Portland Therapy Center
Hope Hellwege-Bales

Hope Hellwege-Bales (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MS, NCC, LPC, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist

I believe everyone can reconnect to their inner wisdom, embodying who they truly are rather than who they were told they “should" be.

Client Status

accepting clients

Contact

Email Website

At a Glance

Me

Rate: $190

Provides free initial consultation

Practicing Since: 2021

Languages: English

Services

  • Individual
  • Family
  • Teen

Insurances Accepted

  • Out of Pocket
  • Out of Network
  • Aetna
  • OHP Trillium
  • Providence Health Plan

My Ideal Client

If you have been trying to "get it together" with your relationship with your body, all-consuming anxiety, feeling like you are enough, or chasing life's impossible expectations, you have landed in the right place. My clients are often teens (14+), young adults, midlife adults, and families who are navigating life challenges related to eating disorders/disordered eating, anxiety, perfectionism, neurodivergence, trauma, identity, grief, and are a part of LGBTQIA+ community.

My Approach to Helping

I firmly believe we can't shame ourselves into meaningful change. That's why my approach to therapy is grounded in compassion, curiosity, and respect to connect you to your inner wisdom and build self trust. This means you can expect me to be warm, authentic, and direct in our work together. I work from a relational and consent-based approach, weaving in evidenced-based interventions to collaboratively create a unique plan for each client. I both hold space for the nuance of your experiences and feelings and also challenge you where I see meaningful change could be made. With your consent, we will connect the dots to your constellation of self trust together. Our work will equip you with ways to cope, shed light on missing insights, and empower you to embody the change you are seeking.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I deeply value holding all of the parts, layers, and intersections of your lived experience. When I think about the change you’re seeking, I also consider the systems we are part of and how they shape, constrain, and impact your relationship with your body, your worth, and your sense of self and safety in the world. Working from a Health At Every Size® (HAES®), anti-racist, body justice, disability justice, and anti-capitalist frameworks, we will thoughtfully explore how privilege, power, and systemic oppression may show up in the constellation of you, while staying centered on your autonomy, dignity, and humanity. My hope is not to pathologize your responses, but to understand them in context and to support you in building a life that feels more spacious and aligned to your inner wisdom. Therapy with me is a collaborative space where your identities are respected, your experiences are believed, and your pace is honored.

Techniques I Use

Issues I Treat

Specialties

  • Eating Disorder External link

    We live in a world that teaches us our bodies are never good enough, often creating disconnection through restriction, binge eating, or fixation on food or weight. I believe healing is possible because the wisdom for recovery already exists within you. Our work focuses on rebuilding trust with your body, exploring where harmful beliefs came from, unlearning diet culture messages, and reconnecting to your body’s internal cues through a compassionate, evidence-based approach.

  • Anxiety External link

    Feeling anxious, meaning worried, uneasy, or uncertain about the future, is a common part of the being a human. However, when anxiety becomes the primary way we experience the world, it can disrupt our ability to show up as our authentic selves and impair our ability to navigate our routines and lives. Together, we can explore how to support and soothe this anxious part of you while honoring your inner wisdom.

  • LGBTQ Issues External link

    Whether you are questioning, coming out, or deepening self-understanding, exploring your identity can be complex, isolating, and challenging. It may bring up layers of joy, grief, uncertainty, and unexpected life changes, often shaped by the environments and messages you’ve encountered. In our work together, you’ll find an affirming and nonjudgmental space to explore the multifaceted parts of who you are, honor your experiences, and envision what living authentically means for you.

  • Family Conflict External link

    Families are living systems shaped by relationships, communication patterns, and shared history. When conflict, misunderstanding, or distance arises, it can affect each person’s sense of safety and belonging. In family therapy, we create a space where every voice is heard and respected, and difficult topics can be explored with curiosity rather than blame. Together, we work to strengthen connection, improve communication, and build a more supportive, intentional family dynamic.

Contact Hope

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