Hi! I’m Brian (he/him). Originally from north Idaho, I have been in the Portland area since 2017. I worked in multiple secure residential facilities, before moving onto helping people look for employment while navigating barriers related to mental health. I originally set out to become a therapist to assist people struggling with anxiety related to climate change. Quickly, I learned that anxiety can stem from any number of places and show up in various ways. Throughout grad school, training, and internships, I strived to learn skills to bring to the therapeutic space to assist people who are working through any number of issues. I hope to continue supporting those who are experiencing ecoanixety as well.

As a therapist, I believe that every person can find something beneficial in the therapeutic space. I hope to work with people collaboratively to identify skills that can enrich their lives and ways to positively transform relationships with themselves and others. 

In my free time, I enjoy watching movies both at home and in the theater. I love spending time with friends and family in any capacity as well as my dog, Lily. I try to find ways to find quiet, alone time in my life as well, as I find it to be very beneficial for resetting and finding moments to be mindful in my day-to-day life. 

Now for the professional stuff:

I completed my Master of Social Work degree at Portland State University. Prior to this, I completed undergraduate degrees in Anthropology and Psychology from the University of Idaho. I am an associate clinician working under the supervision of Brianna Yadon, LCSW. 

I completed an internship at William Temple House, which provides low- and no-cost mental health services for people who do not have health insurance. I worked with a variety of people who were mostly looking to gain skills to work with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Before this, I completed an internship at Bridge City Recovery, a facility run by New Narrative. The facility served people who have been given diagnoses related to substance use as well as mental health. I ran a weekly group aimed at increasing awareness and insight into mental health diagnoses and how to build a plan that works best for each individual to best reach their goals.

My approach is client-centered and operates from a constructivist perspective. I view individuals as holding potential to add things to their lives, rather than “being damaged” and in need of fixing. I work with people to try to find what is already working for them in their lives and try to find ways to increase this. I utilize critical theories to examine how systems are wielding power over individuals. I try to deconstruct this in therapy to consider how they relate to the individual. Depending on the situation, and the individual’s needs/strengths, I also utilize a blend of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and motivational interviewing. 

I have completed Tier 1 training in Collaborative Problem Solving as well.

You can reach Brian directly at brian@sprouttherapypdx.com