about me

“We’re here for a little window. And to use that time to catch and share shards of light and laughter and grace seems to me the great story.”

- Brian Doyle

Shay Larken

why I'm a trauma focused therapist

I felt a calling for quite some time into a healing profession, but it required coming to a place of stillness, turning inward, calling on profound courage, and staying true to my intuition to choose a new path.

Along this path, I developed an awareness that we need to hold a wider lens on what trauma is so we can honor our individual experiences and suffering, and feel the acceptance and support that comes from seeking therapeutic help.

While we may need to revisit some of our trauma, our attention is more helpful when it is drawn into the present. We heal and grow when we gain insight into how these experiences impacted us, both in terms of what happened to us and also what was missing and how that is showing up in our life now.

Shay Larken

I know what it looks like to appear high functioning on the outside, but feel tormented and confused by the dark remnants of trauma. But I found the courage to reach out and share my vulnerable parts and oceanic grief with another compassionate soul, and have deep respect for those who venture the same path.

sharing sacred ground

I have deeply felt the gift of being seen and heard as I metabolized my pain and grief in the presence of a safe, compassionate and attuned therapist. This ongoing transformative experience instills within me a desire to share this sacred ground, coming alongside others in their lived experience of unprocessed relational trauma.

My mission is to stay current with the latest trauma research - from the brain-body connection and our ability to regulate our traumatized nervous system, to befriending and integrating fractured parts of ourselves, to repairing ways of attachment in relationship – to provide you with the most effective trauma-informed therapy.

I am passionate about joining you on your journey of healing and transformation, a process that requires a commitment to deep work, but one where you will experience light, laughter and grace as you explore the shadows of your trauma experience.

at home in the pacific northwest

I am an Oregon Board registered Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

I received my Master of Arts degree in Professional Mental Health Counseling from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR. I am also a National Certified Counselor (NCC).

I spend my personal time hiking the wilderness trails and kayaking the waterways of Oregon and Washington, all the while honing my photography skills.

On my journey as a therapist, I have come to appreciate how a consistent mindfulness practice is foundational and critical to self-awareness, emotional wellbeing, and deepening compassion for others.