Clients


How Dr. Yoman Can Help

Logo Bird Dr. Yoman provides life skills training and psychotherapy to help you accomplish your personal goals and improve your quality of life. In working with you, he places a priority on creating a good working relationship where you feel safe openly sharing your experiences. From this foundation you and he will move toward a common understanding of your concerns. That understanding will in turn lead to action strategies for the changes you wish to make. Preferred strategies will be those which have been demonstrated as effective for people who have similar concerns. In addition, you will regularly evaluate with Dr. Yoman how well his services are working for you. Dr. Yoman specializes in helping people with depression, other mood problems, and substance abuse concerns.

A Personal Message from Dr. Yoman: Experience and degrees are information you may find helpful in choosing a psychologist. However, your personal reaction to interacting with the person is also important in deciding whether you can trust and confide in him or her. You and I work as a team, and it is always your decision whether to hire or keep me as your psychologist. Therapist-client “match” is important to successful therapy, and there is no obligation to continue after an initial consultation.

Dr. Yoman can help you:

  • Manage your stress and moods
  • Accept and express your feelings
  • Improve your relationship with yourself
  • Create a fulfilling and healthy lifestyle
  • Develop and strengthen relationships through assertiveness, communication, and conversation skills
  • Clarify values and set goals
  • Overcome the destructive effects of alcohol and drug abuse
 

General Office Information


Appointments

Dr. Yoman’s office hours are by appointment. Evening appointments are available. Please call (503) 643-9805 to request an appointment.

Fees

The standard fee for individual life skills training or psychotherapy is $165/hour. If you are on a limited income, discounts are available or you may want to consider the lower cost life skills training groups. Payment is due after each session. Dr. Yoman also accepts most PPO insurance (e.g., Blue Cross, Aetna) as payment for services.

Emergencies

Dr. Yoman reviews throughout the day messages left at his office number. Dr. Yoman does not provide immediate response crisis services. If you think you may want to contact him on an urgent basis, please ask about this at your appointment. If you need emergency help, please call 911.

 

Specialties

Dr. Yoman was trained in the leading form of evidence-based mental health practice, called cognitive-behavioral therapy. He can help adults of all ages with most goals and problems, but he has extensive specialized training and experience in helping people with:

  • Depression
  • Insomnia
  • Communication Skills Problems
  • Family Stress Related to Serious Mental Illness
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Schizophrenia
  • Substance Abuse

Upcoming Life Skills Training Groups

Watch this space for future life skills training groups. The standard fee for these groups is $70 per hour. If you are interested in a particular type of group, please contact us to let us know.

Cultural Differences in Therapy

A Personal Message from Dr. Yoman: According to the American Psychological Association's “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct”, "In their work-related activities, psychologists do not engage in unfair discrimination based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or any basis proscribed by law.” In addition, psychologists are encouraged to gather and use information about clients' cultural experiences to help therapy work better. Thus, I find it important to take the time to understand how culture has affected what you have experienced in life and who you are. We can then discuss how this is different from my own cultural experiences, and how we might work with these differences to develop a shared approach to your therapy. This process will help us understand your values and make your efforts at change more effective.

 

Empowerment and the Word "Client"

A personal comment from Dr. Yoman:

Some people reading this website will notice I have used the word “client” (as well as the phrase “people with mental illness”) to refer to those to whom I offer therapy and life skills services. That language is a conscious choice on my part for several reasons. While some of my colleagues use the word “patient”, I do not consider the services I offer to be medical, and I disagree with the passive connotation of that term. I believe “client” better describes the collaborative relationships I have always sought with those I serve. I see the role of the client in therapy as similar to that of the client of a lawyer or financial advisor. He or she comes seeking expertise and assistance, but ultimately makes the critical decisions about his or her own life, including whether to continue with my services.

Spokespersons for people with disabling mental health problems have advocated first to be referred to as “consumers”, and more recently to be referred to as “people in recovery”. A national survey of persons with mental health disabilities (see an abstract of this survey here) revealed their preference for the term “client” (though this predated the trend toward “people in recovery”). I respect people’s right to be called whichever term they prefer. My regular clients and I usually call each other by our first names.

 

Links to Resources and More Information

Organizations:

Information About Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Information from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on various mental health diagnoses:

Evidence-Based Care for Individuals Suffering from Disabling Mental Illness

Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment (for combined mental health and drug/alcohol problems):