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Welcome to the Blue Leaf Mental Wellness Center. Our experienced therapists collaborate with you to maintain satisfying relationships, improved self-confidence, freedom from past hurts and traumas, and restoring purpose and meaning after the loss of a loved one.
Located in beautiful Fort Vancouver, we serve a diverse community from Vancouver, WA and the surrounding Portland Metro Area.
Just as you would carefully plan a climb to the top of Mt. Hood, the Blue Leaf Mental Wellness Center will map out the best approach to psychotherapy for your mental wellness. We understand that everyone has unique strengths and struggles, and we base our treatment approach on the best fit for your specific circumstance.
Taking that first step to reach out requires courage. Whether you reach out by phone or email, a licensed mental health specialist from the Blue Leaf Mental Wellness Center will greet you warmly and will give you an opportunity to discuss your current needs and struggles. Through this interaction, we can help determine which of the Blue Leaf therapists would be a great match for you based on your clinical, financial, and scheduling requirements.
To advocate mental wellness through evidence based practices and holistic approaches that honor and nurture the whole person so they may heal, grow, and thrive.
Once agreed upon, we will schedule your first face-to-face meeting where you and the therapist have an opportunity to get a sense of one another and determine together if there's a good connection. At this time, you can also expect to go into more detail about the circumstances that brought you into treatment, as well as other areas of your life so that we can really get to know you better as a "whole person."
At the end of the face-to-face consultation, a recommendation is made about whether to move forward with treatment. Your therapist will offer some initial impressions, begin to create a personalized treatment plan and recommend how often to meet. Our typical client comes in on a weekly basis so that we can best serve you in creating an environment that will help you move forward.
If during the phone consultation or in the initial face-to-face consultation, we do not feel we would be best suited to fit your particular needs, we will provide you with a referral so that you can get the treatment indicated by your situation.
Connection:We foster strong connections and collaborate with clients and colleagues to make a positive difference in each other’s experience.
Integrity:We do the right thing and uphold the highest ethical standards in all that we do.
Empowerment:We believe everyone has the potential to become stronger and more confident in bringing out the best parts of themselves.
Excellence:We are committed to treatments that get results, ongoing professional development, and providing the best experience for our clients and team.
Growth:We commit to personal and professional growth, in mind, body and spirit.
The Blue Leaf Mental Wellness Center offers psychotherapy, art therapy, and EMDR treatment to best serve you creatively and effectively. We are pleased to offer psychotherapy and EMDR services via Telehealth in order to maintain safety during the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Our therapists specialize in treating depression, anxiety, phobias, trauma, grief and loss, difficulties adjusting to life transitions, post-partum mood changes, parenting, relationship struggles and more.
The Blue Leaf Mental Wellness Center offers psychotherapy services for adults and couples 18 years and older in all phases of adult life. Psychotherapy treatment may include individual or relationship counseling, art therapy, and EMDR for a variety of life circumstances, challenges, and problems.
We can help you with:
Through psychotherapy, you can experience relief of symptoms, improved self-confidence, freedom from past traumas, support through grief, and greater sense of control in living the life you want while letting go of the difficulties that have kept you stuck and unhappy. We currently offer psychotherapy for adults 18 and older.
With relationship counseling, you can experience clearer communication, greater clarity, increased ability to listen and be heard, greater connection and the improved ability to offer and receive support.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective to treat trauma. It is used to reduce and remove unwanted images, negative thoughts, and intense emotion associated with traumatic experiences.
Whether you’ve encountered a “one time” incident such as a loss, accident, medical crisis, or “multiple traumas” through repeated abuse or exposure to traumatic experiences, you can receive a significant reduction in traumatic symptoms in a relatively short amount of time through the use of EMDR.
Experiential and creative, art therapy helps to express our experiences when words fail. The process of creating helps to contain overwhelming feelings, clarify thoughts, create movement in areas that are “stuck” and increases a sense of calm and mastery.
We strive to create an environment that fosters authenticity, trust, healing, personal and professional growth, emotional safety, playfulness, and inner strength.
The Blue Leaf Mental Wellness Center team wants to help you become the best version of yourself so you can heal, grow and thrive.
Our team promotes collaboration, personal and professional growth, and creating the best environment in which to achieve mental wellness.
