Serving: Oregon, Washington

Accepting: Private Pay, PacificSource commercial and OHP, Providence, Kaiser NW, Moda

Modalities: Child-Centered Play Therapy, Art Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, Prenatal Bonding BA, Talk therapy

Pamela Skiver, LCSW

Hello, my name is Pam Skiver, she/her pronouns.  I identify as white female.  I am the mother of two adult daughters, and three grandchildren.  I was raised in a middle-class family in Southern California a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean.  I was raised Christian but embrace a variety of spiritual beliefs.  

 My educational background includes a BA in Art Therapy, and a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work.  I have over 20 years’ experience working with infants, toddlers, young children, and their families focusing on early trauma, and attachment disorders.   I also work with adolescents and teens.   I believe that gender affirming care for youth is healthcare and I firmly support the freedom to choose and live openly with who you are without judgement.   

My practice has always focused on early intervention. In 2006 I entered a Graduate Program in Infant Toddler Mental Health.  Working with infants/toddlers and their families with early relationship issues, including attachment disorders.  I use a variety of programs including Circle of Security.  

Knowing the importance of child/parent attachment and early intervention, I joined an international cohort of fellow psychotherapists, and physicians to advance my knowledge and incorporated Birth Psychology and specifically the field of Prenatal Bonding BA into my work with families.  Prenatal Bonding BA is a method that supports pregnant women in developing a deeper connection with their unborn baby.

“It is the belief that the unborn child is a feeling, remembering, aware being and because of this what happens to him/her in the nine months between conception and birth molds and shapes personality, drives and ambitions in very important ways” Thomas Verny MD,  

My practice includes Prenatal Bonding BA facilitation, as well as Art Therapy, Child-Centered Play Therapy, and Sand Tray therapy.  More recently I have incorporated EMDR into my work specifically with children.  I hope to incorporate EMDR with mothers to allow healing from any histories of birth traumas from previous births, as they approach another pregnancy.   EMDR will allow a mother to integrate her past experience, find healing and not pass this trauma forward into future generations. 

In my free time I enjoy taking my puppy to the many parks in our area for walks, and spending time at the beach.