The Sankofa Team

Care feels safest when you know who is holding the space. The Sankofa team reflects the communities we serve, bringing cultural knowledge, lived experience, and deep commitment to affirming care.

We offer bilingual services (Español), and we are here to help you find a therapist who feels like the right fit for you.

Vanessa Washington (she/her) | Clinic Director | LPC

Hi, I’m Vanessa. I’m a licensed clinician and the Founder + Clinic Director of Sankofa. In addition to providing counseling services, I am responsible for program development, coaching and training supervisors, overseeing client care, and ensuring what we build & offer to the community remains aligned with our original heart, values, and mission.

In the therapy room, I aim to be real, grounded, and intentional. I am trained in Attachment Focused EMDR (AF-EMDR) and various Somatic interventions for trauma recovery (nervous system regulation, co-regulating touch, somatic resilience + regulation). Continue Reading

Clinicians

  • Hi, my name is Ashley Thompson (she/her). I am a cisgender Black woman born and raised in South Carolina. I am an Army Veteran and a full-time Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student. I believe each of us can gain tools, insight, and self-awareness to help us thrive in this life. I find purpose in journeying alongside others, holding space for unique stories while aiming to facilitate hope and healing.

  • Hi! I'm Bree (she/her), a Minnesota native and a biracial Black and white woman. When I am not focused on my school work, you can find me dancing, coaching, and exploring all that Oregon has to offer. I am passionate about increasing access to culturally competent, equitable mental health care. My therapeutic approach is warm, relational, and grounded in psychodynamic and person-centered therapy, with mindfulness practices that honor and respect all identities and lived experiences.

  • Hi! I’m Deja (she/her). I identify as a cis-gender multi-racial woman. I believe the healing process takes place when we are ready to listen deeply to what the body is already communicating. This can be a great challenge and it does not have to be done alone. I am here to be present with you, to be a guide when needed, and to witness your healing journey. Full bio.

  • My name is Deshawn (he/him). I specialize in supporting adults, adolescents, and families to navigate divorce, phase of life transitions, grief, substance use, and experiences of harm. When working with clients, I use an integrative approach using trauma-informed care, and cognitive-behavioral interventions, with an understanding of how systemic and institutional challenges impact people in their daily lives. Full bio.

  • Hello, I’m Donnell. I identify as an African American, cis-gendered, able-bodied male. I intend to support clients in exploring the external influences that have impacted who they have become and Identifying their own values, stepping into a self-determined identity that makes them feel whole. Full bio.

  • I’m Jenny Lee (they/she). As a Korean American nonbinary therapist, born and raised in Chicago, I’ve cultivated a deep awareness of the complexities inherent in navigating multiple identities within a society and culture that often dismisses diversity. My mission as a human, and therapist, is to reclaim our shared humanness by exploring the intricate interplay between our identities and bodies within our worlds. Full bio.

  • My name is Kalpana (she/her), and I enjoy working with clients that are dealing with anxiety, racial and second generation identity issues, grief, parenting, and living as a human in a rough world. Raised in Portland, I am familiar with being the “only one”—whether it’s because of your race, ethnicity, immigrant family, or other identities. Therapy with me includes laughter, slowing down, some swear words, and making space to be with the messy so that we can see what shows up and where you want to go. I'm a parent to teenagers, have a cat named Whisper, enjoy romance novels, and knitting. Full bio.

  • Hi, my name is LaTrece Gaither. I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. I am a wife, mother of 3 and woman of faith. I will show up with all of me and welcome you to do the same! Full bio.

  • Hi, I’m Mila. I’m a Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA), Latina—half Mexican and half Salvadoran. I was born in California and now live in Portland, Oregon. I’m bilingual (English and Spanish), and I’m really passionate about walking alongside young adult Latinas and Latina women as they navigate cultural pressure, growing up too fast (parentification), and the family expectations we often carry.

    I also work with individuals and couples going through tender and deeply personal moments, like infertility, IVF, pregnancy loss, divorce, and the unique dynamics that can arise in interracial relationships. My approach is trauma-informed, relational, and grounded in racial equity.

    Therapy with me is a space where you can show up exactly as you are—with your pain, your strength, your story, and your voice. You don’t have to be perfect or have it all figured out here.

    I’m also a mom, a wife, and a dog mom to two goldendoodles who bring a lot of joy into my home.

