Individual Counseling

At Sankofa we do not approach counseling through a lens of diagnoses and pathology. We support you as you deepen your understanding, learn how to have empathy towards yourself and your needs, while also making realistic changes to improve your quality of life.  Mental health is holistic – it includes our body, our mind, our thoughts, our emotions, our relationships (etc.), and our sessions together often address these various aspects of life. Our mental health is also directly impacted by the community around us, the ways our family operates, the stigma associated with identities we hold, the experiences of oppression and marginalization we face, the types of stress we experience, the supports we have access to (etc.)  

We welcome and celebrate every aspect of you, honor all your identities, and take time to unsure your understanding of the therapeutic process.

Still, being vulnerable with someone is hard. Over time you will build trust with your therapist and be supported as you explore things contributing to the symptoms you’re experiencing, your patterns of behavior and your overall mental health and wellness. 

All our therapists have experience supporting general mental health challenges (depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, building health relationships, etc); however, each has a unique area of focus, areas of specialization and lens’ to offer.

Parent, Grandparent & Family Counseling

There is so much at play when you consider the parent-child relationship. 

Parenting and family-based services are centered on education first: giving information on the biological and emotional needs, norms and behaviors of the family based upon age, background, and attachment styles. You are then supported in skill building new patterns of behavior, practicing new forms of discipline, and shifting current family patterns based upon your unique family makeup and needs. 

We define family as your people, and have experience working with a variety of family dynamics, including polyamorous families, foster/adoptive families, blended families, single parent homes, emancipated individuals, etc.

Community Education

A large value we have is around community engagement and collaboration. Often when working with communities impacted by complex or societal based trauma, we are working with intersectionality of several systems, each with their own oppression/privilege dynamics. We hold a multi-systemic view of mental health, recognizing that the mental health and stability of our communities are impacted by of various systems and services (education, legal system, social services. etc) and the health of their providers 

Sankofa Counseling is committed to engaging the community and supporting the very powerful resources found in our community systems – education, legal system, early childhood education, community partners, first responders, healthcare providers, etc. We have partnered with Portland's K-12 public, charter & alternative schools, Community Partners, Child Protective Services, Recreation Centers, etc. providing consultation and training on a wide variety of wellness topics including trauma informed care, anti-oppressive practices, supporting staff needs, developing an equity lens, responding to vicarious trauma, etc. We integrate cultural and socio-economic influences as they pertain to and impact the presence of trauma, intervention, healing and recovery on individual, communal and agency levels.

School-Based Counseling

Sankofa Counseling staff are located at various Portland Public Middle Schools and High Schools for the 2024-25 school year. If you are a student or parent seeking support, click the button below to learn more.