At the Blue Leaf Mental Wellness Center, our mission is honoring the courage, strength, vulnerabilities, and uniqueness of each person and fostering the growth, skills and resources to live your best life.
Our clients love how present, direct, gentle and compassionate we are. They appreciate that during one session they can spend the time venting and in another, learn and practice a variety of specific tools to support them in their lives.
Hello! My name is Stephanie Womack and I am a Marriage and Family Therapy student intern here at Blue Leaf Mental Wellness Center. I am not only delighted to be part of the Blue Leaf team, but am honored to be entrusted with the details of a client's life and come alongside them in their journey of healing and self-discovery. I believe each person has the right to feel heard and seen, and has the power within themselves to overcome adversity. With a holistic and collaborative approach, I seek to support others to find this power and wade through life's many difficulties.
As an intern, I can provide low fee counseling services to couples, families, and individuals, aged 18+, and serve more members of the community either in-person or via Telehealth.
Client Focus
I believe in the profound power of empathy through a listening ear, acceptance, advocacy, and encouragement to promote self-growth, self-acceptance, and self-efficacy. My focus is to support adults experiencing a variety of struggles, including depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, adjustment difficulties that come from the challenges of life, and marital and family conflicts. To do this, I use a variety of evidence-based interventions that are tailored to the needs of each individual and these include mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), attachment theory, and Bowen Family Therapy practices in order to approach each client, whether individually or as a family system, holistically and person-centered.
All counseling will be conducted according to the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics found here: https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
Trauma, Grief and Loss
As a support line advocate for the Sexual Assault Resource Center of Oregon for 1.5 years and a survivor of trauma myself, the concepts of trauma, PTSD, grief, and loss are no strangers to me. Because of this, I approach these hardships with a wholehearted fervor, empathy, understanding, and support.
Couples and Adult Family Therapy
When people come together to form a relationship, they not only bring along their individual personality and history but also their learned habits, worldview, social and cultural influences, opinions, etc. and I believe it is often unrealistic to expect anyone to immediately understand how to make a relationship "work", especially without being given appropriate tools.
My goal is to help significantly reduce the stigma surrounding couples and family therapy by creating a warm, safe, nonjudgmental, and unbiased environment in which each member can come "as they are" and feel comfortable to learn tools and strategies to work together as a team that is united yet also acknowledging of each individual's characteristics that make them unique.
About Me
I believe we are all students of life no matter what age or stage, and, because of this, I have always had a deep passion for self-growth and self-awareness, dedicating my energy to learning as much as I can about these guiding principles. When I'm not researching something related to this or learning something new in general, you can find me spending quality time with friends and family, hiking, exploring, watching live music, and playing music/singing.
Education
I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Behavioral Studies from George Fox University and am currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Amridge University. I am honored to be part of the Blue Leaf team as a student intern, which includes weekly individual supervision with Tara May, PhD, as well as weekly group consultation and team meetings.
I believe that all people have a self-evident state of dignity to be witnessed, honored, and lived out. I also believe that sometimes we all mess up and we all deserve a chance to find our way back again - this is a special part of my story and why I’m so passionate about recovering from the toll that life and mistakes can take on us.
My collaborative approach to counseling is honest and patient and empathetic. Your whole body, mind, and spirit engages in counseling and has an important place in it. As an intern, I can provide low fee counseling services and serve more members of the community either in person or via Telehealth.
Client Focus
My client focus includes adults struggling with anxiety, depression, direction in life, uncertainty regarding career goals, difficulty adjusting to life's challenges, and those struggling to navigate relationships. I have a particular interest in empowering clients in moving through adversity and promoting self acceptance, self compassion and gaining clarity.
As an intern, I approach clients with evidence based interventions including CBT, Narrative and Existential theory, mindfulness, and Attachment theory. I love the experience of learning to translate theory into practice with the support of my education and rigorous professional supervision. All counseling will be done according to the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics found here: https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
Trauma, Grief and Loss
In my work as an executive coach, I have witnessed the impact of trauma, grief and loss in one's ability to truly show up and shine. Executives have taught me about the sacrifices they have made and the needs that go unmet, and the ways that negative past experiences can creep in or become overwhelming. I am honored for the opportunity to hold space for suffering, teaching skills to manage it, while helping clients create meaning and purpose in their lives, either because of tragedy or despite it.
