Payton Sterba (he/him)

My Background

I'm a psychiatrist at Mindful Health NW. Originally from Wisconsin, I moved to Portland in 2017 for my psychiatry residency at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Prior to starting my practice Mindful Health NW, I was a faculty member at OHSU and practiced inpatient psychiatry. I am accepting new patients for medication management and psychotherapy (primarily Acceptance & Commitment Therapy). I am also able to provide psychiatric consultations over 1 or 2 appointments. I specialize in anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, and OCD. If you are looking for a therapist who can also prescribe and manage medications, I may be a good fit for you. Go to the PLEASE NOTE: I provide tele-psychiatry appointments and am unable to accommodate in-person appointments at this time. I am only licensed in Oregon, so patients must be physically located in Oregon during their appointments.

My Approach to Helping

I rely on evidence-based standards for medication management and psychotherapy to ensure safe, effective, and personalized treatment. I draw from therapeutic approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), CBT, & psychodynamic therapy. My approach is collaborative and respectful of your values and goals. ACT, one of the core therapies I use, helps you build psychological flexibility, so you can respond more skillfully to painful thoughts and emotions and move toward what truly matters to you. I aim to listen with care, help you understand yourself more deeply, and support you in building a life that feels fulfilling and meaningful. I emphasize the importance of lifestyle factors such as sleep, physical activity, nutrition, and light exposure. I teach mindfulness, meditation, breathing techniques, & other therapy skills to manage difficult thoughts and feelings. If you prefer a structured approach, I can assign specific exercises to practice between sessions.