The Power of Prayer in Family Wellness: A Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) Therapy Approach

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When & Time: Process Group – 3 weeks, Choose between:

Sunday Evenings: March 2, 9, 16 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Monday Evenings: March 3, 10, 17 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Where: Course will held virtually over Zoom

Suggested Minimum Donation (Entire Series) – With no one turned away due to lack of funds!

– $25 per Adult

– $15 per Adolescent (13-18 years old)

– $10 per Child

To join contact: groups@liberationinstitute.org

Discover how prayer can serve as a therapeutic tool to enhance your family’s emotional, spiritual, and relational well-being. This 3-day psychoeducation course will explore the scientific and psychological benefits of prayer, offering practical ways to integrate it into your family life for greater unity and resilience. 

Who Can Join: 

California residents only.
Both family and professionals are encouraged to participate.

All Faiths are Welcome.

Two or more family members, or non-biological persons residing in the same household must register.


Facilitators:
Tonya Reed – Crisis Support Counselor for LA Wildfire Relief!, Ph.D. in Existential/Pastoral Counseling, and M.S. in Applied Psychophysiology.

Christina Court – Former Investment Firm Managing Director, current Liberation Institute Management Team Member, and integrative therapist specializing in relational and strength-based approaches.


Both Tonya and Christina are supervised by Lynndal Daniels, LMFT #78183

Care for Caregivers

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When: Thursdays, Beginning Feb. 20, 2025

Time: 1-2:30 PM

Where: via Google Meet

Suggested donation: $5-10 per weekly session. No one turned away for lack of funds. 

To join contact: groups@liberationinstitute.org

Open to all residents of California! Caring for others as a professional caregiver or family member is uniquely taxing work. There can be devastating effects on those providing long-term care: financial pressures,  legal quandaries, health problems, and emotional turmoil. Care for Caregivers is here to help those who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities or disease, as well as those supporting the living needs of older adults. This is also a safe space to discuss anticipatory grief.  Care for Caregivers offers a safe space to connect with others who understand the unique challenges of caregiving, share experiences and find emotional support. We also provide a space to share coping strategies and strengthen caregiver self care. Caregivers can give voice to stressful experiences, strong feelings and personal frustrations in the company of others who can relate and respond without judgment.

This group provides a nonjudgmental framework for caregivers to find understanding and support from others who are in similar situations. 

Both family and professionals are encouraged to participate.


Facilitators:
Kaitlyn Leilani May Plante is currently pursuing her Masters in Counseling Psychology at California Institute of Integral Studies, and works as a MFT Trainee at the Liberation Institute, providing accessible, neurodivergent-affirming therapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups across California via tele-health. Her practice integrates a multi-modal Expressive Arts Therapy practice with somatics, neurobiology, Narrative therapy, and Liberation psychology. Kaitlyn’s work is collaborative, client-centered, strengths-based, and solution-focused. She is committed to providing trauma-informed care, emphasizing resilience and empowerment. After a life-threatening accident left Kaitlyn physically and emotionally scarred, she decided to pursue a career in mental health, in hopes of helping others who have experienced trauma. Her goal is to open an integrative therapy and retreat space offering Expressive Arts and other holistic therapies. Kaitlyn is supervised by Miles Ruttinger, LMFT #133402

Suvi Silvanto is a therapist committed to providing compassionate, client-centered care. She works with individuals, couples, and families, integrating a holistic, trauma-informed approach that honors each client’s unique strengths and experiences. Drawing from Narrative Therapy, Liberation Psychology, and Attachment Theory, she focuses on resilience, empowerment, and personal transformation. She earned her MA in Counseling Psychology from CIIS in 2024 and has spent the past year as a student therapist at the Liberation Institute, supporting diverse clients through various challenges. Having lived in multiple cultures, she brings a global perspective to her work and is deeply interested in feminist psychology, social justice, and the intersections of identity and mental well-being. Suvi strives to create an affirming and accessible space that acknowledges the diverse experiences of her clients. Her integrative approach combines psychodynamic work, somatic techniques, mindfulness, and transpersonal psychology, tailoring therapy to each client’s journey. With a backgroundin art and design, she values creativity as a powerful tool for self-expression and exploration. Suvi is supervised by Adina Ascher, LCSW #28900

Dance of Intimacy: A Woman’s Guide to Courageous Acts of Change in Key Relationships

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When: Starting Thursday, February 27, 2025 – May 15, 2025

