About Jamie

Jamie Van Auken, LMFT - The Buddha's Medicine

Jamie Van Auken, LMFT Associate

Jamie is a licensed marriage and family therapist associate (LMFT # R11588) registered with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. Jamie is supervised by Dr. Lana Kim and Lori Henry.

  • My therapeutic philosophy is grounded in the belief that we are whole - even in our deepest struggles, our essential wholeness and goodness remains intact. I practice from a nervous system-forward approach, understanding that we often feel before we think and that lasting healing happens when we create safety in the body first. My work seeks to bridge the cognitive and intuitive knowing we possess, with regulation and embodiment experience, so that we can live a connected, compassionate life.

    I believe that all our behaviors are rooted in a desire to take care of ourselves; our behaviors (even the ones we are trying to let go of!) made sense as protective responses to overwhelm, fear, vulnerability, and insecurity with change we were experiencing in a formative time. I know both from my clinical experience and my personal healings that change happens through compassion, not shame, and I keep this as a north star in all of my work. Whether we're working with embodiment issues, caregiver burnout, neurodivergent challenges, or relationship patterns, I’ll hold a regulated, collaborative space that feels like settling in with warm tea - regulated, curious, and genuinely nourishing.

    My role isn't to fix what's broken, but to walk alongside you as you remember your own capacity for healing. My aim to to help you develop a kind relationship with all parts of yourself while honoring your unique nervous system and the wisdom it holds. This work of returning to ourselves is sacred cycle-breaking that creates new possibilities not just for you, but for generations to come.

    Ultimately, my hope for every person I work with is not that they become perfect or problem-free, but that they develop a kind, curious relationship with all parts of themselves. I want you to feel genuinely held and understood in our work together, and to develop tools for holding and understanding yourself with the same quality of compassion.

    Healing isn't about reaching some imagined destination where struggle no longer exists. It's about developing the capacity to meet whatever arises in your life from a place of presence, self-compassion, and authentic choice. It's about remembering that you have always been whole, even when life circumstances made it difficult to feel that truth.

    This is the work I'm most passionate about - creating space for you to come home to yourself, exactly as you are, while supporting your natural evolution toward whatever wants to emerge next in your healing journey.

  • Jamie, MA, LMFT Associate, E-RYT 500, has been studying & practicing somatic and body-based healing for over 20 years.

    • LMFT Associate - Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, Oregon (Washington: in-progress!)

    • MA - Master's in Marriage & Family Therapy, Lewis & Clark College

    • BA - Bachelor's Degree, Cornell University

    • E-RYT 500 - Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (500-hour), Yoga Alliance | 20+ years

    • IFS Training - Internal Family Systems Institute

    • Somatic EMDR - Certification in Progress

    • Neuro-affirming Care Provider - Extensive training working with kids, individuals and families where neurodivergence is present; Internship at Neurotherapeutics Pediatric Therapies

    • Couples Therapy Provider - Trained to work with high conflict couples and IPV

    • Eating Disorder Specialist - Treatment Centers NY, WA, OR | 10+ years

    • Nature-Based Therapy Certification - Grow with Nature

    • Yoga Studio Owner - 13 years

    • US Olympian - Competitive Figure Skating

  • I am a licensed marriage and family therapy associate, and I am committed to ongoing learning that serves my clients' well-being. I was trained to think relationally and systemically, recognizing that we are all deeply impacted by the larger cultural systems that we interact with. My training was based on system, structural, and relational theories and these lenses inform how I engage with all my clients. In addition to my Masters degree and graduate level training, I have pursued and completed continuing education training and studies in Internal Family Systems through the IFS Institute, nature-based therapy through Grow with Nature, and sensory-somatic strategies with MereAnn Reid and Jamie Watson. I completed my internship training at Neuortherapeutic Pedatric Therapies, a nonprofit that offers outpatient collaborative therapies and services for children, teens, families, and adults, with a focus on neurodivergence and disability-informed care. I continue to offer on-going relational work and men’s group facilitation with Allies in Change - an organization dedicated to disrupting intimate partner violence and facilitating trauma-informed anger management. I'm currently completing a somatic EMDR certification through the Embody Lab with the intention to use this evidenced-based intervention as another trauma-informed modality that supports in the body's innate capacity for nervous system-forward healing.

    Beyond all of that, my twenty years of yoga practice and role as a studio owner have given me deep appreciation for the body-mind connection and the healing power of conscious movement. I pursued yoga as a healing modality for myself starting years ago, recognizing the need for regulation and embodied connection in my own life. I have personally experienced how the body must be a part of the healing experience for true understanding and integration. My professional athletic background also taught me valuable lessons about resilience, discipline, and the impact of systems - lessons I bring into every therapeutic relationship with each and every client.

    My years of movement practice and athletic rigor inform every session - I am deeply mindful and I track both what is said and what the felt sense of our experience is; sometimes we'll notice sensations, sometimes we will elicit experience, often times we'll simply create space for whatever wants to emerge. I am direct and compassionate; I understand that you are bravely here to work beyond whatever patterns you find yourself stuck in. I hold this knowing with deep respect, care and therapeutic discipline.

    Most importantly, I understand that true strength often looks like vulnerability, and that asking for support is one of the most courageous things we can do.

    I'm so glad you are here. I've got you every step of the way.

  • In my practice, I strive to create an environment that feels like settling in with a warm cup of tea - regulated, safe, and genuinely nourishing. I believe therapy should be a collaborative dance where your innate wisdom guides our work together. I hold deeply compassionate curiosity; no matter who you have been in your journey thus far - I want to meet you! You are the expert of your own experience, and I'm here to walk alongside you as you reclaim parts of yourself that may have been silenced, shunned, or hidden away.

