Sex Therapy Certification

Since my specialty is working with clients who have experienced trauma, I have completed advanced training to receive my Sex Therapy Certification through Sexual Health Alliance (SHA) to provide therapy to clients whose trauma has causes concerns or issues relating to: desire, arousal, orgasm, sexual pain, intimacy, low libido/high libido, sexuality, sexual orientation, sexual interests, kinks/fetishes and pornography.

Trauma Response and Empowerment Model (TREM) Group

My experience also includes facilitating a support group called Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model (TREM) for clients who have experienced domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking and sex trafficking. This model draws on cognitive–behavioral, skills training, and psychoeducational techniques to address recovery and healing from physical, psychological/emotional, sexual, financial, and spiritual abuse.

TREM consists of three major parts:

Part 1 - Empowerment

• What It Means To Be a Woman

• What Do You Know and How Do You Feel About Your Body?

• Physical Boundaries

• Emotional Boundaries: Setting Limits and Asking for What You Want

• Self-Esteem

• Developing Ways To Feel Better: Self-Soothing

• Intimacy and Trust

• Female Sexuality

• Sex With a Partner

Part 2 - Trauma Recovery

• Gaining an Understanding of Trauma

• The Body Remembers What the Mind Forgets

• What is Physical Abuse?

• What is Sexual Abuse?

• Physical Safety

• What is Emotional Abuse?

• Institutional Abuse

• Abuse and Psychological or Emotional Symptoms

• Trauma and Addictive or Compulsive Behavior

• Abuse and Relationships

Part 3 - Advanced Trauma Recovery

• Family—Myths and Distortions

• Family Life: Current

• Decision-making: Trusting Your Judgment

• Communication: Making Yourself Understood

• Self-Destructive Behaviors

• Blame, Acceptance, and Forgiveness

• Feeling out of Control

• Relationships

• Personal Healing

Education

I hold a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree from Portland State University. As an undergraduate student, I majored in Psychology and minored in Community Health Education.

I also hold Master of Social Work (MSW) from Portland State University. During the Master of Social Work Program, I completed a concentration in advanced clinical social work practice. The concentration provided me with advanced training in theoretical models that are grounded in strength-based, trauma-informed, and anti-oppressive perspectives that I am able to utilize in my practice with clients. In addition to this concentration, I took courses titled, Social Justice in Social Work, Trauma-informed Care, Racial Disparities, Abuse and Trauma: Theory and Intervention and Advocacy and Empowerment in order to gain knowledge about how to effectively work with individuals who have had difficulty in accessing mental health services due to their age, ethnicity/race, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or socio-economic status.

My first internship was at the Sexual Assault Resource Center in Beaverton, Oregon. My position was a Prevention and Education Specialist within the Prevention Education Program. The program empowers students to help prevent sexual violence through addressing root causes, attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge of sexual violence. As an intern, I provided curriculum through Health I and Health II classes in high schools (Roosevelt High School, Jesuit High School, and Mountainside High School) in Multnomah and Washington Counties. The curriculum included discussions/activities around the topics of sexual violence, anti-oppression, gender and sexual orientation, healthy relationships and sexuality, media, pornography, victim blaming and victim empathy, and bystander intervention.

My second internship was at Clackamas Women’s Services in Oregon City, Oregon. My position was a Mental Health Therapist. As an intern, I provided therapy to clients who have have experienced or are currently experiencing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking and sex trafficking.

To see completed trainings, click here.
To see previous work experiences, click here.

Olive is my 5 year old shih zhu dog. Since I am working from home, she loves spending time with me in my office. Her favorite things to do when I am working is laying on her favorite blanket, playing with a toy, or sleeping. During sessions, you may see her on the screen or hear her bark. This is her way of providing you with additional support.

About Olive