Rene Tricou
MA, Licensed Professional Counselor
I BELIEVE THAT EACH PERSON HOLDS THE INNATE WISDOM TO THEIR OWN HEALING AND WELLBEING. THERAPY IS ONE WAY OF UNLOCKING THIS WISDOM AND LEARNING ABOUT THE GIFTS YOU CARRY.
In my practice, I offer an intuitive and compassionate approach to counseling, supporting and honoring where you are with gentle encouragement and curiosity.
Therapy is an amazing opportunity to learn about the innate and natural healing abilities that you hold. Growing up, I wish I knew that therapy was an option for me. When I started attending therapy in my early 20’s, I found many parts of myself that had been lost, waiting to be remembered and reintegrated. As a client, I would even sometimes wonder, “what would my therapist think if I told them this?” I grew up in a home where emotions would come out in passive aggressive ways or ignored completely, and to share my inner world with another was an incredibly vulnerable and challenging journey. It was from my experience as a client that I was inspired to become a therapist, where I learned that therapy is one way to develop the capacity to heal the wounds of your past, and learn about the spiralic nature of your patterns that no longer serve you.
My intention and hope is to cultivate a safe place for clients to feel seen and heard, to feel nurtured in their healing process, and to access, process, and reintegrate their own experience, as my therapist did for me. From my own personal experience of trauma, I understand and recognize the depths of pain that can be held onto for years, if not decades. I offer warmth, compassion, non-judgement and understanding as we work together to process your pain and trauma, while honoring the timing of your journey and not “rushing to the finish line.” I recognize there are also macrocosmic (social, political, environmental and socioeconomic) and microcosmic (family, personal relationships, our past) influences that affect our experience and our healing capacities, and the necessity of having awareness of these influences to promote healing, growth, and expansion is important.
Together, we will walk step-by-step as you learn to embrace life circumstances, navigate challenging times, and deepen the relationship you have with yourself and your loved ones. We will explore how past life experiences have affected the current moment, while creating tools and skills to limit the impact of the past; how to expand your understanding of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions; regain a sense of the inherent wisdom that is held within you; cultivate a new outlook on life; and learn how to trust yourself and your experience again, or perhaps, for the first time. My practice is informed by my study of yoga psychology, relational and attachment-based therapies, psychoeducation of the nervous system, spirituality, social justice and activism, mindfulness, and body-based awareness practices.
Outside of the counseling room, I love to explore and adventure the outdoors with my dog, Winnie, alongside foraging for mushrooms and offering prayers to the natural world around me. Inside, I love to make art or ecstatic dance with friends and community, or enjoy potlucks or cook for my friends. I hold a meditation and spiritual practice that allows me to stay deeply rooted with myself and continue to move on my own healing journey.
Continuing to learn about and challenge my own privilege is an important part of my own self-study, which in turn impacts how I engage in social activism and support. I can often be found reading racial and social awareness books, having in-depth and difficult conversations with varying communities around racial and socioeconomic disparities, and supporting activists through online platforms who aim to educate people on the impacts of historical and current oppression.
I assist clients who are experiencing a range of presenting concerns including: depression, anxiety, trauma, sexual abuse, mood swings, boundary concerns, life transitions, grief and loss, spirituality exploration and concerns, spiritual trauma, loved ones affected by addiction, personal growth, internal conflicts and confusion, intergenerational trauma.
In my practice, I am a sex-positive, kink-and-BDSM friendly therapist, and enjoy working with folx who hold alternative identities and lifestyles outside of the mainstream, including LGBQTIA+ community members. I also work with folx who have “experiences beyond the norm,” such as intuition, ESP or other experiences where there are concerns around how to navigate these gifts in life.
AREAS OF FOCUS
Who I Work With: Adults, Teens 15+
While I work with a wide range of people and presenting problems, some of my most common topics of focus include:
Addiction & Substance Use
Affected Others
Anger
Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
Boundary Work
Codependency
College Students
Coping Skills
Couple’s Counseling
Cultivating Compassion for Yourself
Dual Diagnosis
Depression
Grief and Loss
Infidelity
Intergenerational Trauma
Intrusive Thoughts
LGBTQIA+ Issues
Peer Relationships
Personal Growth
Relationship Challenges and Issues
Relationship to Yourself
Self-Esteem
Sexual Abuse
Sleep or Insomnia
Stress
Spirituality Exploration and Concerns
Spiritual Trauma
Suicidal Ideation
Trauma and PTSD
Women’s Issues
In my work with teens, we cover a wide range of presenting concerns, however my specialties are in:
Grief and Loss of a Loved One
Life Transitions such as a Change in Location (city, state, school, etc.)
Counseling Technique
I am an attachment-based and relational therapist, who believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship to cultivate safety for vulnerable topics to come up. I offer individualized treatment techniques and interventions, as each person is different and unique. Often, I work with people who have challenges with boundaries, both internal and external, and have a desire to deepen intimacy within themselves or their relationships. From a strengths-based perspective, together we will explore what patterns no longer serve my clients that have presented themselves and have stayed for a long-time, while honoring these patterns and how they may have helped in the past. I also educate clients about the body’s nervous system, and help them to learn specific techniques to navigate anxiety. I hold training in brain spotting (will become available when in-person becomes open again) and Mindfulness-Based Emotional Processing, where we digest emotional experiences or trauma that continues to show up.
Professional Background
I have my Master’s of Arts in Counseling from Southwest College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, minoring in Ethnic Studies. I am currently a Licensed Professional Counselor with the State of Oregon, a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Ohio, and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of New Mexico. Prior to working in mental health, I was a director of a non-profit organization, which offered a food pantry to the public, free yoga and meditation classes, and cultural immersion programs to the South Bronx in New York and Navajo reservations in New Mexico and Arizona. I began my mental health career prior to obtaining my counseling degree at a non-profit organization in Eugene, Oregon, serving folks with addiction, co-occurring disorders, and a history of homelessness as a Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA). As a QMHA, I provided case management and skills training for clients I worked with. While in graduate school, I worked at a community mental health center and private clinic, working with folks with co-occurring disorders and addictions. After graduate school, I worked at an in-patient mental health center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, providing counseling to individuals and facilitating eco-therapy and mindfulness groups. Alongside working at Insight Northwest Counseling, I currently have a private practice in New Mexico and Ohio.
Education Credentials
M.A. Counseling
B.A. Psychology and Ethnic Studies
I am currently a Licensed Professional Counselor with the State of Oregon Board of Licensed Counselors and Therapists.