Our Therapists
Dr. Calle Pierson
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
I'm Dr. Calle Pierson, an 8th-generation Oregonian born and raised in Clackamas County. I moved to Seattle to earn my undergraduate degree in psychology from Seattle University. During that time, I also lived in Austria, studying Personality Theorists like Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, and Viktor Frankl. Post-graduation, I relocated to southern Georgia to be with my partner who was in the United States Air Force, and I joined AmeriCorps VISTA, working with the Boys and Girls Club and the Oregon National Guard.
While pursuing my graduate education, I gained diverse experience working in both community mental health clinics and academic environments,
including colleges and JobCorps. I also volunteered in various roles within the academic and mental health sectors, such as serving on the College of Health Professions Appeal Subcommittee and as a Class Monitor at the 2015 APA Conference. I completed an APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship in health psychology at the University of Idaho, specializing in crisis intervention and risk management, and did my post-doctoral residency at the University of Portland. I became a licensed psychologist in 2020.
I always dreamed of owning my own clinic and, when I met Chanel in graduate school, we discovered we had the same dream. During our education, we remained friends and later came together to make our dream a reality. We hope to help individuals reach their goals in a caring, compassionate, and safe setting.
Therapeutic Approach
As a therapist, I strongly believe in collaboration between therapist and client and that the client is the expert on the topic of their own life. It is my goal to help you feel comfortable and confident in your life and help you obtain your goals. I am an integrated cognitive behavioral therapist and use tools, skills, and information from a variety of theoretical orientations. I was originally trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and I also use tools and skills from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) as well as other methods, such as self-compassion, psychoeducation, EMDR, hypnotherapy and Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT).
I am also heavily influenced by the work of Viktor Frankl. Predominantly by his belief that we cannot always change our circumstances but that we are in control of ourselves and how we choose to address both successes and challenges. This is a lens I use often in therapy and encourage clients to consider what values drive their behavior as well as how they can look at challenges from different angles to find solutions.
Chanel Dismuke, PsyD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Welcome! My name is Chanel Dismuke and I am a licensed clinical psychologist. My professional experience includes working with adults and teens in outpatient and residential settings and helping them take steps to live the life they want. I have also worked as a Program Director with a local community mental health agency providing therapy to adults and supervising an adult outpatient rehabilitation team. Lastly, I have taught a Cultural Foundations course at Pacific University, which focused on enhancing students' cultural competency through learning about various cultures, religions, and marginalized groups in the United States and across the world.
Calle and I met in graduate school and began to envision a therapy practice that could focus on the whole person and help individuals live meaningfully. Our vision has become a reality with NW Intrinsic Psychotherapy. In my personal life, I enjoy spending time with my spouse, child, and dogs, whether out in nature or in the comfort of our home.
Therapeutic Approach
Life can be challenging, and we all can benefit from having help and support to successfully navigate times of stress and difficulty, whether these challenges are happening currently, in the past, or are anticipated in the future. For many people, choosing to engage in therapy can be a challenge, and it can take courage to take that leap. My goal is to provide a nonjudgmental, caring, and open-minded space where a person can express themselves and begin to take steps to reach their goals, at their own pace. Through collaboration, psychoeducation, guidance, and a strong therapeutic relationship, the work of therapy can begin to seem less daunting and hope for future possibilities and change can begin to grow. I work from a strengths-based and trauma-informed lens utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to promote self-knowledge, healing, self-confidence, and the ability to initiate adaptive change in the present and maintain change long after therapy has ended. I also include interventions from other orientations, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Cognitive Processing Therapy, to personalize treatment and help individuals learn skills that resonate with them.
I work with individuals 18 and older experiencing depression and mood-related disorders, bipolar and related disorders, anxiety, trauma, life stressors, grief, and concerns specific to BIPOC and LGBTQA+ experiences, as well as mental health concerns related to physical conditions.
Begin with a Free Consultation
Please call us at 562-340-6068 or email us at contact@nwintrinsicpsychotherapy.com to schedule a free 15-minute consultation if you have any questions about our services.