Shelby Houston (she/her)

My Approach to Helping

When someone comes to counseling it’s because they want something to change. I believe change happens by trying to be who we are rather than trying to be different. By gaining awareness of how your relationship to self and others as well as your environment guide the way you relate to the world, you’ll be empowered to recognize choices you have available now to live life richly and authentically. I enjoy working with concerns related to anxiety, trauma, depression, life transitions, relationships including polyamorous/ENM structures, LGBTQAI+ identity, sex work, kink, helping professions, and those who are seeking personal development.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I’m committed to honoring clients’ autonomy, intersecting identities, and the culturally-sensitive aspects of their experience. I value sexual, gender, relational, and affectional diversity, and am sex-positive/kink-allied. As therapist, I show up in the therapy space as who I really am because I believe this helps create space for you to do the same. I'm a Professional Counselor Associate in Oregon and a National Certified Counselor. I earned a Master of Counseling degree from Oregon State University and a Master of Public Health from Creighton University. I receive ongoing training and supervision in Gestalt Therapy, I'm certified in Emotion-Focused Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, and Interpersonal Neurobiology, and have engaged in professional counseling research in the topic areas of sizeism, kink, and neuroscience-informed counseling approaches.