MereAnn Reid, M.A.
Child & Family Therapist
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
Certified in therapy with foster & adoptive families
My passion for supporting healthy families, and especially those touched by adoption, has directed my path as a therapist. After many years of diverse experience with children and families, I worked as a court-appointed advocate (CASA) for kids living in foster care. I became a counselor to provide more specialized support to children facing family separations and help them make sense of tough experiences.
Following graduate education in Counseling Psychology, I worked in a community mental health center and as a post-adoption resource coordinator. I became certified in counseling with adoptive and foster families and founded Northwest Adoption Support to provide children, teens, birth and adoptive parents--as well as extended families--with support across the family lifespan. I am a long-time volunteer with Adoption Mosaic, a non-profit dedicated to adoption education and community-based support. I have also been trained as a group facilitator with The Dougy Center, the Portland-based National Center for Grieving Children & Families, and spoken with groups of pediatricians and parents about adoption issues.
In addition to seeing child & family clients, I participate in a peer consultation group with other adoption therapists and engage in continued training each year. As a registered intern with the Oregon State Board of Licensed Professional Counselors, I meet frequently with a senior supervising clinician. I am also a member of these professional and community groups:
Association for Specialists in Group Work
Parents for Ethical Adoption Reform
Northwest Adoptive Families Association
Areas of Special Interest in my work with client families include:
- Expressive arts & play therapy
- Group counseling
- Open adoption & birthparent support
- Family transitions
- Attachment & bonding
- Sibling relationships
- Transracial, transcultural adoptions
- Interpersonal Neurobiology
- Yoga as therapy
