Jean E. Schumer, LCSW, Ph.D., LLC

Psychotherapy is hard to describe in general statements. The process varies depending on the personalities of client, therapist, and the particular issues the client is experiencing. There are many methods I might use to deal with the problems you hope to address. From your perspective, the client perspective, the process of psychotherapy requires active participation and engagement in order for therapy to be most successful. This means you will have to work on things we talk about both during our sessions and at home.

Psychotherapy can have benefits and risks. The process often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of your life and you may experience sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, helplessness. While these feelings are unpleasant, the benefits of psychotherapy can be shown in improved relationships, better communication, deeper insight and understanding into oneself, and one’s children for example. There are however, no guarantees of what you will experience. The first few sessions will involve an evaluation of your needs and of the therapeutic fit between us as therapeutic “fit” is an important variable in the process. Therapy involves a large time, money and effort commitment on your part, and you should be selective in the therapist you choose.

I provide psychotherapy to motivated adults, parents and children (toddler – 21). My education, clinical training, research, and teaching experience equip me with the skills to help individuals identify issues and find solutions to life challenges. We all feel lost at times in the child-rearing process. I am especially interested in helping parents/parental figures figure out solutions to parenting concerns.

My psychotherapy practice is grounded in evidence-based therapies, theories, and principles (psycho-dynamic, social learning, coherence, EMDR, coherence, IFS, e.g.). I am fully trained in EMDR therapy and have training in Synergetic Play Therapy. My research on parenting interventions for incarcerated parents and intimate partner violence has been published in peer-reviewed journals and books.

I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Int. Assn. (EMDRIA), and hold additional clinical social work licensure in NY state (L 91792-01). I adhere to the practice standards and ethical principles of these organizations.

I am in-network with several Oregon insurance providers (OHP-IHN, Pacific Source, Moda, Regence) and out-of-network with most nation-wide insurance companies such as United, Cigna, Aetna, TriCare/TriWest.

I have limited availability for psychotherapy clients. If you are interested in finding out about scheduling an appointment, please send an email query, and include “therapy query” in the subject line. Find my contact information on the “Contact me” tab.