked for three years in a residential and outpatient setting with adults with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. I have worked with patients who struggle with a variety of difficulties, including depression, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, interpersonal conflict, parenting stress, grief and loss, and navigating life transitions. I see my job as a therapist as being a supporter of your work to know, grow, and use your own wisdom and strength to move toward your goals. I am also aware of how power, privilege, and oppression can affect our work together. I invite discussion around this and seek to lessen the impact of any imbalance. My goal is to empower you as the client to have choice and autonomy in our work together. My approach is a combination of multiple methods. I tend to think about cases through the lens of biopsychosocial, existential, attachment, and person-centered theories. In terms of skills, I lean toward dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). More importantly, I like to see what works for you as an individual and adjust the ideas and skills I bring into our sessions to fit your needs.

I received my Master’s degree from Lewis and Clark college in Portland, OR in counseling psychology and addictions studies. Here I completed a 3 year Eating Disorder Certificate program. I have been working as a counselor in various capacities since 2006 including outpatient, intensive-outpatient, residential treatment, and acute psychiatric hospital settings. I have experience treating various Eating Disorder spectrum diagnosis including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Exercise Addiction and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. I also have experience treating Substance Use Disorders, and other mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma, relationship issues, and mood fluctuations. My personal style of counseling is holistic in nature, as I come from a humanistic belief that every individual has the ability to change. From this approach, the individual learns how to utilize their own inner strengths to find more purpose and meaning in their life. I utilize a Health and Every Size approach (HAES) and draw from Intuitive Eating interventions when appropriate. My role as a counselor is to highlight each individual’s power to change, helping them to gain more awareness in how to live a more fulfilling and authentic life.

Hello! I am currently offering clinical supervision to professional counselor associates and marriage and family associates in the state of Oregon.