I’m Nateesh Noakes (she/her) — a Professional Counselor Associate (PCA) and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) with over a decade of experience supporting people through complexity, transition, and reinvention. I’ve worked in the counseling field for 12 years and have run my private practice since 2022.

I hold a Master of Science in Counselor Education from Portland State University, specializing in rehabilitation counseling. My roots are in supporting people living with disability and chronic illness, helping them adapt to change, rebuild autonomy, and redefine purpose on their own terms. That foundation continues to guide my work with clients navigating mental health challenges, identity exploration, creative blocks, leadership stress, and major life transitions.

My therapy style is collaborative, intuitive, and grounded in genuine relationship. I work especially well with people who don’t fit neatly into boxes: creatives, artists, punks, deep feelers, leaders who carry quiet emotional weight, and anyone who’s ever felt unseen in traditional therapy spaces.

I support clients working through anxious thoughts, depressive feelings, traumatic experiences, major life shifts, relational stress, chronic illness, and disability. I use a mix of talk therapy and experiential work to create a therapeutic environment where every part of your experience matters.

I grew up in the Las Vegas punk scene and carried that energy north to Portland in 2001. Before becoming a therapist, I spent years bartending in Portland’s punk venues — learning more about humanity there than any textbook could teach. Those years shaped my understanding of care and continue to influence my work: honest, human, and respectful of every kind of story.

Having lived in both the punk/creative world and the structured world of leadership and program administration, I understand what it’s like to hold multiple identities at once — to lead, create, care deeply, burn out, and rebuild. That lived experience informs the steadiness and perspective I bring to therapy.

Outside the therapy room, I love road trips, camping with my partner, rollerskating, walking, thrifting, photography, and live music. I’m fueled by desserts, community care, good conversation, and lifelong learning.

Curiosity, connection, and creativity shape just about everything I do.

And for the record — the only Boss I listen to is Bruce Springsteen.