Portland Therapy Center
Joyce Yuan, PhD

Joyce Yuan, PhD

Clinical Psychologist

Licensed psychologist offering individual and couples therapy to those seeking meaningful change and self-understanding.

Client Status

waitlist

Contact

347-708-6028

2325 E Burnside St

Suite 301

Portland, 97214

Email Website

At a Glance

Me

Provides free initial consultation

Provides telehealth services

Practicing Since: 2011

Languages: English

Services

  • Individual
  • Relationship

Insurances Accepted

  • Out of Pocket
  • Out of Network
  • Aetna
  • First Choice Health
  • PacificSource

My Ideal Client

Adult clients of all age-ranges, genders, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds are welcome. I ask only that you be curious about yourself and willing to explore new ways of understanding and approaching your problems. Common conditions I treat include depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationships problems. In recent years, I have worked extensively with young professionals, graduate and college students, and military veterans.

My Approach to Helping

My goal in providing psychotherapy is to help people alleviate their suffering, improve their relationships, and understand themselves better. I believe all people have positive potential that can sometimes be stifled and find it rewarding to help others work through their obstacles. I have been trained in a wide range of theoretical approaches (including psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral). I integrate insight-oriented and problem-solving techniques to best serve my clients' individual needs. I believe psychotherapy is a collaborative process by which thoughts and experiences are explored in a safe setting with a trained therapist. In order to help you resolve your problems and achieve your goals, it may be helpful to examine past life events that have brought you to this point, in addition to developing new coping skills and perspectives.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

In addition to my private practice, I have worked at VA hospitals, where I provided psychotherapy to military veterans of all eras. I completed my undergraduate studies at Amherst College and my graduate training at the University of California, Berkeley. I have trained and worked at well-known medical institutions in Portland, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area. I also have a background in psychological research, studying emotional functioning in various clinical disorders.

Techniques I Use

Specialties

  • Psychodynamic  External link

    Psychodynamic therapy assumes thoughts, feelings, and motivations aren't always fully accessible to conscious awareness. However, behaviors and relationships can still be influenced by unconscious forces, sometimes in problematic ways. By exploring patterns of behavior and experiences that have shaped the way you think and feel, you can gain insight into what drives you and start making conscious changes.

  • Interpersonal External link

    Interpersonal psychotherapy emphasizes the transformative power of relationships--both those you have with family, friends, and colleagues and that which you have with your therapist. This therapy focuses on developing corrective experiences, in which you can practice relating to people in new ways and start healing from damage done in previous relationships.

  • Cognitive Behavioral (CBT) External link

    CBT is a popular evidence-based therapy that focuses on the relationship among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In this therapy, you will learn how to evaluate and challenge thoughts that give rise to negative feelings and behaviors. You will also learn how to change problematic behaviors by gradually exposing yourself to triggering situations while practicing new coping strategies.

Issues I Treat

Specialties

  • Depression External link

    Depression is the experience of persistent sad mood and loss of interest in enjoyable activities. It can manifest in hopeless, self-critical thoughts, social isolation, and changes in sleep and appetite. Depression can occur in relation to a variety of life stressors (e.g., loss, illness, trauma). I have had success treating depression with cognitive-behavioral and insight-oriented techniques.

  • Anxiety External link

    Anxiety is the unpleasant experience of excessive worry, fear, and stress that can interfere with daily activities and your ability to rest/relax. Anxiety can manifest in repetitive thoughts and acute physical symptoms, such as heart-racing and difficulty breathing. I have had success treating anxiety with a combination of relaxation, problem-solving, and graded exposure exercises.

  • PTSD External link

    Through my work at veterans hospitals, I have gained experience at treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of PTSD include unwanted memories of trauma, hypervigilance, and avoidance of perceived threats. Treatment can involve processing feelings about the past trauma, understanding how trauma affects your current thinking and behavior, and developing new ways to feel safe and empowered.

Contact Joyce

Optional note (300 character limit). Please do not include sensitive medical information.