Thistle Counseling

I'm Megan. A lot of unexpected twists and turns brought me here. Like many people, I've held (and hold!) a lot of identities: artist, goat rancher, horsewoman, mother, chronic-pain-survivor (every day!), storm-cloud-appreciator, therapist. I offer in-person and telehealth counseling services for individuals from my office near downtown Redmond, Oregon. ||| Counselors don't choose a theoretical approach so much as one chooses us, and I am an existential therapist through and through. This means working with anxiety, depression, stress, and loss of the sense of who we are and what we want--the every day concerns of life that so color our existence--lights me up. I am empathetically attuned and able to pick up on subtleties that offer important clues and insights into these very personal concerns. As we work together, we'll explore your fears, your needs, your wants, and embolden you with the courage to live deliberately and congruently, in alignment with who you truly are. ||| The research shows us time and time again, what matters most in the client-counselor relationship is fit, and how you work with and feel about your counselor is so important--the most important first step in your journey. ||| You deserve to be heard. I know myself and who I am. One of my greatest joys is supporting you in discovering who you are again. I can't wait to meet you. ||| "Why Thistle?" In Scottish lore, thistles are closely associated with protection, perseverance, determination, and strength. In 2013, I lost one of my favorite people on earth to struggles with mental health. The thistle was her symbol. My logo is the tattoo I once designed for her. My counseling business name is a living testament to my commitment to mental healthcare. ||| "What are your credentials?" I am an Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (OBLPCT)-registered Professional Counselor Associate (Registration #R9499) working towards licensure. I graduated in 2024 with a Master of Counseling (MCOUN) degree from OSU-Cascades CACREP-accredited Master of Counseling program. As part of my training, I completed a 6-month practicum and a 12-month internship which involved hundreds of direct client hours. I am under the supervision of Julie Branaugh, LPC (OBLPCT #C2952), and Victoria Young, LPC, NCC (OBLPCT #C5760) through Centered Therapy in Bend. Both support me in my work with individuals age 8+. I am a member of the American Counseling Association and a board-certified National Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). I completed a 24-hour externship in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy in 2024 through the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT), the gold standard in couples counseling. I am familiar with Logotherapy (Meaning-Based Therapy), and have additional training in Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD, Ecotherapy, and CBT for psychosis. I was also a member of the Central Oregon Behavioral Health Consortium from 2023-2024. Additionally, I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in painting and drawing from the University of Oregon in 2010, and a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Art with a minor in Biology from the University of Oregon in 2006. ||| "Do you take insurance?" Yes! At this time, I am able to accept Oregon Health Plan (OHP- PacificSource Community Solutions), PacificSource Commercial Plans, Open Card, Aetna, Providence and private pay (cash pay where insurance is not used). Please note that due to recent policy changes, as of 7/31/25 Associate counselors are no longer permitted to bill Care Oregon OHP policies. You have options for your care. Please read on for more. ||| A Note on Rates & Financial Considerations: I am committed to making my services as accessible as possible. There are potential benefits and drawbacks to using health insurance to help pay for your care. Benefits include increased accessibility, convenience, lower out-of-pocket costs, and others! However, in support of informed consent and the transparency that I feel you deserve, it is important to note that insurance companies follow a medical model for mental health treatment that requires a covered mental health diagnosis in order for them to pay. They tend to place constraints on management of your care, including a set number of sessions you are permitted per year. Although currently protected by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a mental health diagnosis becomes part of your medical file and would be considered a pre-existing condition. That said, insurance is still the best option for a lot of folks!