About me

Welcome! My name is Dr. Catherine Crew, Licensed Psychologist (OR #2806). My office is at 2100 NE Broadway St., Suite 101, Portland OR, 97232, in the suite with "The Wellness Doctors." Practicing from an evidence-based contemporary Gestalt orientation, I help clients increase awareness of internal and environmental barriers to bring more fullness to their lives. The relationship built with clients is my highest priority. 

Together we discover the ingeniously creative ways that people adjust to their circumstances to best get their emotional needs met. Sometimes these adjustments can lead to mental health symptoms. Central to the Gestalt approach is the paradoxical idea that symptom relief happens naturally when examining the symptoms with curiosity rather than by pushing them away. Gestalt therapists focus on making observations rather than interpretations, which fosters an environment of cultural humility and respect. Personally and professionally, I have witnessed the incredible importance of the mind-body connection in the healing process. Thus, I encourage the use of mindfulness and wellness practices in and out of sessions.

I also use Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), an evidence-based approach that successfully treats a wide range of symptoms that originate from traumatic experiences. "Traumas" are defined as as both major life threatening events or as relationship lessons learned that reorganized your emotions and beliefs about yourself. EMDR is effective at creating major shifts in emotions and beliefs impacted by traumas. 

I graduated from Pacific University with a doctorate in clinical psychology in 2015. My clinical experiences in graduate school and residency took place in college counseling and community mental health centers. I am committed to providing culturally competent therapy and continue to seek experiences that challenge my privilege and worldview.  I enjoy working with young adults and the exciting identity transformation that often occurs in this time of life. Both my thesis and dissertation focused on the interaction between social media use, addiction, and relationships.