About Sarena
Sarena Mestas is a licensed professional counselor who helps people manage stress and anxiety. She also supports individuals coping with low self-esteem, relationship concerns, mood disorders including bipolar, and depression. Her approach is warm and respectful and she encourages small steps forward when things feel overwhelming.
She centers sessions around the person's experience and priorities. Conversations are tailored to each person rather than following a one-size-fits-all script. She listens first, then works with the person to set practical goals and tools that fit day-to-day life.
Background and approach
Sarena uses techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and try new ways of responding. She also draws on dialectical behavior therapy skills to teach emotion regulation and distress-tolerance strategies that can be used in the moment. Mindfulness practices are offered to help calm the body and ground attention when worry or panic arise.
Motivational interviewing is part of her toolbox when people feel stuck or unsure what to try next. That approach focuses on clarifying values and building motivation in a gentle way. Narrative and client-centered methods help people reframe their stories and feel heard during the process.
With 12 years of experience and an Oregon LPC credential, she works with people from many backgrounds in English. She accepts international clients and uses flexible session formats to match lifestyle needs.
Therapeutic approaches and how they work online
Client-centered therapy emphasizes listening and following the person's lead so sessions reflect what matters most to them. This approach helps people feel understood and builds a foundation for trying new strategies.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect. It teaches practical exercises to challenge unhelpful thoughts and change behavior in ways that reduce anxiety and improve mood.
Dialectical behavior therapy, DBT, offers skills for managing intense emotions and reducing impulsive reactions. It includes techniques for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication that can be practiced between sessions.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with the person to choose or combine methods based on their goals, preferences, and what helps in real life. Adjustments are normal and expected as progress and needs change.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video sessions are useful for face-to-face conversation, phone can be a good option when bandwidth is limited, live chat allows shorter real-time check-ins, and messaging is handy for brief updates or between-session support. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule and to use tools when they are most needed.
Questions people ask
What concerns does Sarena help with?
What is her therapeutic style like?
How much experience does she have?
What are her credentials and location?
Which languages are supported and can international clients connect?
What session formats are available?
How does pricing work?
How do I begin working with her?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
Also listed
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 12 years
- Licensed
- Oregon
- Languages
- English
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