--and I am committed to supporting the accessibility it allows while working with you and in support of your needs. ||| "Why wouldn't someone use insurance?" Benefits of private pay include allowing you to decide when you begin and end therapy, control over whether or not you have to receive a diagnosis, and access to counseling support for self-esteem, relational issues, marital therapy, personal growth, and other important life concerns which insurance companies generally do not consider to be "medically necessary" and worthwhile to treat. Private pay also allows the time and energy I spend defending why you deserve to have access to mental health care to insurance companies to be rerouted: to reading and researching ways I can best help you reach your goals--whatever they may be. ||| Additionally, I adhere to the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics regarding client financial need (A.10.c) for establishing fees. If you would like to use insurance not listed above and have Out-Of-Network (OON) benefits, I can provide you with a superbill for reimbursement from your insurance company. I encourage you to contact your insurance directly about Out-Of-Network coverage and the benefits you are entitled to. Questions? I'm here for you. My job is supporting you in what you need. ||| "What does a session look like?" In a nutshell: Individual therapy sessions are scheduled for 60 minutes, typically meeting weekly. I offer in-person sessions at my office near downtown Redmond, and telehealth sessions (either video or audio-only based on your preference). I typically see clients on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with occasional Thursday sessions. I also open sessions once to twice monthly on Saturdays for clients with limited weekday availability. As therapy progresses and symptoms begin to abate, it is common for my clients to at some point drop down to every-other-week, once monthly, or on an "as needed" basis. It is not my goal to keep you in therapy forever! Graduating is a natural part of the process of therapy and growth. That said, my approach is non-manualized and open-ended, which means I don't ever prescribe a set number of sessions. Existential-humanistic therapy is intensely individual: I support your growth at whatever pace is needed. For some, this may mean therapy continues for several years. For others, a brief 10-14 week relationship may be enough to build significant growth momentum. ||| "What's the process for starting therapy?" In order for me to hear about your mental health, ethically speaking it's always a good idea to have a signed consent form. I'll ask for you to look over and complete brief intake paperwork letting you know the details of informed consent before we talk about what's going on for you. This can be completed through a secure client portal for safety and convenience. Next, I always start with a 15-30 minute consultation phone call. This gives us a chance to get to know one another, for me to hear about what you are seeking counseling to address, and to give you an opportunity to have any questions answered. The purpose of a consultation phone call is ultimately for both parties to decide whether we might be a good fit to work together. Since this is a partnership where we will form a team to address your concerns, fit is very important. Our first session together will be an intake assessment, which is approximately 60 minutes long. For those using insurance, this session is an opportunity for me to gather the information I'll need to support and defend a diagnosis for your insurance company to allow you covered access to care. I'll ask questions about symptoms you may be experiencing, important life events, your family of origin, and your goals for therapy. The intake session allows me to begin conceptualizing the zoomed out picture of what may be happening for you. Although this information would most likely come up organically during the course of therapy in months or years, the intake allows me a valuable first glimpse into a broad range of past and present experiences. The second session is a "treatment planning" session, where we'll briefly review your goals and suitable interventions for addressing your concerns or challenges. I want to stress how much the intake, diagnosis (if applicable), and treatment planning is a collaborative effort between the two of us. I do not believe in keeping your medical record secret from you, and honesty throughout the process is part of informed consent which I take very seriously. I want to make sure I'm understanding your needs and coming at them from an angle you agree with and understand. Once your goals and interventions feel settled, I typically turn the session over to you to talk about whatever you would like for the time remaining. The third session and every session thereafter is all yours to talk about whatever feels important to you. I am not a cognitive behavioral therapist, I don't assign homework, and I do not expect you to know ahead of time what you want to talk about. Building the client-counselor alliance takes time. We both have responsibilities in this relationship. If you're ready to begin, I will walk right beside you on this journey as you discover your path forward. This work is a tremendous privilege, and sharing your time with me--"Our most precious resource," as a wise client often reminds me--is an honor. ||| "Did you take that sunrise picture?" Yes! I used to live in The Dalles, and it was a particularly incredible summer morning. ||| To learn more about me, my professional training in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT) and psychotherapy, and my approach, simply copy/paste the link below to visit my Psychology Today profile: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/thistle-counseling-llc-redmond-or/1349377 ||| Ready to schedule? Have a question? Click the "Contact" icon above to connect today. |||