Sarena Mestas , LPC

Sarena Mestas is a licensed counselor in Oregon with 10 years of professional experience who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, and relationship concerns while building confidence and motivation. She works with clients facing mood concerns such as bipolar disorder and depression, and she offers support for issues related to self-esteem, panic, and social anxiety. Sarena approaches each person with sensitivity and respect, creating a space where individuals can explore what matters to them and develop practical tools for everyday life.

She tailors conversations and treatment plans to reflect each client’s unique needs, collaborating to set goals and adjust strategies as progress is made. Sarena emphasizes compassion and thoughtful listening, helping clients move from feeling stuck toward clearer direction and more effective coping. Taking the first step toward therapy often requires courage, and she recognizes and affirms that decision while providing steady support throughout the process.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the client’s own goals and pace, offering a nonjudgmental space where the therapist listens closely and follows the client’s lead. This approach helps people who want a collaborative, strengths-based environment to clarify values, build self-esteem, and improve relationships.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps people identify and shift unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior. It is commonly used for anxiety, panic, depression, and stress, and supports practical skill-building to change how situations are approached and managed.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, emphasizes skills for regulating intense emotions, reducing impulsivity, and improving interpersonal effectiveness. It can be especially useful for managing mood swings, impulsive behaviors, and intense stress responses.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process, and the therapist works collaboratively with each person to determine what fits best with their needs, goals, and preferences. Sarena will help explore options, adjust techniques over time, and tailor the plan to what works for the individual.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules and to access licensed professionals from different locations. These formats support continuity of care and make it possible to practice new skills and maintain momentum between sessions.