This year, our community reached out for support in so many different ways—seeking guidance around trauma, navigating chronic illness, understanding identity, finding the right therapist, and making sense of a world that often feels overwhelming.

As we continued expanding care across the Portland metro area and throughout Oregon and Washington, we shared articles that reflected the support, resources, and stories shaping people’s lives.

Here’s a look back at what mattered most in 2025.

Insurance and Access to Care

PacificSource Community Solutions Leaving Lane County: Can You Still Get Therapy at WWC?

When PacificSource Community Solutions announced its exit from the Lane County CCO, many clients feared losing their therapist. This article explains what the transition really means—and why therapy at WWC can continue without interruption, whether you live in Eugene, Springfield, Florence, or elsewhere in Lane County.

Is EMDR Covered by Insurance? What Portland Metro Clients Should Know

Insurance can be one of the biggest barriers to starting trauma therapy. This insurance guide for EMDR helps clients understand why EMDR is widely covered—including by OHP—and what steps to take when confirming benefits.

Trauma, Mental Health, and Therapeutic Approaches

Internal Family Systems’ View on Confusing Trauma Responses: “Why Did I Do That?”

Many people feel unsettled or ashamed when their reactions don’t match their intentions. This article explains how Internal Family Systems makes sense of these moments and why understanding your “parts” can bring self-compassion and clarity.

Trauma-Informed Counseling and First Responders: Breaking the Silence

First responders shoulder the emotional weight of other people’s emergencies, often without acknowledgment or a safe place to process. This piece explores the cumulative impact of trauma, the stigma surrounding help-seeking, and the importance of specialized support.

Mental Health Crisis Resources in Oregon and Washington — Updated for 2025

When a crisis hits, knowing where to turn is critical. This updated mental health guide gathers local 24/7 hotlines, walk-in centers, and emergency mental health resources so individuals and families can access immediate support across Portland, Vancouver, Oregon City, and surrounding areas.

Living with Invisible Chronic Illness: The Emotional and Mental Health Journey

Chronic illnesses like Fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders, Long COVID, and chronic pain often reshape a person’s emotional world in ways others can’t see. This article blends clinical experience with lived insight to validate the invisible struggle and outline supportive paths forward.

Getting an ADHD Diagnosis: The Chaotic Journey to Clarity

The journey to an ADHD diagnosis can be confusing, slow, and filled with mixed messages. This piece reflects the experiences many clients share—from early missed diagnoses to adult clarity—and offers reassurance for anyone navigating the process.

Bringing Trauma-Informed Therapy Back In Person: WWC Opens in Milwaukie, Oregon

Returning to in-person therapy has been meaningful for many clients. This update introduces our remodeled Milwaukie office, designed to support grounding, connection, and compassionate trauma-informed care for individuals and families across the region.

Meet Our Clinicians

IFS Therapy for Couples in the Portland Metro Area: Meet Clarisse McLeod, AMFT

When relationships feel disconnected or stuck in old patterns, Clarisse McLeod, AMFT (she/her), helps couples and families find their way back to understanding and connection. Combining Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness, and mind-body awareness, she supports clients in moving from reactivity into repair.

Portland Therapist Spotlight: Carmen Schwisow — Supporting Misfits & Creatives

Carmen creates a space where neurodivergent adults, artists, activists, and deep feelers can finally exhale. Her work supports clients across Portland, Milwaukie, Lake Oswego, and beyond who want to feel understood, grounded, and connected.

Therapist Spotlight: Paxton Wilkinson — Helping Teens & Young Adults in Milwaukie, OR

Paxton brings warmth, curiosity, and steadiness to her work with teens and young adults who feel overwhelmed or misunderstood. This spotlight shares how her personal history and clinical training shape her approach to healing.

Online Therapist Spotlight: Rose Walker — Carrying Hope Through Grief & Healing

Rose helps clients who feel weighed down by grief, chronic illness, or complex trauma. This article highlights her belief in holding hope for clients until they can hold it themselves—a theme that resonates deeply with many people seeking support.

Therapist Spotlight: Portland’s Chiara Procaccio on Trauma-Informed Healing

Chiara offers a collaborative, autonomy-first space for teens and adults moving through trauma, anxiety, and depression. Her work focuses on helping clients reconnect with their voice and return to a grounded sense of self.

Therapist Spotlight: Portland’s Lucas Judson on Narrative Therapy

Lucas helps clients explore the stories that have shaped their lives—particularly the ones that no longer feel true. His approach blends body awareness, relational insight, and narrative therapy to support meaningful change.

Portland Trauma Therapist Nafisha Tabassum: Healing PTSD Through Art and Compassion

Through creativity and trauma-informed practice, Nafisha helps clients work through PTSD, grief, and significant life transitions. Her story reflects the power of culturally attuned, compassionate care.

Identity, Culture, and Emotional Well-Being

Coming Out and Coming Home: A Queer-Affirming Journey to Self-Acceptance

This piece explores the emotional process of coming out—how it reshapes identity, relationships, and self-understanding—and the role therapy plays in supporting authenticity and belonging.

Turkey, but Hold the Anxiety: How to Handle Holiday Meals With Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes

Holiday meals can bring stress for people managing chronic conditions. This article blends personal story with therapeutic guidance to help readers navigate family gatherings with more confidence and less fear.

Online Gender Wars: Why Our Economic Shifts Have Drained the Dating Pool — and What to Do About It

This piece examines why modern dating feels so fraught, exploring cultural pressures, economic shifts, and emotional fatigue—and offers grounded, practical strategies for dating with intention.

Coping in Chaos: Finding Grounding and Purpose in the Current Political Climate

Many people feel overwhelmed by political division and constant news cycles. This article offers grounding tools, perspective, and ways to stay connected to what matters during uncertain times.

The Harmful Shift Away from DEI — and the Impacts on Mental Health

As DEI initiatives contract across workplaces and institutions, many communities experience new emotional burdens. This piece looks at how reduced access to inclusive environments affects mental health and overall well-being.

Looking Back at 2025

The infographic highlights how much Willamette Wellness Center grew this year—adding new therapists, opening our Milwaukie office, increasing telehealth access, and helping more people across Oregon and Washington receive trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health care. We’re proud to provide accessible, compassionate, community-centered support.

Thank you to every client, reader, clinician, and community partner who was part of our story this year. Your trust and willingness to reach out are at the heart of why we do this work.