Portland Therapy Center
Goolrukh Vakil

Goolrukh Vakil (Dr.)

Licensed Professional Counselor

PhD Psychology, Marriage Family Therapist

As an elder woman of color, I offer life experiences and cultural knowledge to my clients.

Client Status

accepting clients

Contact

(415) 845-85

Email

At a Glance

Me

Rate: $95-$295

Provides free initial consultation

Languages: English, Hindi

Services

  • Individual
  • Family
  • Relationship

Insurances Accepted

  • Out of Network

My Ideal Client

Thank you for taking this first step in seeking psychotherapy. As a mature woman with 20 years experience, I offer depth therapy to individuals, couples, and families. My aim is to help you explore yourself and determine your own solutions by grounding in self-esteem, self-confidence, and joy. I teach psychology in colleges and specialize in cultural and cross-cultural issues.

My Background and Approach

With 20 years psychotherapy experience, I also teach psychology at colleges. I love my work, and I value connecting with clients and help you seek meaning and joy in your relationships and life. What is your "real" issue underneath your symptoms of anxiety, depression, obsessions, phobias, or something more serious? That is what we will seek together. I do depth therapy and introduce cognitive methods when needed. My aim is to help you explore yourself and determine your own solutions by grounding in self-esteem, self-confidence, and joy. I am proficient in cultural and cross-cultural issues and will help you navigate dual cultures and intergenerational relationships, while also keeping your life choices and essence alive. I hope you join me by Zoom and allow me the privilege or working with you.

My Values as a Therapist

As an elder, I have travelled through life encountering varied events. I consider my experiences as my strength and adding to my knowledge. My first 20 years were in my country-of-birth, India. I have lived through and observed everywhere in the US cultural issues, political changes, the coming-out of the LGBTQ community, the establishment of the disability act and now the emphasis on equity and inclusivity. One of my favorite courses teaching in college has been cultural issues. I have studied and taught about African-American, Asian-American, Native-American and other cultures. Through the years I have helped clients of different cultures, supported clients through gender-affirming surgery, allowed clients to explore acculturation, helped patch parent-adult child relationships, and brought clarity to couples under strife, going through divorce, or custody battles. At the base of it all, I value client independence; your self-empowerment and readiness to leave therapy is my joy.

Techniques I Use

Issues I Treat

Specialties

  • Anxiety External link

    There are many psychological diagnoses! I believe that under the basic desire for healthy relationships, or concern about health, or the wish for self-esteem and empowerment, is anxiety, the commonest presentation in therapy--and this can lead to combined depression. As a professor, I teach brain chemistry; the distinction between life issues causing depression and anxiety versus a psychiatric issue such as bipolar, there is the same basic human need for love and to be understood.

  • Adjustment Disorder External link

    To deal with whatever difficulty life presents, we, our body and mind, organizes coping strategies. The medical establishment calls these symptoms and gives various diagnoses. But consider this: the body and mind could be adjusting to accommodate these life-difficulties. What about neurodevelopmental disorders? Yes, existing, but don't these clients also need love and guidance besides the medication you may decide to take/give? My orientation is humanistic, transpersonal, mind-body.

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