Bart Walsh

Bart Walsh, MSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Diplomate in Clinical Social Work. He has practiced in the Portland area since 1987, initially honing professional skills within the context of community mental health (Catholic Family Services) for seven years. He currently directs Affinity Counseling and Hypnosis as well as The Milton H. Erickson Institute of Portland. Bart has also been involved in the delivery of clinical services to the Kartini Clinic for Disordered Eating since 2003.

Bart’s orientation to counseling, psychotherapy and hypnotherapy is essentially a strengths perspective with a solution focus. The strengths perspective acknowledges all the strengths, resources and instinctual imperatives within an individual that have helped the individual get to the present moment. The strengths perspective helps scan for the resources needed to resolve or modify the concern that is brought to treatment.

The influences that guide Bart’s work and contribute to the strengths perspective have been derived from studies, experience or training in: systems theory, Jungian therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (direct from Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis), object relations theory, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, holotropic breath work (Stanislav Grof), narrative therapy (direct from Michael White), ego-state therapy, family therapy (direct from Carl Whitaker, Salvador Minuchin, Jay Haley & Cloe Madanes) solution focused therapy (Direct from Steve DeShazer & Insoo Kim Berg), music therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and more.

In addition to direct clinical work with individuals, couples and families, Bart offers hypnotherapy training to qualified professionals through the M.H. Erickson Institute of Portland. Bart’s articles have been published in The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. His most recent book is entitled Emotional Regulation using Signals of Self. Bart presents trainings domestically and in Europe.