about me....
For the past 13 years, I have enjoyed learning from 
adolescents and families about the issues important
to their everyday living.  Life is full of ups and downs,
with loss, disappointment, pain, and sadness;
there is opportunity and challenge.  I enjoy being a
part of this journey and helping others overcome
obstacles that "get in the way" of improving health,
enriching relationships, and building confidence to
reach goals. As a woman of color, youth
development specialist, and an advocate for healthy
living, I have chosen to focus my practice on
adolescent girls and women. 

  • As a woman, there are so many roles and expectations to fulfill. 

  • As an adolescent, life can seem confusing, unfair, and uncertain.  

My journey as a mental health clinician began when I
received an Associates Degree in Mental
Health/Human Services at Mt. Hood Community
College. This led me to obtain my Bachelor’s degree
from Portland State University in Child and Family
Studies and a Master’s degree in Social Work. I
obtained my OR state license as a Licensed Clinical
Social Worker and am a member of the National
Association of Social Workers.

Since 1999, I have been an AFAA certified aerobics
instructor. I embrace a holistic approach to healthy
living and combine exercise therapy with talk therapy.
Please join my F.I.T. speciality groups and take the
fitness inspired with talk journey with me.

I have had the opportunity to apply my knowledge and
skills to working with teen parents, adolescents, and
families in various settings. I have worked closely with
teachers, school counselors, case managers,
healthcare professionals, probation officers and other
professionals. 

I look forward to meeting you and determining if we are a good fit for working together.

Kim Filla

"If you love life, life will love you back."
-Arthur Rubinstein
my approach....

I provide guidance and support for adolescent girls and women
looking to improve their relationships, communication skills, self
esteem, management of emotions, and overall health. I also
provide family therapy for adolescent boys through Providence
EAP.

Sometimes we feel stuck in our situations. In order to make
certain changes that positively impact our lives, we need to shift
how we think and how we internalize our problems and stressors.

Each person is part of multiple systems that interact and impact
their environment. With this in mind, family counseling sessions
may be encouraged to discuss how the family system can
support the young person in achieving their potential.

Having a strengths based foundation, I draw from your unique
assets and from Solution focused,  Cognitive behavioral (CBT)
and Narrative therapies (NT).  CBT is based on the idea that
how we think strongly influences how we feel and behave. It
assumes that we can change the way we think, feel and behave
with practice.  NT addresses the stories we tell ourselves about
how various difficulties impact our lives. By retelling these
stories, we can overcome those that control our lives in
negative ways. 

As you share your story (goals, needs, and hopes) with me, we
will consider your emotional, behavioral and spiritual life as well 
as the environment that surrounds you. We will look at your past,
present, and future to identify problems and solutions.

We may address...

  • Adolescent Issues
  • Life transitions, Goals, Balance
  • Motivational barriers and Procrastination
  • Anxiety, Depression, Trauma
  • Loss or Grief
  • Stress, Emotions and Anger Management
  • Relationship issues
  • Ethnic Identity, Acculturation, Coping style, and Psychological distress
  • Time management
  • Career choice, Personal development, and Burn-out
  • Lifestyle coaching

Kim Filla, LCSW  971-570-7624  exhalecounseling@gmail.com