Individual and Relationship Therapist 
Philosophy and Approach: I believe that some of our best internal healing comes out of mutual understanding achieved by radical curiosity. To have your emotions, experiences, and concerns reflected back to you with clarity and supportive understanding lays the foundation for healing and progress. This curiosity and nonjudgmental support is what I bring to everyone I work with. My approach to counseling includes techniques from narrative therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy and is informed by trauma theory and an ethos of collaboration and mutual aid. I have unique experience and perspective working with clients on particular topics such as childhood trauma, weight stigma and anti-fat bias, LGBTQIA+ identities and perspectives, and polyamory. 

Sliding Scale Fee Structure: Owls’ Nest North is committed to making services accessible to everyone regardless of ability to pay. We seek to catch those who fall through the cracks of care in our current system. My sliding scale is determined by the current fee schedule of Owls’ Nest North. If you are un- or under-insured and therefore forced to pay out-of-pocket, please let me know prior to our first session, so we can determine your eligibility for a sliding scale fee. If you are experiencing difficulty navigating the new healthcare system, we are also happy to support and advocate for you in becoming insured.  

At this time, I am only available to see OHP subscribers and cash/out-of-pocket payers. My fees with a cash-pay discount are: $45 for individuals and $65 for relationship counseling.  

Cancellations: Occasionally life intervenes and prevents us from following through with our commitments. I trust our mutual respect of one another’s time. As such, it is our policy to collect my full session fee for no-shows and sessions canceled with less than 24 hours notice.  

If you are an OHP client, our contract does not allow us to charge for missed appointments and we would not want to, but we are unable to hold a regular appointment space after two missed/late canceled appointments. You can, however, schedule into cancellation spots on your clinician’s schedule.  

Bio: I am a white male-presenting genderqueer fat graduate student currently enrolled in the Portland State University in their social work program with a specific focus on clinical mental health. I have worked with unhoused, neurodivergent, and LGBTQ+ folks in many capacities throughout my career in mental health and consider myself deeply dedicated to these communities. 

I have also been a creative person in one way or another for my entire life and believe deeply in the power of fulfilling hobbies and creative outlets. Outside of the therapy world, I am a singer and actor in the greater Portland musical theater scene.   

Licensure: I am a graduate student intern enrolled at Portland State University in the master of social work program. During my internship at ONN, I am under the clinical supervision of Maddy Gribbon, LCSW. I adhere to the code of ethics set by the National Association of Social Workers and Oregon Licensing Board.  

Contact: Ben@owlsnestnorth.com * 503.281.1166  

Please be advised that email is not a secure form of communication, and while it is unlikely that your email communications would be of interest to nefarious pursuits, it is your risk to take. Owls’ Nest and I accept no responsibility for misuse or abuse of your communications. In an effort to minimize exposure/risk, we ask that you do not include any sensitive or process-oriented information in email, and utilize it solely for the purpose of logistical issues.