Saren Craig (They/Them)

I am experienced in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, community mental health, case management, and supported housing. I have learned many skills and resources from working in those environments, and I know that multiple factors in the external system create internal issues. I understand the dynamic of power within the counseling relationship, and aim to empower clients through this work. In doing this work, I like to think about parts of us that needed something along our life's journey that we may not have received in a way that was affirming to us. These younger parts of ourselves need compassion and understanding to heal. I value social justice work and actively look for ways to become involved. I believe that reducing oppression through systemic change and greater awareness creates healthy communities.

I'm involved in advocacy and activism for the LGBTQ+ Community and support Black Lives Matter. I believe in treating each person with warmth, dignity and respect, while upholding the professional boundaries of the counseling relationship. I work from a broad theoretical background and approach care with a systemic lens. I aim to empower clients, and I understand that each individual has their own pace and path in the growth process. The Portland Metro area rests on traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River. I also acknowledge the systemic policies of genocide, relocation, and assimilation that still impact many Indigenous/Native American families today. I respect the work of Indigenous leaders and families, and pledge to make ongoing efforts recognize their knowledge, creativity, and resilience.