About Me
I obtained my BA in Digital Technology and Culture from Washington State University Vancouver. I have trained in various leadership roles as both an employee and business owner for the last 25 years.
When I am not running my business and participating in my graduate program, I enjoy sitting outside with my friend and wife, weight lifting, coaching youth sports, and finding the time to care for my own mental and spiritual welfare.
Education
I am currently pursuing a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling at Multnomah University and am excited for my internship with Blue Leaf. As an intern, I will receive weekly individual supervision with Tara May, PhD, and participate in weekly group consultation and team meetings.
Welcome! I am Irene Collazo, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Earlier in life, I was afforded the opportunity to move throughout the U.S., which has allowed me to work in various treatment settings and with a diverse population of adults with various socioeconomic statuses, religions, and lifestyles. What I came to understand through this experience is that despite the many differences in how we experience the world and our place in it, there is a universal need for compassion, empathy, and understanding and that all of us have a need for connectedness and purpose. I know that it takes strength to ask for help. Therapy can be the bridge that guides you towards a healthy way of coping, and strengthening the resilience you already have inside of you. It is a profound honor to walk alongside clients during their darkest times and support their journey towards growth and resilience allowing hope to shine the way towards a better quality of life.
Client Focus
My client focus includes adults struggling with life’s challenges, including grief and loss, adjusting to medical issues, depression, anxiety, and the day to day stressors that unfold in one’s life. I use a mix of evidence-based modalities including CBT, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, strength based, and client centered approaches . Each treatment plan is as unique as each individual. I approach each client from an empathetic, empowering, and person-centered perspective. I see therapy as a collaborative effort with the goal of building on existing strengths and teaching new skills and strategies to enhance coping.
Grief and Loss
Although no one is a stranger to some form of loss, grief is a very personal experience, and no two grievers are the same. In recent and changing times, trauma, grief, and loss have increased and has become intimately familiar to many of us. Grief can take many forms, including losing a loved one or anticipating life altering experiences. It can also be experienced from the loss of health, a job, income, a home, a relationship, empty nest, retirement, and loss of self. Grief work includes recognizing the loss and learning to live and adapt to the changes, while learning to find purpose and meaning in life again.
About Me
Time is precious to me, and when I'm not at work, I spend it laughing and creating meaningful memories with friends, family, and my kitten Milo. I love cooking, live music, and being waterside on a sunny day. I also like trying new experiences by pushing through the fear of the outcome, which has created more joy in my life.
Education
I earned my MSW from Tulane University School of Social Work in Louisiana. I am licensed in the state of Washington as an independent clinical Social Worker. Trained in EMDR.
Contact Irene Collazo at 360-904-1008, Extension 107.
Hello! I am Kerstin Rolands, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. As a trauma informed therapist, grief and loss specialist and artistic helper, my passion stems from helping individuals and couples identify and nurture their strengths, overcome obstacles to living fully, and instill holistic health.
Client Focus
My client focus includes adults and couples experiencing a range of struggles including anxiety, social apprehension, grief and loss, depression, relationship miscommunication and disconnection, avoidance of conflict and/or emotion, PTSD, childhood trauma, and problems showing up as your best self in your daily life.
My therapeutic approach is tailored to the client or couples needs and includes cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness and client-centered approaches. Combining artistic expression with verbal therapy allows clients to feel grounded in the present, express themselves holistically, and create a visual and verbal narrative for increased clarity and relief from distress. We work to build your resilience to move forward--with healing and strength.
Trauma, Grief and Loss
Whether we are faced with the loss of a loved one or another unexpected traumatic event, we are forced to manage a roller coaster of emotions, unexpected life changes, and the burden of adjusting to a new version of our lives. These experiences impact how we see ourselves, relate to our loved ones and to the community at large. Using trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TFCBT) I see my role as offering you the tools and creative outlets for symptom relief, creating a coherent narrative to understand and integrate the traumatic experiences into your life and create a path to rebuild your life with grace, courage and resilience.
Couples Therapy
Whether your relationship feels stuck in a pattern of conflict and/or disconnection, or you are wanting to rebuild trust and strengthen your bond, our work together may include elements of Gottman’s method and Emotion-Focused Therapy. These resources provide you with the tools to increase respect and affection for each other, resolve conflict, improve problem-solving skills and gain understanding and compassion for each other so you can grow closer.
