Myles Buchanan Counseling
Compassionate, trauma-informed psychotherapy for your unique path
Myles Buchanan
Licensed Professional Counselor
Suffering can be a doorway, a call to return home to yourself. It asks you to slow down, look inward, and offer yourself compassion.
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My role is to provide the therapeutic relationship and space for your process. I will listen, help you make sense of your experience, and support you in rediscovering a sense of trust and deep confidence in yourself and this life.
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Who I Support
I support clients experiencing a wide range of symptoms, especially anxiety, post-traumatic stress, self-esteem challenges, identity concerns, social anxiety and loneliness, and relationships and communication. My work with individuals experiencing post-traumatic stress includes survivors of complex trauma, sexual assault, and childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. In addition to these primary areas of focus, I also support clients experiencing depressive symptoms, dissociation, addiction, as well as concerns which are sometimes considered less “acute", such as mild anxiety and adjustment disorders. Generally, my work as a therapist tracks around issues of identity and self-acceptance, which is often in dialogue with many of the above symptoms. Those symptoms can be gateways into this larger, mysterious project we all must take up as human beings: understanding who we are, accepting ourselves, and from there, understanding our own purpose in this complex and inherently challenging world. These themes often emerge especially strongly for people roughly between the ages of 18-35, which is somewhat of an area of focus for me, but these are not strict age limits. I also work with teenagers/adolescents (see below) as well as adults in midlife and beyond. I don’t practice strict cutoffs in age or around diagnostic criteria when evaluating fit for new clients. Instead, the process of deciding whether we will work together is an intuitive one, guided by your preferences and my clinical judgment. We can explore all of this in our initial phone consultation.
My work also includes supporting people experiencing suicidal ideation and/or self-harming behaviors. I view these symptoms as part of the broad spectrum of psychological suffering, and I don’t categorize clients experiencing these symptoms as “different” from other people seeking help. Because this kind of clinical work can be more intensive, I welcome a limited number of clients experiencing these symptoms at a time to ensure that I am practicing ethically within my capacity. If you do experience some of these symptoms and we choose to work together, you can expect me to support you with care, attentiveness, and curiosity, and without judgment. I avoid fear-based responses to these symptoms, since responding this way is seldom helpful. If you are experiencing these symptoms and feel that you resonate with my approach, I want to encourage you to reach out.
With all this said, the most important factor for our success in working together is whether you resonate with me and my approach. Please let intuition be your guide as you decide how to move forward in your search for a therapist.
My Approach
My approach is rooted in the psychodynamic and client-centered therapeutic schools, which essentially means that I focus on relationship in its many forms. This concept of “relationship” includes the interpersonal relationships currently in your life, your relationships with primary caregivers and family members as a child, and the ways you currently relate to yourself. Importantly, it also includes the clinical relationship you and I will build as therapist and client. All of these forms of relating tend to be quite connected, and our therapeutic space is one where we can explore that—at a pace that is comfortable for you. Inherent in the psychodynamic framework is the belief that the relationship you and I will build as therapist and client, often called the “therapeutic relationship”, is a rich and mysterious ground for exploration, reflection, grieving, self-acceptance, change, bravery, and growth. All of this can only start with you feeling safe within our relationship, which is my top clinical priority. Only upon this foundation can the deeper work take place.
With psychodynamic and person-centered therapy as my foundation, I also utilize a variety of different approaches based on need. One of these modalities is called Internal Family Systems (IFS), which, despite how it sounds, is not a form of family therapy but rather a modality premised on the assumption that we all contain inner psychological “parts” which may have their own distinct goals, motivations, and needs. I also utilize mindfulness-based interventions and even teach some mindfulness meditation techniques to support insight building, emotion regulation, and self-trust. I also use cognitive interventions (techiques which might be categorized as “cognitive therapy” or “cognitive behavioral therapy”) to support my clients in recognizing “fixed beliefs”, which are often deeply self-limiting. The goal of these interventions is less about arguing with these limiting beliefs, and more about practicing inquiry. I will encourage you to ask yourself: “do I really know that this thing I have been telling myself about myself/others/the world is true? Would I feel better if I chose to let go of this belief?”
I am not attached to any of these interventions and don’t attempt to apply them to all of my clients. To me, this is what it means to practice truly integrative psychotherapy—utilizing different therapeutic modalities based on the individual needs of each person.
I also support clients who identify as spiritual or religious and are upholding spiritual practices and/or are having spiritual experiences—see my “About Me” section in the "More" tab for additional information.
Therapy for Children and Adolescents
I have worked with children and adolescents in a variety of therapeutic capacities since 2019, including supporting vulnerable, acute needs clients in 24-hour residential care settings. In these settings I have served adjudicated male youth, commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC), and children experiencing psychiatric crises. Most recently, my work with kids and teens in crisis at Albertina Kerr Subacute has informed my overall approach with children and adolescents. While adolescent clients in my current private practice setting may not have needs as intense as clients in inpatient settings, I draw upon the same relational tools for emotion regulation and insight that I did with my child clients experiencing more acute distress. This relational work is rooted in my approach above. In addition, I also support my adolescent clients with skill-building, emotion regulation, goal-setting, and collaborative problem solving interventions developmentally appropriate for adolescent clients.
I most frequently work with older adolescents and teens, often 15-16 and up, but also work with children as young as 11-12 if it is the right fit. Because I currently offer teletherapy only, one of the primary factors is the child’s interest in doing therapy virtually. This works great for some children and adolescents and is a poor fit for others, simply based on need, personality, and developmental stage. Since my therapeutic style primarily revolves around talk therapy of various kinds, children who respond best to play therapy, sand-tray therapy, or other less verbal interventions are generally not a good fit for my practice at this time. We can discuss all of this in the initial phone consultation and determine whether I am a good fit for your child’s needs. Older teens, or younger teens/older kids who are more reflective, verbal processors or "internalizers" tend to be great fits. Areas of experience/focus for me include supporting teens with self-esteem concerns, issues around identity, and recovery from traumatic experiences (somewhat similar to my approach with adults outlined above).
I continue to welcome a small number of child/adolescent clients in my work in private practice, and am comfortable supporting clients with more intensive therapeutic needs, including suicidal ideation and/or self-harm.
Rates, Insurance, Logistics, Contact
I accept most Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans as well as most commercial Providence plans (I don’t accept Oregon Health Plan Providence). I also accept out of pocket/out of network at a rate of $150 per session, and I can easily provide a detailed receipt for you to submit to your insurance for possible out of network reimbursement, if your plan offers this. I am currently teletherapy only and run sessions from around 9am-5pm Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with some flexibility outside of those times if needed.
If you feel I might be a good fit for you or your child’s needs and are interested in learning more, please use the contact form below or in the "Contact" tab and we can schedule a phone consultation within a week. I currently have immediate availability, and I update this page to reflect when I am full to avoid unnecessary delays or confusion. I know the search for a therapist can be challenging and draining and I believe in prompt care.Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Contact Myles
If what you have learned about me resonates with you, please send me a message and we can set up a phone consultation.
I look forward to hearing from you!