Time: 6:30 pm – 8pm

Where: GoogleMeet

Suggested donation: $10-$20 per session, no one turned away for lack of funds

Part of you would really like to break free and do things completely on your own, but can’t because another part of you is too worried it would cost you your closest relationships? Or maybe you veer the other way and have a strong autonomous part who refuses to get tied down, too afraid of losing your freedom, and all the while another part longs for a chance to dive into deep intimacy with another…

If you have felt a tension inside between one part of you who values connection and closeness with others and another part who longs for greater self-definition or freedom of expression, this is the group for you! In what will likely be an ongoing series on The Dance of Intimacy, we will spend the first 12 weeks working through Harriet Lerner’s brilliant book The Dance of Intimacy: A Woman’s Guide to Courageous Acts of Change in Key Relationships.

This group is for women, and female-identified persons – individuals only please, no couples.

We will use Lerner’s book to begin to wonder about how one goes about being fully who they are within relationships, and we will also use Voice Dialogue (a form of parts work) to explore the parts of ourselves that get activated as we go along.

Bio: Tamara Yates has been dancing the tension of the opposites within since she discovered Voice Dialogue, a therapeutic modality that works with inner selves or parts, in 2011.  Having worked for over a decade as a Voice Dialogue facilitator, she is currently pursuing a master’s in counseling psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute and is a professional counseling trainee at Liberation Institute. She loves to get her hands in the soil as a gardener and enjoys dancing (literally and metaphorically ). She lives in Corvallis with her husband and their sweet golden retriever, Finn. Tamara is supervised by Shelly Stratton, LCSW 7252

Bio: Lex Rafael is a professional counseling trainee at Liberation Institute who is currently pursuing a master’s in counseling at Pacifica Graduate Institute. She has been involved in depth psychology and mindfulness via the Diamond Approach for the last ten years. She has worn many hats, from yoga teacher and massage therapist to kindergarten teacher. Dance, creative writing, and romping with her dog are her go-tos for self-care. Lex is supervised by Brad Byrum, license #T2185.

Want to Sign Up or Ask Questions? Contact Tamara at tamara@liberationinstitute.org

RSVP to tamara@liberationinstitute.org

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Walking the Wild Edge of Sorrow Grief Support Group & Book Club

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When: Monday’s Starting February 3, 2025

Time: 5:00 pm – 6:15 pm

Where: RSVP to reserve a spot and receive the address of the group

Suggested donation: $50 per each weekly session sliding scale available.

We hope you can join us for this 8 week in-person Walking the Wild Edge of Sorrow grief support group and book club.   We’re offering a safe and therapeutic space for individuals to meet for 8 weeks to learn grief processing tools and heal in community. Because of the intimacy of grief work, we ask that all participants commit to the entirety of the group. 

Our first meeting will be Monday, February 3, 2024 and run for 8 weeks, with one break in March, before closing on Monday, April 7, 2025.

RSVP to reserve a spot and receive the address of the group

#grief #support #peoplehelpingpeople #wildedgeofsorrow #bookclub #community #mentalhealth #portland #oregon

 Elizabeth Hoke is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California and Oregon who has over a decade of personal and professional experience with addiction recovery.  She is dedicated to helping people in need receive mental health services through Liberation Institute where therapy is provided for all on a sliding scale. Elizabeth also works with Dr. Rosonke at Rainfall Medicine, sitting with patients as they explore their relationship with addiction through the use of ketamine and psychotherapy.

Clifford (Chepo) Henry (they/them) is a BIPOC, LatinX, queer, and non-binary therapist who believes in the potential for healing at any stage of life. They create a supportive and inclusive space that honors clients’ lived experiences and innate wisdom. Chepo specializes in working with neurodivergent individuals, LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, couples, and trauma survivors. They utilize a range of therapeutic modalities to address issues like anxiety, depression, and communication difficulties, with an approach focused on fostering growth, self-acceptance, and deeper connections. Supervised by Elizabeth Hoke Lic. (#T1440).

RSVP to Chepo@liberationinstitute.org

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Reading for Reconnection

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When:  Sundays, starting Feb. 2, 2025

Time: 11 – 12:30pm

Where: GoogleMeet

Suggested donation: $20 per weekly session, or what you can afford. No one turned away for lack of funds. 

Join Us!
RSVP: estherb@liberationinstitute.org or call:  503-836-7350 ext. 705

Would you like to . . .
Learn about the nervous system?

Better understand your attachment

style?

Go on an adventure?