  • Hola, soy Mila. Soy trabajadora social clínica asociada (CSWA), latina, mitad mexicana y mitad salvadoreña. Nací en California y ahora vivo en Portland, Oregón. Soy bilingüe (inglés y español) y me apasiona acompañar a jóvenes adultas latinas y mujeres latinas mientras navegan las presiones culturales, el tener que crecer rápido (parentificación), y las expectativas familiares que muchas veces cargamos.

    También trabajo con personas y parejas que están pasando por momentos difíciles y muy personales, como la infertilidad, tratamientos de fertilidad (IVF), pérdidas de embarazo, divorcio, y las dinámicas que pueden surgir en relaciones interraciales. Mi forma de trabajar es informada por el trauma, centrada en la relación humana, y con un enfoque en la equidad racial.

    La terapia conmigo es un espacio donde puedes llegar tal y como eres — con tu dolor, tu fortaleza, tu historia y tu voz. Aquí no tienes que ser perfecta ni tener todas las respuestas.

    También soy mamá, esposa, y mamá de dos goldendoodles que llenan mi casa de alegría.

  • Currently accepting private pay, Moda, BCBS, Trillium, PacificSource and Kaiser

    My name is Moryah. I am a Black woman, proud mama of two, and wife. I've lived in NE Portland for over 10 years. I cherish the opportunity to center and prioritize my community in my work. I have worked most extensively with teens, young adults, and parents, and enjoy working with folks of all ages, stages, and phases of life. At this time, I am seeing clients exclusively through Telehealth. Full bio.

  • Hi, I'm Stephanie (she/her), a Black Biracial woman from rural Oregon. I believe relationships—with ourselves, others, and nature—are central to healing. For BIPOC individuals, acknowledging historical trauma and honoring our ancestors is key to wellness.

    In therapy, I offer a safe space to explore patterns, overcome barriers, and connect with your authentic self. Through mindfulness, somatic practices, ecotherapy, and CBT, I’m here to support your healing journey.

    If this resonates, let’s connect! Full bio.

  • Hola, soy Stephanie (ella), una mujer negra birracial de una zona rural de Oregón. Creo que las relaciones, con nosotras mismas, con otras personas y con la naturaleza, son centrales para la sanación. Para las personas BIPOC, reconocer el trauma histórico y honrar a nuestros ancestros es clave para el bienestar.

    En terapia, ofrezco un espacio seguro para explorar patrones, superar barreras y conectar con tu yo auténtico. A través de la atención plena, las prácticas somáticas, la ecoterapia y la TCC, estoy aquí para apoyar tu proceso de sanación.

    Si esto resuena contigo, conectemos. Biografía Completa

  • Hi, my name is Zainab (she/her). I'm a Black Palestinian Queer woman, born & raised in Portland. As a counselor, I hope to be a resource for my community. I strongly believe in communal healing and support and that healing also starts with ourselves. Full bio.

  • Hi! My name is Shinjini and I’m a queer, second generation South Asian/Bengali American (and former East Coast-er) with lived/living experience as both a provider & consumer of mental health care. My community care work with QT/BIPOC folks focuses on co-creating compassionate, identity-affirming spaces that center intergenerational healing, trauma recovery, empowerment and, of course, joy! Let’s connect! Full bio.

Operations

  • Anjuli (she/her) is bicultural and mixed race somatic therapist who integrates teachings from the worlds of clinical social work and subtle bodywork teachings. She is the child of an Indian immigrant from Mumbai and a Scandanavian-Minnesotan farmer and grew up immersed in both cultures. Anjuli values connection with people and animals, nature, authenticity and humor to ground herself and her work. Full bio.

  • Hi, I'm Krista (she/her)! I’m a cisgender, able-bodied, neurodivergent woman from Portland with Swedish and Dutch ancestry. I’m committed to unlearning by examining how my heritage connects to colonization and white supremacy. My prior leadership at a woman-led social work organization clarified how systemic inequities impact people of color. At Sankofa, I support therapist well-being, ensure healthcare compliance, and drive systemic change through strategic operations. Full bio.

  • Hello! My name is Michelle Gaither (she/her). I identify as a Bi-racial Black and white cisgender woman born and raised in Portland, OR. I am a mother, wife, lifelong learner, a runner, and a lover of new experiences, good food, travel, reading and rest. I am passionate about learning, justice, holistic and community well-being and I envision and work toward a world where these can exist and thrive together. Full bio.