Portland Therapy Center
"Sitaram Dass" K. Sandin

"Sitaram Dass" K. Sandin (he/him)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

I believe that we are already whole, and our inner wisdom emerges when we feel safe to be seen and we can release inner struggle.

Client Status

accepting clients

Contact

7075022833

4736 Royal Ave

STE 254

eugene, 97402

Email Website Schedule Now

At a Glance

Me

Rate: $150

Provides free initial consultation

Practicing Since: 2018

Languages: English

Services

  • Individual

Insurances Accepted

  • Out of Pocket
  • Out of Network
  • Aetna
  • Humana
  • Medicaid
  • Medicare
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My Ideal Client

My clients are looking to expand their mindfulness-based toolbox or desiring to more fully integrate their philosophical or spiritual worldview. Many are wrestling with existential or faith issues that can be triggered by end-of-life or difficult spiritual or psychedelic experiences. Others have a strong spiritual practice that they see as integral to their well being, and I work with practitioners of spiritual paths ranging from Buddhism, Sufism, Contemplative Christianity, and Hinduism.

My Background and Approach

At the Center for Loving-Awareness, we work to let go of inner struggle, and we allow our innate wholeness to be held and expressed in a compassionate awareness. We learn to accept and love the parts of ourselves that have been previously disenfranchised, and through this we actualize values-congruent living and grow into ourselves in a deeper, softer, and more satisfying way. I specialize in grief work, person-centered, existential, spiritual, and transpersonal therapy, psychedelic preparation and integration, and mindfulness-based approaches to mental health. In my work I bridge modern, evidence-based strategies with ancient, time-tested practices. I have a wide-ranging experience in places like hospices, mental health centers, meditation halls, prisons, and homeless shelters, and I spent 3 years in intensive study with my meditation teacher, Ram Dass, in Hawaii. My MSW from Cal Poly Humboldt specialized in the decolonization of social work.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I believe that we are already whole, and our inner wisdom emerges when we feel safe to be seen, share, and reflect and we can release inner struggle. Humans are relational beings. We need each other. Therapy is a space where we can heal, grow, reflect, and access a deeper and more authentic part of ourselves. This allows us to continually calibrate our life in alignment with our deepest-held values. At my core, I am a person-centered therapist who believes that there is a transpersonal element to life that our mind cannot comprehend. This is part of the human predicament, and living a rich and full life often means being in relationship to this mystery in some way.

Techniques I Use

Specialties

  • Mindfulness-based External link

    I am trained in multiple mindfulness-based approaches. Although I am also a meditation teacher, I have found that mindfulness is an approach much more than a specific meditation technique. There are many practical mindfulness-based strategies that don't involve "meditation." By making friends with our mind, body, and senses, our anxieties and depressions can soften. We let go of struggle and move towards a life in alignment with our deepest held values.

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) External link

    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is one of my core mindfulness-based modalities. By making friends with our mind, body, and senses, our anxieties and depressions can soften. We let go of struggle and move towards a life in alignment with our deepest held values.

  • Transpersonal External link

    I am a person-centered therapist who believes that there is an aspect of life that our mind cannot comprehend. This is part of the human predicament, and living a rich and full life means being in relationship to this transpersonal mystery in some way. I am trained in psychedelic integration, and I spent three years in extensive study with my spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, who was a transpersonal psychologist.

Issues I Treat

Specialties

  • Spirituality External link

    There is a Mystery to life that the mind cannot understand, and a fulfilling life is often lived in relation to this Mystery. I lived and studied with my spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, for 3 years on Maui, and I am the director of an interspiritual nonprofit. I have a wide range of experience working with people of diverse spiritual, existential, and philosophical worldviews, and I help them to integrate these into their lives in a way that increases values-congruence and life satisfaction.

  • Loss or Grief External link

    Grief is not a problem to be fixed. It is a force of nature and is meant to be tended to, felt, and expressed. I have either worked or volunteered at multiple hospices over the years, and I am a trained grief counselor as well as an 11th-hour bedside caregiver. Some of my influences include Worden's tasks of mourning, Stephen and Ondrea Levine, Francis Weller, and Megan Devine.

  • Anxiety External link

    I work with most anxiety-related issues including panic attacks and generalized anxiety. I specialize in mindfulness-based approaches to mental health and use them to help people learn how to decrease inner struggle with thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations so we can lead a more empowered life.

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