    My specialties include:

    Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy - Recognizing that neurodivergent minds are not broken but beautifully themselves, I work to help you understand and embrace your unique neurological makeup while developing tools that support your thriving in systems that were not made for you.

    Couples & Relational Work - Using attachment theory, non-violent communication (NVC) skills, and somatic awareness, we'll explore the dance between you and your loved ones and bridge the heart-gap, helping you create the connections you long for while honoring your individual needs.

    Burnout & Life Transitions - My mindfulness-based approach helps you slow down and receive. We'll explore your unique somatic and sensory signals and work together to find a map back to your center.

    Parent / Caregiver Support - As a mama to two neurosparkly kiddos (one with an ASD diagnosis), I know how tender caregiving concerns can be. I draw from systems theory, collaborative problem-solving, psycho-education, and Good Inside© strategies to help you hold space for your beautiful, growing children. I can support you navigating multiple systems, providers, and education structures, making sure your child has the accommodations they deserve. I've been at there too and I can help you find your footing and heart as you nurture your family.

    Identity & Transitions to Parenthood - As a mother myself, I intimately understand the disorienting paradigm shift that happens when the tiny humans arrive; the question of: "I became a mother, but what happened to me?" The transition to parenthood can feel like stepping into an entirely different version of yourself - one you didn't necessarily see coming. This shift can bring deep love but also, often, untold grief as you are called to redefine some many aspects of yourself and your relationships. Whether you're grieving parts of your pre-parent self, struggling to find yourself within the demands of caregiving, or feeling like you've disappeared into your parental role, I work with parents navigating this profound identity shift. Together, we'll explore this transformation with compassion, honoring both the incredible growth and magic that new new life can bring and the very real confusion and chaos that come with this life change, while helping you integrate all parts of yourself into this new season of identity.

    Eating Disorders & Body Image Healing - Drawing from my athletic background, yogic background & training, personal recovery journey, and Internal Family Systems therapeutic framework, I understand the complex relationship between body, identity, and nourishment. Together, we'll work to rebuild trust with your body's signals as you learn to listen deeper to your own beautiful, innate wisdom.

We're Already Whole - Finding Your Way Back to Yourself.

Sometimes we arrive at therapy feeling scattered, disconnected from our bodies, or caught in cycles that no longer serve us. Whether you're navigating the complexities of embodiment and identity change, exploring your authentic somatic and sensory needs, working through relationship patterns that are ready to evolve, or seeking support for your beautiful family, I believe therapy can be a returning to you - a gentle remembering of the wholeness that was always there.

I practice from the understanding that our nervous systems hold incredible wisdom. After two decades as a competitive professional athlete, twenty years of yoga practice and thirteen years of studio ownership, and extensive training in somatic and mindfulness-based therapies, I've learned that healing happens not just in our thoughts, but in our bodies, our breath, and the spaces between us.

“I have witnessed firsthand Jamie’s uncanny ability to warmly nurture and support clients with compassion and empathy, while simultaneously creating a strong container of trust, so she can offer clarity and challenge unhelpful patterns and behaviors. Jamie shows up authentically in her practice and with a deep reverence for others and their unique human experience. I highly recommend working with Jamie.” — Anchi H., Colleague



“Jamie's ability to create a welcoming and safe space to practice is really unique.” — Anonymous, Client

Your (Mental & Emotional) Health, Enlightened

Supporting You on a Path to Better mental Health

Step 1

Your free consultation.

Meet with Jamie during a Free Consultation to discuss your mental health needs.

  • Your free consultation is a great opportunity to meet Jamie and ask your questions about the therapeutic process. Together, we will explore how my practice style can benefit you and you will gain clarity about what this work can bring to your life.

Step 2

Personalized compassionate care.

Receive individualized, nervous system-aware mental health care for wholesome healing.

  • Meet with Jamie for a compassionate intake that reviews and reflects upon your life journey until now. Previous relevant health history, family history, diagnoses, and life transitions will be explored and contextualized as part of a trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive whole person model of care.

    Jamie will partner with you and your partner(s)/family to build an individualized, nervous-system informed plan of care that includes: treatment goals with qualitative and quantitative metrics to map your growth, general therapeutic overview including relevant medical model treatment framework, collaborative plan-of-care strategy, and immediate action items to explore to increase presence and regulation.

    • Please note: Standard Relational intake is typically followed up with one-on-one sessions for each person involved in treatment. This will be discussed further during initial consult and/or intake session.

  • You'll meet with Jamie on a regular cadence as you begin to deepen into your growth and connection. Sessions include:

    • Compassionate check-ins related to life updates and therapeutic goals

    • Facilitated personalized interventions to support your pattern change and growth

    • Visit summaries to reflect on themes and deep into the healing process

    • Weekly practices to regulate and engage somatically to support your nervous system

Step 3

Be well. Live Present.

Our integrative approach offers you a new perspective to the flow of being. Expect to feel more present, resourced, and compassionate with yourself. Over time, this new normal will support you in sustaining both short-term relief and long-term healing.

“Jamie is a seasoned professional, something that I wouldn't have believed possible for someone so young if I hadn't witnessed her ingenuity and brilliance first-hand. She's the perfect blend of supportive and responsive without coddling. She will help you get wherever you want to be. She is Magic.” — AJ, Client

A Nervous System-Forward Way to Lasting Change.