About Eric Goodwin,

Therapist for Anxiety, LGBTQ+ Issues and Self-Compassion in Portland, OR

The anxiety, shame and “stuck” feeling have become overwhelming. You don’t think you can handle another day having to put on a brave face just to get through your day. What was once merely uncomfortable is now urgent – like a blinking red warning light in your heart that it’s time for a change. You’re ready for help but finding the best therapist for you is daunting when you’re feeling distressed and overwhelmed. Finding someone you trust and who can understand what you’re going through is essential!.

Therapy and healing:

There is hope that you can feel better and I’m here to help! I’m Eric Goodwin, a Licensed Professional Counselor and queer therapist in Portland, OR. I specialize in work with anxiety, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) issues and self-compassion. When my shit hit the fan, having a place to be understood and the support of a compassionate therapist in a safe and affirming space helped me grow and heal, and inspired me to become a therapist myself. Seeing and relating to the pain and suffering in the LGBTQIA+ community and the community-at-large, and wanting to help ease that suffering further drew me into this work. In sessions, I have seen incredible things happen as the people I work with begin to take those meaningful steps forward toward healing and the changes they hope to see in their lives.

Counseling’s focus on the therapeutic relationship was what drew me to counseling out of the mental health professions. Did you know that a big part of why therapy works is the quality of the relationship between you and your therapist? I focus on building an authentic and trusting relationship with each person I work with and if I don’t understand something correctly, I’ll work to get it right. We’re together in the muck when we need to be and we also get the chance to celebrate those moments when the clouds part and there’s more room to breathe. Even the smallest steps are victories worth recognizing.

What to expect when working with me:

People I have worked with describe me as warm, calm, comforting, and tell me that they feel safe in our sessions. One of the things I realized after I opened my practice was how hard people are on themselves when they’re already suffering! This led me to do more post-graduate training on Compassion-Focused Therapy and Mindful Self-Compassion in therapy. I believe that the most important person to have in your corner when you’re facing fears and healing wounds is yourself, and I’ll be there to remind you along the way (just in case you forget).

Constructivist-Narrative Therapy is incorporated into therapy with me which helps to bring awareness to the ways your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact with each other while tying in the threads of your experiences. This is where the stories you tell yourself about yourself after experiencing prejudice and discrimination, trauma and abuse can be challenged and you can take back your story through your authentic values and beliefs. Therapy is both an art and a science and I’m drawn to bringing both into our work. I know that TV therapists tend to be super-clinical and removed, I am more conversational and curious. You’re the expert on you, I know about therapy and healing processes.

Creativity is celebrated in my practice. It never ceases to amaze me how many of the people I work with are either in creative professions or have creative outlets that are central to who they are. My own background before I entered counseling was in acting and music. After moving to Oregon from Western NY, I was the Director of Student Services at Oregon College of Art and Craft and was inspired by the work the students created and how those practices play a role in healing and processing experiences.

My Credentials:

• I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (C7586) registered with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists.

• I am a National Certified Counselor (NCC) (331919)

• I have been a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) since 2012.

• I earned my Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling from SUNY - Brockport in 2014

• I have post-graduate training in Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS) Parts-Work and Mindful Self-Compassion.

What to do next:

Do you have more questions before getting started? Call me at 971.533.5590 and let’s see if I’m a good fit. If so we’ll schedule our first session together, set our goals, and go from there!