Su Yim, MSW, LCSW

I am a respectful, transparent, nonjudgmental therapist experienced in working with anxiety, trauma, grief, depression and relationship struggles.

I help people learn to be with their emotions, have loving relationships with others, make decisions that fit their values, and understand why they do what they do.

I am a licensed clinical social worker in Oregon, which means I have earned a master's degree in social work, completed more than 3,500 hours employed in agencies, spent more than 2,000 hours working directly with individuals, and passed a national and state exam. I hold a master's degree in social work from Portland State University and a bachelor's in journalism from Northwestern University. 

I've spent more than 30 years listening to people's stories as a journalist and as a mental health therapist. My work as a therapist over the last 13 years has only deepened my awe at the strengths and challenges that we all carry.

In working with you, I will listen carefully for the themes and patterns of your life that emerge through our dialogue. I do not believe that you are broken, or that I have "the fix." We are all affected by life transitions, whether they center around grief and loss, stressful joys like life after children, or moving into adult independence. I embrace our work together as a partnership. It's an opportunity for us to understand what's keeping you stuck, and how to move toward changing it.

My experience includes work in community mental health, hospital, crisis line, and university settings. I have additional post-graduate training in Internal Family Systems (Level 1 trained by the IFS Institute), EMDR, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, substance addiction, intercultural communication, and trauma-informed treatment. I enjoy using mindfulness in session and also have completed the required hours to become a certified alcohol and drug counselor. I am LGBTQ affirming.

I work from a strengths-based perspective, which means I believe that we all have inherent value and capabilities. I use attachment theory with the full-hearted belief that we can change how we walk through this world with intentional effort and a willingness to be vulnerable in a safe space.