Karina Pope

A photo of Karina Pope

MFTA

I believe that every person has the capacity for self-fulfillment and growth, and that connection is the most important factor in healing. This includes both connection to yourself and to others around you. I aim to provide a safe and connecting relationship that will be a catalyst for reflection and growth. I work from a family systems approach and find that our therapy work is most effective when we work together to understand your current and past life circumstances. I believe that all behavior makes sense when you look at it in context. We develop coping mechanisms that are appropriate and helpful for a time and may need resources to develop new coping skills that are adaptive to our current situations. In our work together, we will explore how certain behaviors have protected or served you in the past, find compassion for your past and current self, and explore how to best live in alignment with your current values and goals.

I work with intimate partners/couples and individual adults, and use tools derived from Person-Centered Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy to help clients identify strengths, enhance communication skills, and identify solutions for sustainable progress. I strive to work from a queer affirming, neurodivergence-affirming, and trauma informed stance.

Some of my areas of interest include: anxiety, depression, trauma/PTSD, faith transitions, career concerns, struggles with substance use, navigating life with ADHD and/or autism, self-esteem, family planning, divorce, and open relationships/ethical non-monogamy/polyamory.

Qualifications:

  • Registered Marriage and Family Therapy Associate, Oregon R10043
  • Supervisor: Jessica Williams, LMFT
  • Masters in Couples and Family Therapy, University of Oregon
  • Masters in Prevention Science, University of Oregon
  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Family Life & Human Development, Southern Utah University