- Years in practice
- 25
- Credentials
- LPC
- Licensed in
- Oregon
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Addictions
- Focus
- Parenting issues
About Rita
Rita Downs is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Oregon with 25 years of experience across clinical work and behavioral health administration. She focuses on practical, plainspoken support for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, and parenting challenges. Rita frames clients as experts in their own lives and looks for strengths to build on.
Her approach centers on down-to-earth conversation and clear tools. Sessions aim to make small changes that add up over time.
Background and approach
She helps people break problems into manageable steps and notices what already works in their day-to-day lives. Rita uses a mix of approaches to suit different problems. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thinking and try new behavior.
Client-centered work focuses on listening and meeting each person where they are. Motivational interviewing supports people who are unsure about change. Many people bring parenting stress, grief, trauma, relationship friction, or career strain.
Rita also supports issues tied to aging, caregiver stress, neurodiversity such as autism and Asperger syndrome, and challenges after natural or human-caused disasters. She pays attention to safety and practical next steps when trauma or domestic violence are involved. Sessions are conversational and goal-focused.
Rita helps clients set clear, realistic steps and revisits progress together. She aims to make therapy useful and manageable for people with busy lives.
What Rita works with
Everything Rita lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Rita helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Parenting issues
- Depression
- ADHD
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Impulsivity
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Rita lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How therapeutic approaches work online with Rita
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following the client's lead. The therapist emphasizes empathy and supports clients in naming their goals and strengths, which can help with parenting stress, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and uses simple experiments and exercises to try new ways of thinking and acting. This approach often helps with anxiety, depression, and impulsivity. Finding the right approach is a team effort. Rita works collaboratively to decide which methods to try based on each person’s goals, preferences, and day-to-day needs. She may blend approaches so sessions match what is most useful in the moment and will check in often to see what is or isn’t working. Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video works well for in-depth conversations and visual cues. Phone sessions require less bandwidth and can fit into a work break. Live chat and text messaging let clients check in between sessions or use shorter touchpoints when that fits their routine. These options make it easier to schedule consistent work on parenting, stress, or recovery goals without long commutes.Questions people ask about Rita
What kinds of concerns does Rita help with?
She helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, parenting issues, trauma and grief, and related life changes.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is conversational and collaborative. She highlights strengths, uses clear tools, and focuses on practical steps clients can try between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
Rita has 25 years of combined experience in clinical practice and behavioral health administration.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She holds the LPC credential as a Licensed Professional Counselor and practices in Oregon.
In which languages can sessions be held?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be conducted by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with therapy?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.
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