About Paisley

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My Story

Hi, I’m Paisley. My legal name is Jennifer Burrell, which you’ll see on my credentials and paperwork, but Paisley is what most people call me.

I’ve always been deeply curious about relationships. About how we love, how we hurt each other, and how we find our way back.

My education and training matter deeply to me. They gave me the tools, structure, and clinical foundation to do this work well. Over time, I’ve found that wisdom is shaped just as much by life itself through loving, losing, repairing, and trying again.

When I was nine years old, my parents divorced. At that age, one quiet question took root in me. How does deep love turn into distance?

That question never really left.

It shaped the way I listened.  It shaped the way I watched relationships.  Eventually, it shaped the path my life would take.

In high school, I discovered psychology and immediately felt captivated. I was fascinated by the idea that we aren’t just one solid personality, but a constellation of parts. Protective parts, wounded parts, hopeful parts. All trying their best to keep us safe. Understanding how our minds interpret and sometimes misinterpret each other felt like learning the secret language of being human.

That curiosity slowly grew into a calling. I went on to study psychology and eventually trained as a marriage and family therapist.

But honestly, my deepest education didn’t only come from textbooks.

It came from life.

I’ve been married for three decades and raised three children into adulthood. My partner and I have weathered our share of storms. We had to unlearn a lot of what we inherited about love, conflict, and communication. We stumbled. We repaired. We grew.

Over the years, I’ve come to believe something simple and profound. Healthy relationships aren’t about getting it right all the time. They’re about learning how to come back to each other.

My training gave me knowledge and tools. My own relationship gave me humility, tenderness, and compassion. Together, they shaped the therapist I am today.

Along the way, I also supported families as a childbirth educator and doula, walking with people through some of the most vulnerable and powerful transitions of their lives. Those experiences deepened my trust in human resilience and reinforced how much healing happens when we feel truly seen and supported.

Today, my work is devoted to helping couples slow down, understand each other more deeply, and rebuild connection where it’s been strained or lost. I bring both professional training and lived experience into the room with steadiness, warmth, and the belief that even long-standing patterns can soften when we approach them with care.

Outside of therapy, I'm usually moving my body, practicing mindfulness, singing, spending time in nature, or gathering with the people I love.

At the end of the day, I’m simply someone who believes in love, growth, and the possibility of repair.

It’s truly an honor to walk alongside people as they find their way back to each other.

My Therapeutic Approach

I draw from several evidence based approaches to support each couple’s unique needs, including Emotionally Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and mindfulness practices. These models help us slow things down, understand what’s happening beneath the surface, and create new ways of connecting with each other.

Over the years, I’ve also trained in the Gottman Method, Developmental Model for Couples, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, EMDR, Sex Therapy, and multicultural competency. I bring these tools in thoughtfully and gently, always guided by what feels most helpful and supportive for you.

My style is collaborative, compassionate, and down to earth. I don’t believe therapy should feel clinical or intimidating. It should feel like a place where you can exhale, be honest, and work through hard things together.

Education and Licenses
  • Master of Science degree in Counseling from Portland State University, graduated with honors in 2017
  • Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, summa cum laude, from Portland State University in 2008
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the state of Oregon
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Oregon
  • Actively working towards becoming an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist

Association Memberships
  • American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists AAMFT
  • American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists AASECT
  • American Counseling Association ACA
  • National Board of Certified Counselors NBCC

Start Your Journey Today!

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