Richard "Rick" Dawson, LCSW

Richard "Rick" Dawson returned to clinical practice after a period of retirement because he views therapy as his primary vocation and sees a growing need for mental health support. In January 2023 he turned 70 and made the decision to resume working with people seeking help. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in Oregon and brings 33 years of professional experience across inpatient, outpatient, group, and individual settings.

His career began after years as a musician in his 20s and 30s, followed by a shift into counseling in 1992 at age 39. While completing his counseling degree he worked in the inpatient psychiatric department of a general hospital in Nevada and went on to serve there for about 15 years providing individual, family, and group therapy. In 2004 he launched a private practice while continuing hospital work, and later served in a stand-alone psychiatric hospital, a community mental health clinic, and hospice care. The last decade of his practice was spent as a private-practice outpatient therapist embedded in a family medical clinic in suburban Portland, Oregon.

He has worked with men and women of all ages on depression, stress and anxiety, addictions, relationship concerns, and grief and loss. He focuses on creating an open, nonjudgmental therapeutic partnership that emphasizes collaborative problem solving to help people pursue a more rewarding and fulfilling life. He acknowledges that taking the first step requires courage and offers supportive guidance throughout the process.