About Me
I believe in the power of courage and the confidence it gives us to push beyond our limits, overcome our fears, be all of who we are and experience life to the fullest. In my free time, you’ll find me cooking up a tasty recipe in my kitchen, painting or conjuring up another creative project around my house, exercising or hiking outdoors; or enjoying a good movie and cup of tea with my husband.
Education
My MA in Counseling Psychology was earned from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology in 2013. I am licensed in the state of Washington as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Trained in EMDR.
Contact Kerstin Rolands at 360-904-1008, Extension 104.
Hello! I’m Jim Maxwell, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Since the mid 1990’s I have been working with couples, families, and individuals in a variety of treatment settings. As a healer and spreader of good news, I work from a systems theory perspective to help you address your emotional, social, physical and spiritual needs, and design interventions best suited to help you reach your goals.
Client Focus
Change requires new actions and new ways of thinking. Symptom reduction is the focus and I will help you with building skills and integrate new information that allows you to take action toward your goals right away. My clients tend to work hard in between sessions to achieve lasting change.
Couples Therapy and Premarital Counseling
With years of specialized training and experience, I enjoy collaborating with couples who are struggling with the impact of infidelity, those who are stuck in “here we go again” cycles, and those couples who are looking to enhance their relationships. A key contributor to a satisfying marriage involves understanding your particular relational dynamics and learning the skills to be a good spouse. I enjoy working with those pre-maritally to clarify their relationship goals and to create a solid foundation of communication and relationship skills, so they can enjoy greater marital satisfaction.
Trauma, Grief, and Loss
As a combat veteran and experienced therapist, I understand that trauma, grief, and loss are often part of the life cycle and it is easier to adjust and grow after these experiences when we have strong support and make daily investments in our own healing. I also use EMDR to help you reprocess trauma experiences so that they no longer have to hold you back. Building on your brain’s natural capacity for new learning EMDR can help you cope, adapt, and grow through these experiences so you can become an active participant in your life again.
About Me
Enjoying life in all its dimensions is a continual pursuit for me. To do that I like to hike, camp, learn new things, spend time with friends, listen to music, read, write, photograph, and practice spiritual disciplines. When I am not enjoying time with my wife, I am likely quoting movie lines or cracking dad jokes with my adult sons.
Education
I am pursuing a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from Amridge University. My Master of Arts in Counseling is from Harding University Graduate School of Religion and my Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Psychology is from Freed-Hardeman College. I am a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Trained in EMDR.
Contact Jim Maxwell at 360-904-1008, Extension 105.
Hello! I am Claire Haynack, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Art Therapist. As a grief and loss healer, trauma specialist, and creatives companion, my passion lies in helping individuals and couples recognize and cultivate their innate strengths, while promoting wellness through mindfulness, insight, and the creative process. While many find that the art process enhances communication and insight into their experience, others prefer to work verbally. My approach is eclectic and draws upon multiple styles to offer an individualized experience that is right for you.
Grief and Loss
Though we all experience grief at some point in our lives, it remains one of the most challenging life changes to weather. Finding quality support after the loss of a loved one helps the griever cope with the extreme sadness, unexpected life changes, and the overwhelming feeling associated with facing a future without that person. My approach validates grief as an ongoing process, without judgment and at your own pace. As an Art Therapist, we can find creative ways to help you express yourself when words fail, and support you with the tools to honor your loss and help you find a way to move forward.
Trauma
As a trauma informed therapist, I value the resilience that we bring to life, even during the most awful experiences. My approach helps to decrease the unwanted “symptoms” resulting from the traumatic experience while helping you make sense of what happened, how it’s affecting you, and how to build on your inner strength and resilience to help you heal and grow.
Creatives
As an Art Therapist, I have found the creative process particularly helpful with those who have experienced grief, trauma and family conflict. Pairing Art Therapy with verbal therapy allows clients to express themselves more fully, develop increased recognition of their struggles and strengths, and assists in improving the quality and depth of their relationships.
About Me
I am an artist at heart; I love to paint, draw, and illustrate people and stories – especially folktales. When I’m not creating, I’m usually found at the CrossFit gym! I love getting in a workout and ending up in a sweaty, happy pile on the floor. I practice self-care daily through connecting with friends, moving my body, and becoming overly excited when it is sunny.
