Blythe Dolores Utz, M. S.
I’ve been on a long and winding path to a spacious phase, where I recognize my true self more fully in every aspect of my life. I was the kid who sought refuge in trees, winged and furry things, and who often heard phrases like “you’re too sensitive” and “just get over it.” For several decades, I have been proactively untangling myself from the stories imprinted on me — about me — by mostly well-meaning people who were entrenched in or influenced by dysfunctional and psychologically unsafe systems. Now, in this restorative phase of self-reclamation, I seek to extend a compassionate hand to others who have experienced being silenced, scapegoated, or made responsible for the (impossible) harmony of a dysfunctional family system.
I do not resonate with the term ‘expert.’ While I have the education, degrees, and lived experience to claim expertise in certain areas, the word suggests a final destination. Because I see the healing process as regenerative and unfolding, I consider myself a sister on the path. What I’ve learned (and continue to learn) blesses my work and allows me to serve as a resource for clients. Through a mix of wisdom earned through lived experience, temperament and character, and humility (a pro-active practice of accurate self-assessment), I am able to tap into insight and intuition beyond traditional psychotherapy modalities, and offer mentorship as appropriate to a client’s self-led healing process.
My core values — integrity, sincerity, playfulness, courage, attunement, humility, and belonging — are central to how I engage with others and how I show up in healing spaces.
Outside the office, I spend time with my spouse and others who fill my cup, nurture flora and fauna, and tinker with legacy projects, like The Attuned Heart podcast, contemplative essays, and poetry. I relish opportunities for embodiment, play, and creativity. I also treasure time spent in deep contemplation, and I especially love exploring wild, impossible ideas about life’s big questions — with friends and strangers alike.
If you’re interested in a free 15-minute consultation to explore whether we’re a good match, please send an inquiry here.
license, education + training
Professional Counselor Associate / Marriage and Family Associate
Supervised by Emily Johnson, LMFTM.S. in Couples and Family Therapy, University of Oregon
Mindful-Self Compassion training, Oregon State University Center for Contemplative Practice
Certificate in Ecopsychology, Pacifica Graduate Institute
Whole Person Life Coaching Certificate, Baraka Institute
Comprehensive mediation training, Resolutions NW
Studied Tibetan buddhist psychology and language,
Namgyal Monastery རྣམ་རྒྱལ།, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala, IndiaB.S. in Communication Studies, Portland State University