Enjoy a sense of community?

About Us
We are a new group of Oregonians who enjoy reading books, both fiction and nonfiction, that give us insight into ourselves, each other, and the world.

Bio:
Hello fellow humans!
My name is Esther and I’m a new intern with Libi. My heart is so excited to learn and grow with this truly special team and I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself. I’m in my final year of graduate school and really resonating with therapies such as parts work, focusing, brainspotting, EMDR, mindfulness, somatics, etc.! I love finding ways to incorporate the body into the therapeutic process since I believe that deep and profound healing can happen when we can come home to the body. This is easier said than done, especially for my fellow humans who also struggle with chronic illness and neurodivergence that can leave our nervous systems feeling fraught with exhaustion and overwhelm. I hope to create a co-regulating space where unmasking and connection can become antidotes to the shame and isolation that so often plague our sensitive souls.

My hope is that this group will be a heart-filling space to breathe deeply, laugh heartily, and feel less alone in our human experiences. 

Esther Bonds, Counseling Intern, Supervised by Elizabeth Hoke, License #T1440

Dreams, Visions, and The Psyche: Exploring Andrew Holecek’s Dream Yoga

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When: Tuesday’s Feb. 11th, 2025 through March 2025

Time: 6 pm – 7:30 pm

Where: Google Meet

Suggested donation: $10 per weekly session, or what you can afford. No one turned away for lack of funds.  Money given helps people receive mental health services at Liberation Institute.

Join us in our ongoing book group, “Dreams, Visions, and the Psyche,” as we delve into Andrew Holecek’s Dream Yoga. This transformative book blends Eastern wisdom and modern science to guide readers into the art of lucid dreaming and its profound potential for spiritual growth. Together, we will explore the intersection of dreams and consciousness, and discover how dream yoga can unlock the mysteries of the mind and the unconscious. Whether you are new to lucid dreaming or a seasoned explorer of the dream world, this group offers a welcoming space for reflection, discussion, and growth.

Don’t miss this journey into the depths of dreamwork and its applications for personal and psychological transformation!

Through guided discussions, we’ll interpret key themes and symbols from the assigned literature, relating them to our own experiences and inner world. Whether you are familiar with Jungian psychology or just curious about the rich world of dream analysis, this group offers a safe and supportive space for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the psyche.

No prior experience is necessary—just bring your curiosity and an open mind as we explore the depths together. Join us to connect with others on a path toward self-discovery and greater insight through the transformative power of dreams and literature.

Bio: Zach Schultz is a graduate student of clinical psychology at Pacific University and a training therapist at the Liberation Institute, supervised by Elizabeth Hoke (Lic #T1440). Prior to training through the Liberation Institute, he worked for several years running different evidence-based therapeutic groups in inpatient psychiatric settings. Zach’s theoretical orientation is rooted in depth psychologies, and he finds heart in helping people explore and understand their human experience within and beyond the bounds of common therapies. 

Aidan Lynch is a graduate student at Pacific University for Clinical Psychology who is supervised by Elizabeth Hoke Lic. (#T1440). Prior to working at Liberation Institute, Aidan has ran a variety of lucid dreaming forums and groups online as well as teaching lucid dreaming How-to Seminars within the Portland Metro area. His interests lie deeply within Transpersonal and Depth Psychology. With an extensive background in ethnobotany and archaeology, the study of plant medicines, altered states of consciousness, and dreams/dreamwork has always been a great point of interest.

RSVP to aidanl@liberationinstitute.org

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A Weekly Parenting Group for Parents Ages 1-5

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When: Starting October 20, 2024 through January 19th, 2025

Time: 4 pm – 5 pm

Where: Liberation Institute office: 7831 SE Stark St #211, Portland, OR 97215

Suggested donation: $10 per weekly session, or what you can afford. No one turned away for lack of funds.  Money given helps people receive mental health services at Liberation Institute.

The darker months are coming, and that means you’ll be spending a whole lot of time inside with your kid(s). Take a breath this autumn, and step back to appreciate all the hard work you’ve done so far as a parent to young ones. Get some space each week that is just for you, a place to share the joys and the hardships of parenting. Each week, join other parents of kids one to five in laughter and commiseration, where we’ll collectively build our village and share resources for this journey of transformation that is parenting. This is a support group, led by skilled facilitators and fellow parents, to fill your cups and bond with other parents in the neighborhood.