Education
My MA in Art Psychotherapy was earned from New York University in 2015. I am licensed in the state of Washington as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Trained in EMDR.
Contact Claire Haynack at 360-904-1008, Extension 103.
(Dr. Tara May is not currently accepting new clients.)
Hello! I am Dr. Tara May, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. In my many years working in a variety of settings, I have always loved the intimacy and connection created in psychotherapy treatment. Whether my clients come to me feeling unhappy, anxious, shattered, disconnected or uncertain about the future, I know that just by walking into the office, they will leave better than when they came. Reaching out for help is an act of courage and hope. Clients rediscover their best selves, create new experiences, and recognize the choices they have in their treatment and in life including options of what to hold on to and what to let go of. Through treatment, they leave feeling stronger, more confident, decisive, and connected both to themselves and others.
Grief and Loss
Having someone we love die is one of the most shocking experiences we face. How do we walk into another day when there is a gaping hole left by the person we love? When a baby or child dies, our world is turned upside down, leaving us facing a future of what was supposed to be. This is a particular area of interest of mine, having both professional and lived expertise. Supporting clients through their grief has been the most rewarding aspect of my work. We find creative ways to honor the person we lost, move forward in our grief, reconnect to what remains important, and forge a new normal.
Trauma
Traumatic experiences can be big and life altering resulting in intrusive thoughts, images, and fears or they can be more subtle resulting in an erosion of self-esteem and self-confidence, feeling disconnected and unhappy. As Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, it is important to give clients the tools and resources for immediate relief, so trauma work can be done gently and without being retraumatizing. Using EMDR has been one of the most amazing and effective, albeit weird, treatments that I am certified and trained to use. One of the most frequent things I hear after EMDR is, “I don’t know what just happened or how that worked, but it’s amazing.”
Motherhood
The entry into motherhood can be unexpectedly filled with heartache and fear. I support mothers whether the challenge is in getting pregnant, facing birth trauma or losses or in mood changes during pregnancy or after the birth. We work towards building your inner resources to overcome fear, build coping skills to manage mood changes and help you connect more deeply with yourself and your family.
About Me I believe in going beyond the outer edges of my comfort zone and diving into new experiences and opportunities for self-growth and self-discovery. When I’m not reading for fun, I might be playing softball or rafting, or just snuggling up with my family and some popcorn.
Education
My PhD in Clinical Psychology was earned from the California School of Professional Psychology/Alliant University in 1998. I hold the following certifications: Certified in Perinatal Mental Health from PSI (Postpartum Support International), Certified EMDR therapist from EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association, Approved Consultant in EMDR from EMDRIA, and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional from IATP (International Association of Trauma Professionals)
Contact Dr. Tara May at 360-904-1008, Extension 101.
At Blue Leaf, we view mental wellness through a holistic lens, understanding that the whole person is impacted by their body, mind, spirit, and emotion. All of the therapists at Blue Leaf consult with Dr. May to ensure that clients are receiving the best care suitable to their particular situation. We are connected to many wonderful resources in the community to ensure that you have lots of ways to heal.
We are in network with: Aetna, Kaiser, Pacific Source, and Blue Cross Premera. If you are unsure, please contact your insurance provider to verify network status of the provider you wish to see.
Those not using or not able to use insurance, we accept cash, checks or credit cards as payment. A "superbill" can be provided to obtain reimbursement for any out of network benefits. If planning to pay out of pocket and either don't have insurance, or don't intend on seeking reimbursement from your insurance, then under the law, you are entitled and may request a Good Faith Estimate of the expected charges. For more information visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
Serving the Portland metro area, Blue Leaf Mental Wellness Center is located at 756 Officers Row in Fort Vancouver. Due to the current pandemic, most sessions are held virtually by video conference or phone. To schedule a free phone consultation or to get more information, please reach out using our contact form.
If you are in crisis, please dial 911 or contact the Clark County Crisis Line at 800-626-8137. Otherwise, please fill out the form below and a Blue Leaf team member will get back to you as soon as possible.
While all communication will be kept strictly confidential, please do not include any protected health information in this form.
For your convenience, we offer evening and weekend appointments.