Carolyn Schulte, LMFT

Carolyn Schulte’s Therapist Disclosure Statement <<< (Clickable)

I believe everything we feel, do, and struggle with makes sense and serves a valuable purpose. And yet, many of us blame and question ourselves when our emotions feel inconvenient, irrational, or “too big.” Having been taught that our feelings will only get in our way, that perhaps we’re “too sensitive,” we focus on powering through and white-knuckling it, hoping that relief will somehow find us if we just move forward and swallow our feelings.

If this sounds like you, welcome. We have this in common. We live in a world of urgency, optimization, and hustle-culture. Often times, it really is easier and more expedient to push our needs and feelings aside, but over the long-term, these amazing skills of compartmentalizing and over functioning are a recipe for disaster. When we neglect our emotions, they simply make themselves known in other ways –– at even less convenient times –– in the forms of anxiety, depression, chronic pain, burnout, poor focus, addiction, disease, the list goes on. Our bodies are designed to do this, and it is our job to listen and respond; I can help you learn how.

Clients who enjoy working with me have said that I offer a good balance of listening and holding their experience while also challenging and pushing them to think differently about it. I am interactive, relational, and embrace the messiness of therapy (think laughter, swearing, and even crying alongside you at times) and really view our work as a collaboration.

I earned my Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling, studying Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy with a focus in Sex Therapy. I draw on learning and training from Relational Life Therapy, Pain Reprocessing Therapy (Certified), mindbody frameworks, parts work, systems theory, critical social theory, and domestic violence prevention and intervention, and enjoy working with a broad spectrum of people and identities.

In my current season of life, I enjoy a busy life with my partner and young children, finding new recipes to cook, running and hiking, reading, word puzzles, spending time with my friends and community, and finding ways to fight for a more just and abundant world for us all.

Specialties and areas of focus

Individuals
Couples
Life Transitions
Family of origin/childhood issues
Women’s issues
Men’s issues
Pregnancy, postpartum, and (peri)menopause
Chronic Pain (PRT Certified)
Abuse/victims of abuse
Sex therapy
Anxiety
Depression

Q&A with Carolyn

1.) Some therapists are more comfortable addressing the immediate problem, while others want to focus on the deeper issue. Which are you?

I am most excited about exploring the deeper issues bringing someone to therapy. I believe our past experiences, relationships, family structures, and cultural environment directly shape and impact the problems we face, even when we feel alone in our struggles. My biggest goal is to support you in finding your voice, goals, and power to care for yourself and make choices that honor who you are, in order to resolve the immediate problems causing you to feel stuck

2.) Do you tend to lead the session, or follow my lead?

I strive to be relational and adjust as needed. You are the expert of your life, and you know best what you need and feel ready to talk about. That being said, I also enjoy being directive when needed, and I am comfortable gently pushing and challenging you to explore how deeper and/or underlying patterns might relate to your current concerns and goals.

3.) What are your strengths as a therapist?

I show up as myself, an empathetic, expressive, funny (I think?), and well-attuned person. I offer a mix of patience and assertiveness, love working with a wide variety of people and “problems,” and strive to provide an affirming and safe space to clients of all identities. I use the word “strive” recognizing that I walk through the world with a limited perspective as a member of many dominant and privileged groups, and cannot always anticipate what feels safe or unsafe for others. Knowing this, I am dedicated to the long-term work of continuing education, self-reflection, inviting and taking feedback, and learning from my mistakes in order to constantly expand and improve my practices.

4.) If you had one superpower, what would it be and why?

To be in two places at once, because FOMO.

5.) What makes you laugh?

A good dry comeback, satire, my children’s antics, pranks, the show Taskmaster.

6.) Who would you have dinner with, dead or alive?

My grandmother who died when I was 11, before I could fully appreciate her brilliance and sass.