Leah Elliot
MS, Professional Counselor Associate, NCC
she/her
About me
Hi, I’m Leah!
I’m laid-back, quirky, introverted, and deeply curious about how people tick. I believe we all have a story that makes sense of how we came to be who we are, and I love helping people get curious about theirs. Therapy, to me, is a space to slow down, notice what’s happening beneath the surface, and better understand the experiences, relationships, and patterns that shape us. I believe you are the expert on your own life, and my role is to bring curiosity, compassion, and a little humor as we figure things out together.
A little about me: I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and as a white, straight, cisgender woman, I recognize the ways my own identities and experiences shape how I understand and move through the world. I approach my clients with humility, curiosity, and a willingness to dialogue about what is real. I’m interested in exploring how identity, relationships, culture, and the larger systems around us shape the way we experience ourselves and others. My hope is to create a space where you can be honest, curious, and fully yourself as we make sense of what has shaped you and where you want to go next.
My therapist journey started developing when I earned my undergraduate degree in BioHealth Sciences where I spent several years working in healthcare at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), including during the COVID-19 pandemic which shook all of us looking for our path at that time. For me, being alongside people as they navigated uncertainty, loss, and major life transitions deepened my interest in the emotional and relational aspects of healing and ultimately led me to seek my graduate degree in counseling at Portland State University.
I continue to grow myself both personally and professionally through ongoing training in Gestalt therapy, supervision, and group process, as well as through my involvement with Portland Gestalt Skool. Therapists ask our clients to open themselves up, explore their vulnerabilities, and stay curious about who they are becoming. You can trust that I hold myself to that same commitment. I believe that being an effective therapist means continuing to engage in my own process, question my assumptions, and remain open to learning and being changed.
Keep scrolling! Read more below to learn about how I work, the populations I’m drawn to, the insurance I accept, and my specialty areas.
My Favorite Places to Cry…
☹ In a parked car listening to Lana Del Rey’s “Sad Girl”
✌︎ While rewatching Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the 100th time
☹ In bed covered in blankets while confiding in a dachshund
IRL:
In real life, I’m probably dreaming about owning my own weiner dog, reading someone’s birth chart “just for fun” (and then getting way too invested), running through the woods, or enjoying the perfect combination of takeout and binge-watching true crime with my Nanna.
Insurance Accepted
⪧ OHP - HealthShare/CareOregon (coming soon)
⪧ Kaiser
⪧ Out-of-Network Reimbursement
⪧ Out-of-Pocket
How I Work
My approach is integrative, drawing primarily from Gestalt therapy, parts work, and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), all grounded in a person-centered therapeutic lens. I view clients as the experts on their own lived experiences and believe they possess an inherent capacity for growth and meaningful change. My role is to create a therapeutic relationship characterized by empathy, authenticity, curiosity, collaboration, and respect for each client’s autonomy, identities, values, and unique way of making meaning.
My Gestalt orientation informs my emphasis on present moment awareness and helping clients slow down and notice their thoughts, emotions, somatic experience, and patterns of relating. Parts work allows us to approach internal experiences with curiosity rather than judgment, exploring how these parts may have developed to protect or support the client. EFT helps us explore the deeper emotions and attachment needs that shape how we relate to ourselves and others, while bringing awareness to recurring relational patterns and creating new ways of connecting.
Flexibility is an important part of how I work. I recognize that therapy looks different for everyone, and what feels helpful for one person may not be helpful for another. I try to meet clients where they are and adjust my approach based on their needs, goals, readiness, and cultural and relational context. Depending on what comes up in the room, we might slow down and explore what is happening in the moment, work with different parts of the self, process emotions, notice patterns, or explore new ways of relating to oneself and others.
I love working with people as they explore, discover, and unfold themselves. In therapy with me, we’ll pay attention to your relationships, emotions, and life experiences, as well as the ways these experiences have shaped how you understand yourself and the world around you. Together, we can explore the patterns, beliefs, and meanings you’ve developed along the way and consider what you might want to carry forward, shift, or discover anew.
For those of you who are interested, I have a longstanding love for astrology, particularly through a psychological lens and as a tool for self-reflection and meaning-making. It’s certainly not for everyone, but if astrology is meaningful to you, bring your Sun, Moon, and Stars into the room. I’m happy to weave it into our work as another lens for exploring your experiences, relationships, identity, and growth.
What should the pull quote be?
My Specialty Areas
⪧ Relational challenges, connection, and communication
⪧ Couples and relationship counseling
⪧ Life transitions and navigating change
⪧ Anxiety, stress, and overwhelm
⪧ Past trauma’s impact on the present
Insurance Accepted
⪧ OHP - HealthShare/CareOregon (coming soon)
⪧ Kaiser
⪧ Out-of-Network Reimbursement
⪧ Out-of-Pocket