M. Joy Young, MSW, ACSW | (503) 309-1163
Counseling you to better health

Counseling and Coaching

"Your struggles with food can serve as a window to your deepest thoughts and feelings."
-Linda R. Harper, Ph.D. The Tao of Food

At Portland Lifestyle Counseling I offer professional and confidential counseling and coaching that is process, activity, and results oriented. I do not treat or diagnose any mental or physical disorder - but I can assist you with situational stress, sadness, fear, and worry stemming from your lifestyle, wellness, and self care concerns.

Buddha in Garden

Through traditional "talk" counseling I can help you examine and change emotional patterns and mental blocks around health, lifestyle issues, caregiver stress, and barriers to wellness. Through coaching I can help you set reasonable wellness goals, create a healthy lifestyle or self care plan, and support you as you practice new skills that can help you meet your wellness goals. Counseling sessions can also be activity focused. Let me guide you in innovative and creative activities that foster skill building and encourage real world practice. Activity sessions could include adventures in healthy grocery shopping, conscious eating exercises, mind/body walks, veggie tasting, "out of the pan and into the can"- junk food kitchen clean out, and more.

Often when making lasting lifestyle changes "will power" alone can produce momentary changes, but can eventually leave you feeling defeated and frustrated when the changes are not sustainable over time. The result: deeper connection to unhealthy lifestyle habits. My style is intuitive and down to earth with a sense of humor. Emphasis is placed on self acceptance, loving kindness, creativity, and relationship with Higher Self guidance - essentials that can support you in making sustainable lifestyle changes.

Methods include:

Contact Joy to make an appointment by email or by phone at (503) 309-1163