Elizabeth Nelson

Elizabeth Nelson (She/Her)

Art Therapist

ATR-BC/LPC

I am a queer art therapist and counselor conducting virtual art therapy in Oregon for ages 11-21 to address anxiety and depression.

Client Status

accepting clients

Contact

9719985584

At a Glance

Me

Rate: $55-$180

Provides free initial consultation

Practicing Since: 2006

Languages: English

Services

  • Individual
  • Group
  • Teen

Insurances Accepted

  • Out of Pocket
  • Out of Network
  • Aetna
  • Cigna
  • OHP CareOregon/HealthShare
  • OHP Open Card
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My Ideal Client

My passion is working with ages 11-21 suffering from anxiety and depression. Clients typically have an affinity for art as a way that they process. Art therapy interventions I utilize are drawing, environmental art, poetry/spoken word, mask making, printmaking, altered books, fiber arts and a few other surprises....

My Approach to Helping

As a therapist, I seek to foster healing in action, play, imagination, wholeness, meaning making, connection, courage, authenticity, a sense of belonging, transformation, agency and resilience in the lives of the individuals I work with. My work is grounded in attachment, trauma informed, and experiential theoretical orientations and I strive to practice as an anti-oppressive/anti-racist clinician. Art therapy is a powerful, experiential, expressive arts therapy that helps address that which is difficult to put words to. It focuses not necessarily on the art product, but rather using art in the process of therapy as a lens to access parts of the brain, body and psyche that talk therapy may not fully reach. Humanity has turned to various types of art for millennia to heal, long before therapists in the modern sense existed, and this type of therapy engages in this phenomenon.

My Values as a Therapist

I have made a commitment examine all the privileged and marginalized identities I inhabit, my biases and how I have been conditioned as a white, U.S. born, cisgender, queer woman. I actively take steps to examine and dismantle oppression within myself, within all the ways in which I practice therapy, and within the structural systems in which we all exist; practicing reconciliation when I make mistakes and being in relationship with communities that restore and liberate us all so that we can collectively thrive. I seek ongoing professional education on anti-oppression/anti-racism, participate in ongoing consultation with Richla Davis, a Black therapist/anti-oppression consultant and also consult regularly with other licensed art therapy colleagues. I strive to make space in therapy to examine the impact of my clients' social locations and the impact of the systems we are all apart of, knowing this brings a broader and more complete picture in regards to how we all show up in the world.

Techniques I Use

Specialties

  • Art Therapy External link

    I completed a masters degree in Art Therapy Counseling from Marylhurst University in 2006 and have obtained board certification as an art therapist with the national Art Therapy Credentials Board.

Issues I Treat

Specialties

  • Child or Adolescent Issues External link

    I have worked with children and adolescents for 23 yrs. in both educational and therapeutic settings (hospitals, community mental health agencies and day treatment facilities). My passion is working with teenagers and my practice is uniquely designed to treat the developmental and mental health concerns of this population.

Contact Elizabeth

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