Our Team
LAUREN SUMMER, MA, LPC
Mental Health Counselor, Clinical Director
Lauren is an Arizona native living in Portland. She completed her Master's in Counseling at Lewis & Clark College with a focus on LGBTQIA studies. Lauren uses DBT, ACT, Gestalt and Existential modalities in her practice, and has worked with a wide variety of issues including anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, ADD/ADHD, borderline personality disorder, chronic pain, and grief and loss.
NAVYA JANAPATI
Counseling Associate
I approach counseling using a Relational-Cultural approach (RCT) and the Internal Family Systems model (IFS), with some somatic integration as needed. I aim to help clients in their exploration of relationships and their social/cultural context to guide our collaborative work and identify values or goals. It is important to foster acceptance of ourselves, to heal from self-doubt and to give ourselves grace. My clinical experience focuses on areas such as caregiver of origin issues, shame, identity work (including varied cultural values/influences), family, relationship conflicts, and trauma processing. As a woman of color myself, I hope to center people of color and those with multicultural backgrounds. Being a child of South Indian immigrants in the U.S, I've been immersed in Eastern and Western cultures. Life is uniquely challenging for us all, and I hope to re-establish a sense of comfort and or re-empowerment in oneself and in one's resilience.
LEAH SOBIECK
Counseling Associate
Before becoming a counselor, I was engaged in community development and affordable housing work across Oregon. I practice from a humanistic, relational-cultural framework and incorporate principles from acceptance and commitment theory (ACT) in my work. Inspired by my certified yoga and somatic training, I integrate body-based movement, nervous system and emotional regulation, and mindfulness skills to help clients understand what feels supportive in their bodies. My clinical practice has focused on serving those experiencing grief and loss, complex trauma, chronic pain/disability, life transitions, anxiety, depression, chronic shame, ADHD, and psychosis. My own experiences have taught me to appreciate how challenging and transformative growth can feel. As someone with an invisible disability, it brings me joy to support disabled folks and others, in establishing congruent connections to themselves. I bring my full self into counseling by creating a warm, adaptive, and creative environment that allows folks to unfold and be their authentic selves.
BYRD MCDONALD
Counseling Associate
Byrd’s person-centered, humanistic approach to counseling incorporates ACT, existential, and attachment-based modalities to support clients experiencing anxiety, anger, depression, ADHD, low self-esteem, grief, and relational trauma. As a member of the LGBTQIA community, Byrd has worked with chronic shame, HIV, aging, and family of origin issues. Byrd’s previous career in documentary filmmaking inspired his decision to become a counselor and informs his mission to honor the unique challenges, strengths, and resilience of every client.
MADDIE SMITH
Counseling Associate
Maddie is compassionate and curious, utilizing a collaborative approach grounded in existentialism, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and somatic psychotherapy. She supports clients in exploring the intersection of their holistic selves and environment by using a trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, and social justice-oriented framework. Having a particular interest in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Maddie brings a nuanced understanding of how OCD can manifest. She has professional experience working with neurodivergent, queer, and polyamorous folks as well as individuals navigating complex trauma and various life changes. Through her integrative approach, Maddie encourages clients to create meaningful change by embracing uncertainty, fostering psychological flexibility, and promoting the embodiment of their authentic selves. She prioritizes creating a safe space for growth, healing, and empowerment. Prior to counseling, Maddie taught yoga for local shelters and supported various therapy processes for autistic kids.
MEGHAN MILLS
Counseling Associate
With a background as a pelvic floor therapist and health coach, Meghan takes a biopsychosocial (body-mind-relational) approach to counseling. She blends somatic therapy with internal family systems (IFS)/“parts work” and integrates modalities from attachment, existential, and feminist theory. Meghan works with clients navigating chronic and persistent pain (including pelvic pain for all genders), anxiety, complex PTSD, family-of-origin trauma, peri/menopause, chronic illness, and neurodivergence — especially gifted and highly sensitive people (HSPs). She strives to create a warm, collaborative space where clients feel deeply understood and can build self-trust and resilience.
CAMRYN COOK
Mental Health Intern
Camryn’s approach is grounded in both Existential-Humanistic and relational perspectives. They draw from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as it encourages personal growth through recognizing our inherent strengths and resilience as well as exploring meaning and alignment with our values. Camryn brings humor and authenticity to therapeutic spaces and enjoys using art and creative expressions in their approach. They support clients in the exploration of the complexity of their life with curiosity, respect, and compassion grounded in gender-affirming, trauma-informed, and social justice frameworks. They have professional experience working with individuals in recovery from eating disorders, as well as navigating body image concerns, identity exploration, depression, anxiety, and suicidality. They are very passionate about body liberation and creating an affirming space to foster identity exploration.
HEATHER DALE
Clinician Intern
You are the expert on your own life. I believe in working together to create change that feels authentic and meaningful to you. Your unique background, relationships, and experiences are valuable parts of who you are, and I want our work to honor all aspects of your identity. I work from a relational and psychodynamic approach, which means we'll explore not just what's happening now, but also look at patterns in your relationships and how past experiences might be showing up in your present life. Sometimes understanding these connections can help you feel more in control of your emotional responses and relationships. While we'll certainly address challenges and struggles, I'm equally interested in your strengths and what's already working in your life. I also believe our bodies hold important information about our emotions and experiences. Paying attention to what you notice in your body can be a powerful tool for understanding yourself and staying present. I hope to create a space where you feel seen and understood while keeping your values and hopes for change at the center of our work. I recognize that broader systems and social forces impact all our lives, and I aim to acknowledge these realities while supporting your personal growth and healing.
Erica-Renee
Mental Health Intern
Erica-Renee takes a person-centered, trauma-informed approach to therapy. She believes each client’s lived experience is the foundation of the work and views clients as the authorities on their own lives. She strives to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where clients can explore emotions, identity, and relationships at their own pace. Her work is collaborative and grounded in emotional safety, pacing, and regulation. Erica-Renee supports clients in building awareness of their emotional and bodily experiences and gently reflects patterns that may support clarity and understanding. She is attentive to how family systems, religion, and past experiences can shape emotional well-being, particularly during times of transition, grief, or uncertainty.
Erica-Renee works with individuals navigating anxiety, disordered eating, negative body image, religious trauma, grief and loss, identity exploration and relational or family stress. She brings warmth, curiosity, and steadiness to the therapeutic relationship and believes healing happens through understanding, empowerment, and meaningful connection.
AERYKA DENTON
Operations Manager
With 15+ years of public and private office operations experience, I've made a career out of making people's jobs easier and improving operational efficiency at organizations from education, finance and tech to government. This has given me a treasure trove of niche technical, leadership, and organizational skills which converge at Holistic Healing PDX and serve to meet the constantly evolving demands of managing the back-office operations of a mental health group practice. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to play a small role in supporting this great organization and our awesome clinical team as they provide a valuable service to our clients and community.
