Deirdre Simpson-Rhoads is Oakridge's New Behavioral Health Counselor

Orchid Health is proud to announce the arrival of Deirdre Simpson-Rhoads to our Oakridge clinic! Deirdre is practicing full-time as our Behavioral Health Counselor and will be at the clinic five days a week. 

Deirdre specializes in person-centered care and provides individual, family, and group social work counseling. She uses evidence-based principles to help implement responsive therapeutic interventions that are informed by unique needs, abilities, and preferences. 

Her specialities include: 

• Emerging adult development
• Geriatric care  
• Addressing issues related to diversity, oppression/power, and the impacts of trauma in working with individual, family and community systems. 
• Actively using engagement skills, including empathy, warmth, validation, reflective listening, and collaboration.
• Eliciting, exploring, and responding to client feedback during sessions in order to assure interventions are responsive and effective  
• Liberation Health Model  
• Community Family Therapy Model  
• Trauma-Informed Care  
• Dignity in Care  
  

Deirdre is originally from the Chicago area and has lived in Cottage Grove for the past five years. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Elmhurst University and her Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work from Portland State University.  

Deirdre has worked in Social Services for her entire adult career. Her experience includes working with survivors of sexual trauma, end-of-life care, community mental health, grief, and loss work in Hospice. Prior to Orchid Health, Deirdre worked with Oregon State Hospital in Junction City. 

“I find education empowering,” says Deirdre when talking about her work style, “unconditional love expansive, and creating safe and sacred space for others to process what it is to be human. I believe in the power of our individual and collective stories.” 

When Deirdre is not working she enjoys reading, researching, painting, drawing, gardening, and writing poetry as well as spending time with her 2 dogs, 3 birds, bunny, 2 grown daughters, and boyfriend. She loves her family and gets a lot of joy living in a small community.