“Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Maybe it’s about
un-becoming everything that isn’t really you..." ― Paulo Coelho
Individual & Skills-Based Couples Therapy
Specializing in Somatic Psychotherapy and Somatic EMDR
I specialize in working with the following areas of concern:
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Anxiety, low mood, T(t)rauma, emotional reactivity and overwhelm
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Couples seeking relational effectiveness and meaningful connection
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High achieving folx who could benefit from support, but not sure how anyone could help them
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Multiracial or multicultural individuals and couples
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Desire to identify personal gifts and fully potentialize one's life
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Those who are seeking higher levels of meaning and connection
Therapeutic Philosophy
I believe that every person already holds the essential ingredients for growth, healing, and personal transformation. While we all carry the weight of past experiences, I see my clients through a lens of possibility—through their deepest strengths, their innate wisdom, and their potential for meaningful change.
My style as a therapist is rooted in authenticity, presence, and meaningful human connection. I value what happens in the here and now of our sessions, using the present moment as a powerful reflection of your inner world. I also work intentionally to create a collaborative space—free from the traditional hierarchies that can exist in therapy—where you feel respected and empowered.
With over 25 years of diverse professional experience and a lifetime of unwavering personal growth, I bring a pluralistic, multicultural, and deeply human approach to therapy. My background has taught me how to navigate the tensions and gifts that arise from living within multiple cultural worlds—a lived reality for many people today. This lived experience, along with my work with multicultural couples and blended families, informs my ability to support clients who are exploring identity, family dynamics, relationship challenges, or unresolved wounds from earlier life.
I take a holistic view of well-being. I don’t believe that our problems stem from ourself, but are a result of circumstances, many of which are shaped by broader systems: cultural, social, environmental, and political. I help clients make sense of how these forces shape their lives and relationships, while also exploring physical health, lifestyle, and meaning-making as part of the healing process.
I’m a person-centered, trauma-informed, somatic psychotherapist who blends practical strategies with deep, transformative work. I draw from body-based and spiritual practices, neuroscience, postmodern thought, and a sense of humor. I believe every part of your experience matters—your past, your present, the unseen, and the yet-to-be. Together, we explore where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going while grounding in what is most essential and true for you.
While I’ve worked with many populations, my passion lies in supporting individuals and couples navigating the rich, complicated intersections of identity, culture, relationship, and meaning. We are all multifaceted, and I believe that it is in the layered, complex intersections of our lives that we uncover who we are, what we’re made of, and find the courage to become who we were always meant to be.
Background / Biography
Sonja Choi Heifetz, MS
Licensed Professional Counselor
I was born in Amarillo, Texas, in a hospital off Old Route 66. My mother immigrated from South Korea, and my father grew up during the Great Depression in the deep south. I was raised in a Latinx community often feeling like a “minority among minorities.” That upbringing shaped how I see the world—deeply influenced by a mix of cultures, values, and life experiences. From an early age, I found myself navigating intersections of class, race, religion, spirituality, violence, gender roles, immigration, and privilege.
Eventually, a deep longing for belonging and a love of nature brought me to California, where I began to build my career and community. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats—outdoor guide, teacher of environmental and social sustainability, corporate team member, entrepreneur, policy advocate, sleep coach, and adoptive mom. Each path taught me something new about what it means to be human.
My journey into counseling began during my years teaching in community college and realized that true social and environmental justice starts with tending to the human spirit. When people feel grounded, supported, and connected, they’re more able to create meaningful change in their lives and in the world around them. That belief in human potential—and my lifelong curiosity about what makes people who they are—eventually led me to become a therapist.
I hold a B.A. in Sustainable Community Development and Environmental Studies, and an M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a focus on somatic psychotherapy and couples work. I am also completing my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at the DAYA Foundation where the science of neurobiology and trauma-informed approaches are integrated into amrita yoga trainings and practices. I am also finalizing my certification in Somatic EMDR. I tend to think of myself as a Jill-of-all-trades, drawn to learning and expression in many forms. Singing, dancing, languages, and connecting with people and place continue to bring me joy. I’ve had the privilege of traveling and living in different parts of the world, and those experiences have left a lasting imprint on how I relate to others.
I now live in Portland, Oregon with my husband, our son, and our sweet pup, Marley—who occasionally joins me for in-person sessions. My work is deeply personal, grounded in relationship, and inspired by the resilience and wisdom I see in every client I have the honor of working with.