Zach Holz is a father, a gardener, and a forager of wild things. He is currently a professional counselor trainee at Liberation Institute. He has past experience in facilitating groups of parents as they work to process and integrate their new identity as caregivers. He is perennially humbled by the deep personal transformation that parenting offers. He lives in Montavilla, with his wife and energetic toddler. Zach is supervised by Shelly Stratton, LCSW 7252. 

Melody McKee is a mother, educator, and life long learner. She is currently the assistant director at Liberation Institute. She has a degree in Child and Adolescent Development and a MA in Curriculum Development. Melody has built relationships and supported young people and families as a middle school teacher for over a decade. She lives in Montavilla, and is a mom to two busy toddlers who is just trying her best each day. 

How to sign up: 

Email Zach at zachh@liberationinstitute.org, or call 503-836-7350 ext. #723, to sign up. We look forward to sharing time with you!

Grief & Loss Creative Process Group

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When: We will meet for 6 weeks on Tuesday evenings, from 10/15 – 11/19

Time: 6 pm – 7:30 pm

Where: Zoom

Suggested donation: $5 – $25 per session.

Grief & Loss Creative Process Group: An expressive arts therapy group for processing grief & loss within a therapeutic space. We will explore themes of loss, death, & grief as a collective community with verbal processing as well as creative prompts. This group is open to adults having experienced the death of a loved one (at any point), or is actively working with anticipatory grief with loss of a loved one. LGBTQIA+ affirming. No previous artistic experience necessary. Those who are interested are encouraged to reach out to me for more information.

Contact: kp (she/he/fae): kp@liberationinstitute.org

Bio: kp (she/he/fae) is a therapist trainee, currently seeing clients at Liberation Institute and attending school at the California Institute of Integral Studies. kp has been doing grief work for over a decade in several capacities, is an experienced homebirth midwife, and has completed training at Final Passages for Death Midwifery/Death Doula work. Fae have a passion for grief work integrated into the creative process, and have published several zines with community grief artwork. He has also experienced long term crafting of clairvoyant skills and integrates that into intuitively based practice. kp is holistically oriented with roots in relational care, liberation work, transpersonal psychology, and a touch of magic. Having had a relationship with grief for 24 years, creative grief care is close to her heart and a core aspect of what informs her lifework and relationship with self, other, & the unseen.

KP Parks is supervised by Brad Byrum, License # T2185.

Psychedelic Integration for People in Recovery

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When: Once a month on the Third Friday

Time: 515pm-645pm

Where: Tabor Space Library https://taborspace.org/library 

This community gathering invites people in recovery who are interested in, or currently integrating psychedelics into their healing practice. We will discuss how psychedelics impact addictive behaviors and risks of relapse.  We will explore relationships with altered states of consciousness, sobriety vs moderation, various recovery models, and systemic pressures leading to overconsumption and addictive tendencies.   The purpose of the gathering is to be in dialogue about these topics and how they impact our relationship to self, others, substances and altered states.

While we’re not requiring everyone to be sober or abstinent from all substances, we do ask that everyone attending the meeting not be engaging with whatever substance that triggers the addictive behavior.  Our intention for this monthly gathering is for everyone to have a confidential and safe space where people are able to self manage and discuss openly.  This group offers support for people who already have an active healing process around their addiction and are looking for a community to share it with and get support from.

This group is offered to the community in collaboration with Portland Psychedelic Society https://www.meetup.com/psychedelic/events/299239325/

RSVP to elizabeth@liberationinstitute.org

Facilitators:

Elizabeth Hoke is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California and Oregon who has over a decade of personal and professional experience with addiction recovery.  She is dedicated to helping people in need receive mental health services through Liberation Institute where therapy is provided for all on a sliding scale. Elizabeth also works with Dr. Rosonke at Rainfall Medicine, sitting with patients as they explore their relationship with addiction through the use of ketamine and psychotherapy. https://www.liberationinstitute.org/our-clinic/team/

Pryor Shade is a therapist trainee at Liberation Institute, veteran, educator, and artist who understands the struggles that we as humans can experience, trying to fit in, earn a living, access resources, develop relationships, and appreciate our own value as creative beings. Along the way he has learned a great deal about humility, about the need for curiosity and a desire to acquire new knowledge and skills. It’s not so much about having the right answer, but to help people share their story and feel heard, seen and valued. One of the greatest lessons he has acquired is to get out of his own way: to let go of his agenda, and be an active participant in the process. No matter what the task, a collaborative approach tends to be far better than a mission executed by an army of one.