Sarah Alexander

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

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Our Team

Melina Larkin, LCSW

MY EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND TRAINING:

I received my Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley in 2005. After interning in a domestic violence shelter and a brief time living in Mexico City I earned my Masters in Social Work from the University of Washington in 2012 with a specialization in Integrated Health and Mental Health Practice. Since 2005 I have worked in shelters, a crisis hotline, the legal system, hospice, residential eating disorder treatment, emergency departments and in inpatient neonatal and pediatric hospital units. Throughout my career I have focused on trauma and supporting survivors of abuse or assault in their healing. Prior to joining Brave Acorn I worked in a partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient eating disorder program providing individual, group, and family therapy. I specialize in how eating disorders and trauma interplay together, and how they can impact issues of identity, relationships, and feeling in control of your own life. My goal is to support you in living a life that is authentic, grounded, and joyful.

MELINA’S SPECIALTIY AREAS INCLUDE:

  • Eating disorders and Disordered Eating
  • Trauma (but not DID)
  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Body Image Issues
  • Sexual Orientation and Gender Issues

MODALITY:

I work with adults (age 18 and up) in individual therapy.

TOOLS IN MELINA’S THERAPEUTIC TOOLBOX:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Mindfulness
  • Health at Every Size
  • Language of Emotions
  • Systems of Oppression
  • Empowerment Theory
  • Stages of Change

MELINA IS IN-NETWORK WITH THE FOLLOWING INSURANCE PANELS:

  • Kaiser
  • MODA

MELINA’S CONTACT INFO:

503-709-5137 ext. 6

melina@braveacorn.com

Kelly Mach, LPC

My education, experience, and training

I received my Bachelor of Arts from Manhattan College in 2004 with a major in Secondary Education and English. I returned to Manhattan to complete my graduate coursework in counseling and became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in New York in 2013. Currently, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Oregon. I have worked in several mental health settings, including a day habilitation program for adults with developmental disabilities, a substance abuse treatment clinic, outpatient therapy, and an educational and vocational program for young people with emotional and behavioral challenges. I am a trained facilitator with The Body Positive and a certified yoga instructor with specialization in mindfulness and meditation.

Kelly’s specialty areas include:

  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Body Image Issues and Health at Every Size
  • Women’s Issues (including pregnancy and postpartum issues)
  • Life Transitions
  • Stress Management
  • Trauma (but not DID)

Modality:

I work with teens and adults (ages 12+) in individual counseling and group process.

Tools in Kelly’s therapeutic toolbox:

Kelly is in-network with the following insurance panels:

  • Kaiser
  • MODA

KELLY’S CONTACT INFO:

503-709-5137 ext. 5

kelly@braveacorn.com

Valentina Pishchanskaya-Cayanan, LMFT

My education, experience, and training

I received my Bachelors of Arts  in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2011 and began working with individuals in the community as a psychosocial rehab specialist. I graduated with my Masters of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2015. Currently, I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Oregon and will soon be fully licensed in Nevada as well. Throughout my experience I have provided individual and group therapy in educational and agency settings. My work has largely focused on teens and adults and helping them navigate through various challenges including anxiety, depression, family issues, LGBTQ issues, life stage transitions, and trauma. I am also able to do therapy in Russian and enjoy working with issues around multicultural challenges (first generation, immigration, cultural identity).

Valentina’s specialty areas include:

  • Anxiety & Depression
  • Multicultural Challenges (first generation, immigration, cultural identity)
  • Self-Image
  • Stages of Life Transitions
  • Sexual Orientation and Gender Issues
  • Women’s Issues
  • Able to do therapy in Russian

Modality:

I work teens and adults (ages 12 and up) in individual counseling. I work with couples that want help navigating changes or differences that don’t involve high interpersonal conflict.

Tools in Valentina’s therapeutic toolbox:

Valentina is in-network with the following insurance panels:

  • Kaiser
  • MODA

VALENTINA’S CONTACT INFO:

503-709-5137 ext. 4

valentina@braveacorn.com

Sarah Alexander, LCSW

Sarah’s caseload is currently closed

My education, experience, and training

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia in 1995 with a double major in Psychology and Women’s Studies. I began practicing full-time as a therapist in 2001.  I received my Master of Social Work degree from Portland State University in 2005 and have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Oregon since 2008. I have worked in a community mental health setting for substance abuse, a partial hospitalization intensive day-treatment setting for eating disorders, a university counseling center, and an outpatient trauma treatment center. I have taught graduate counseling students in the Eating Disorder Certificate track at Lewis and Clark College, co-facilitated a group at Abri Radically Open DBT, and was president of the board for the Columbia River Eating Disorder Network 2017-2019. I teach The Language of Emotions to local health care professionals and am currently collaborating with Karla McLaren to develop a practitioner track for teaching this material to counseling professionals around the world. I am the owner and founder of Brave Acorn.

Sarah’s specialty areas include:

  • Anxiety & Depression
  • Eating Disorders & Disordered Eating (please read this description of my general approach to these issues)
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Trauma (however, I do not work with people who have Dissociative Identity Disorder)

Modality:

I work only with adults (i.e. people who are no longer living with, nor financially dependent upon, their parents) in individual counseling.

Tools in Sarah’s therapeutic toolbox:

Sarah is in-network with the following insurance panels:

  • Kaiser
  • MODA
  • PacificSource

SARAH’S CONTACT INFO:

503-709-5137 ext. 3

info@braveacorn.com