Hello there! My name is Dr. Freya Felicia Meraki (she/her/hers; formerly Dr. Thomas)- I would prefer it if you called me Freya, however, if you prefer Dr. Meraki, I will honor that.
Life is a journey and sometimes on that journey we need additional help. I often see therapy as a road trip we embark upon together to provide extra help when you need it. You're the driver while I'm a passenger and a guide. This means we'll work together to figure out the best road map for your goals, after all, you're the expert on you and I have expertise in mental health so why not collaborate?
In my approach, I do my best to meet you where you're at with what you need. This is your journey after all and I want you to get the most of it possible. I work with you to create a warm, safe environment to explore, practice, experiment, be curious, and test out new skills and ways of functioning. Everyone is doing the best they can with what they have (knowledge, skills, resources, support, energy, etc) and with willingness, people can do better and work towards living a life worth living - not just surviving day-to-day.
During our time together, we will also discuss appropriate pacing for you. It's important not to speed through this healing road trip (nor ride the brakes throughout it). When in distress, we may freeze or try to rush through things, however, processing pain (current, future, and past), learning new skills, new ways of functioning, new ways of being, and/or new beliefs can take time and often requires compassion, repetition, patience, and practice. There also might be setbacks or relapses on your road trip, which is normal especially with new habits/behaviors/ways of being/healing, and that doesn't necessarily mean therapy isn't working (nor does it mean you're a failure) - it's just more information to consider in revising or modifying your roadmap to get you where you want/need to be.
Treatment approach:
I work with individuals, couples, families, and groups ages 13+ years and use integrative and collaborative approaches to treatment, which includes psychodynamic theory, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), and interpersonal process.
Specialties:
ADD/ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, Grief/Death, LGBTQ+, Transgender identity and transition process, Sexual issues, Women's issues, Men's issues, Anger Management, Abuse, Substance use issues/addiction, Stress management, Mindfulness, Identity, Life transitions
I am a sex positive provider, including kink & BDSM, relationship style & orientation, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
Education:
I earned both my Master's degree and Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Pacific University, but those are not the end all, be all of my education. I highly value continuing education and often attend various workshops and classes throughout the year in addition to following recent research and literature related to psychology and medical science.
Experience:
In the field of psychology I have had the following experiences: interning at a county jail, working as a mental health worker in a child residential center, working as a case manager for populations with severe and persistent mental illness, working as a student clinician (several years: graduate school clinic, adult residential for substance use and mental health, an outpatient clinic specializing in domestic violence, and community mental health clinics), and as a psychologist in community mental health.
Licenses:
Colorado and Oregon: Clinical Psychologist
Additional areas of focus: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Family conflicts, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, Abandonment, Adoption and Foster Care, Aging and Geriatric Issues, Antisocial Personality, Attachment issues, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Avoidant Personality, BDSM, Kink, Alternative Sex Culture, Blended Family Issues, Body image, Cancer, Caregiver issues and stress, Chronic pain illness and disability, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Commitment Issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster, Dependent Personality, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Dissociation, Divorce and separation, Domestic Violence, Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Eating and Food-Related Issues, Emptiness, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Fatherhood Issues, Fertility Issues, First Responder Issues, Gender Dysphoria, Guilt and shame, HIV / AIDS, Hospice and End of Life Counseling, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Men's issues, Military and Veterans Issues, Money and financial issues, Mood disorders , Multicultural Concerns, Narcissism, Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Paranoia, Personality Disorders, Polyamory / Nonmonogamous Relationships, Postpartum Depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and Discrimination, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-Harm, Self-love, Sex Addiction, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Sexual Dysfunction, Sexuality, Social anxiety and phobia, Somatization, Traumatic Brain Injury, Trichotillomania, Visually Impaired, Women's issues, Workplace issues, Young Adult Issues
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Gottman Method, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
CO Psychologist PSY.0005132
OR Psychologist 2951
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Dr. Freya Meraki. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Felicia has been one of the most helpful therapists I've had. Her thoughtful, intentional, and insightful approach helped me work through so many things that have helped me to move from merely surviving to thriving in my life. She has a wealth of knowledge in so many areas and is great at sharing tangible resources that can aid in whatever I'm working on. It means the world to feel not only safe, but truly celebrated in being vulnerable as a queer, trans, and neurodivergent person in therapy.
Written on Dec 21, 2022 after therapy with Freya for 7 months
I really like her approach.
Written on Jul 19, 2022 after therapy with Freya for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and trauma and abuse
Felicia is a literal angel. Since I’ve been working with her, I’ve felt so safe and comfortable and I really feel like I’m learning, growing, and healing.
Written on Jun 13, 2022 after therapy with Freya for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, bipolar disorder, and compassion fatigue
This is my first time trying therapy and Dr.Thomas is incredible! I felt an immediate connection and felt so understood and listened to. Her advice is backed by an incredible knowledge and science and she made me feel so normal and not alone. I recommend Dr Thomas to anyone!
Written on Jun 08, 2022 after therapy with Freya for 3 weeks on issues concerning relationship issues, anger management, coping with life changes, and adhd
She is the best, I have done therapy before but it never clicked or worked like with her, she is seriously amazing and the words I'm typing can't express how helpful she is.
Written on May 30, 2022 after therapy with Freya for 9 months on issues concerning depression, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, career difficulties, coping with life changes, and adhd
Dr. Thomas has helped me to evolve in my own intrapersonal understanding tremendously since we started. I have been introduced to new concepts and ways of thinking in a short period of time, and her input / direction has been eye opening!
Written on May 09, 2022 after therapy with Freya for 6 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, and adhd