Portland Therapist for Untangling Shame and Self-Criticism

You’re Tired of Feeling Like You’re Never Enough

No matter how hard you try, how much you accomplish, or how much you keep the “bad” parts of you hidden, there’s a voice inside that tells you it’s not enough. You’re not enough.

That voice doesn’t just point out your mistakes, it magnifies them. It echoes in your mind long after everyone else has moved on. It holds you back from taking chances, opening up to others, or showing up fully in your life.

Underneath it all is a quiet, painful belief: There’s something wrong with me.

You might not even realize how often that voice shows up—until you notice how much it’s shaped your decisions, your relationships, and your self-worth.

Living with Shame Feels Like Carrying a Secret You Can’t Name

Shame is heavy. It’s isolating. It convinces you that you're different in a bad way…flawed, broken, unlovable. So you guard yourself. You overwork. You avoid taking risks. You compare yourself to others and always fall short.

Even in relationships or communities that feel safe, it’s hard to trust that people wouldn’t leave if they really knew you. Shame keeps you stuck in your own head, judging, analyzing, apologizing, and never really feeling free.

You want to feel confident. You want to stop second-guessing everything. But the shame feels like an invisible wall between you and the life you want to live.

There Is Nothing Wrong With You.

But There May Be Something Wrong With the Story You’ve Been Told.

Hi, I’m Eric Goodwin, a Licensed Professional Counselor and therapist in Portland, Oregon. I work with people who feel trapped by shame, harsh self-talk, and a relentless inner critic and who are curious about starting to relate to themselves differently.

You may have internalized painful messages from your childhood, culture, or past relationships that made you believe your worth was conditional. My work is about gently helping you challenge those beliefs, not by forcing confidence or positivity, but by building a new foundation of self-understanding and compassion.

This is deep work. But it’s also life-changing work.

What Therapy for Shame and Self-Criticism Looks Like

In our sessions, we’ll create a safe, non-judgmental space for you to unpack the emotions and stories that have shaped your inner world. I draw on practices from Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Mindfulness-Based Therapies, Internal Family Systems (IFS) Parts-Work, and Mindful Self-Compassion to help you explore and soften the voice of shame.

You’ll learn how to:

• Recognize the voice of your inner critic—and where it came from

• Build skills for responding with self-kindness, instead of self-blame

• Explore the root of perfectionism, people-pleasing, or chronic self-doubt

• Reconnect with parts of yourself you’ve pushed away

• Practice courage in showing up more fully in relationships and in your life

This isn’t about “just thinking differently.” It’s about rewiring the way you relate to yourself, so you can live with more freedom, integrity, and emotional safety.

Change Happens One Gentle Step at a Time

For over 10 years, I’ve worked with people who once believed they’d be stuck in cycles of self-judgment forever. But as therapy progressed, they found themselves:

• Speaking to themselves with compassion

• Feeling more confident in their work and relationships

• Setting boundaries with less guilt

• Letting go of perfectionism as a measure of worth

• Experiencing quiet pride in being who they are—without apology

You don’t have to become someone else to feel worthy.
You just have to learn how to see yourself differently.

Let’s Explore What Healing Looks Like for You

If shame and self-criticism have been running the show for too long, therapy can help you shift those patterns—with care, at your own pace, and without judgment.

Call me at 971-533-5590 or click here to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.

It may feel hard to believe right now, but it is possible to live with less shame—and more ease, connection, and self-trust.

FAQs – Therapy for Shame and Self-Criticism

1. What’s the difference between shame and guilt?
Guilt says “I did something wrong.” Shame says “I am something wrong.” Therapy can help untangle that difference and loosen shame’s grip.

2. Where does my inner critic come from?
Often from early relationships, trauma, or cultural messages that told you you weren’t good enough. Therapy helps uncover and soften those roots.

3. Can self-compassion really change anything?
Yes and research supports it. Self-compassion builds emotional resilience, motivation, and a more stable sense of self-worth.

4. I’ve tried “being kind to myself” and it didn’t stick. What’s different about therapy?
In therapy, we go deeper. We explore why self-kindness feels hard and create tools and practices that actually work for your nervous system and life.

5. What if I feel too ashamed to talk about certain things?
You don’t have to say anything before you’re ready. We’ll go at a pace that feels safe and honoring of your experience.

6. What types of therapy do you use?
I integrate Compassion-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems Parts-Work, and Mindfulness-Based Therapies all through a trauma-informed, shame-sensitive lens.

7. Is this therapy religious or spiritual in any way?
Only if that’s meaningful to you. We’ll explore your beliefs and values, not impose any.

8. Can you help if my shame is tied to my identity (e.g., Queerness, neurodivergence)?
Yes. As a Queer and non-binary therapist, I affirm and support all identities and help unpack shame tied to systemic and cultural oppression.

9. Do you offer online therapy?
Yes, I offer virtual therapy across Oregon, as well as in-person sessions in Portland.

10. Do I have to commit long-term?
Not at all. We’ll start where you are. Some clients feel relief in just a few sessions; others find value in deeper, ongoing work.