3800 NE SANDY BLVD, SUITE 203 PORTLAND, OR ~ 97232

WELCOME! My name is Lilly and I am glad you have stopped by to view my website. I have been a social worker for over 18 years and have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people, both professionals and clients of all ages.

I am a bi-racial, adult adoptee who grew up in a small country town in Massachusetts. I was the youngest of two older brothers and an older sister, and daughter to two PhD Caucasian parents who inspired me to seek higher education as well as gave me a great foundation of values and morals to stand upon. For much of my younger years, I was extremely shy but found solace in playing sports which I still enjoy today. I also discovered that I was very sensitive to others, caring about how they felt and often, the one that both same age peers and adults came to share their deepest hurts or thoughts about the world. I knew from those experiences that I would be in the helping field.

In my middle school and teenage years, I experienced a lot of depression. Often times, thinking about my existence would lead me to places that were dangerous and lead to self harm. I did not understand why I was on this earth nor what my purpose was. I found myself bottling everything in, too afraid to share those scary thoughts and feelings and too ashamed to let the people who loved me in. I longed to find my biological mother and father as I believed it was the answer to all my questioning.

I attended Skidmore College right after high school and made the decision to search for my biological parents in my freshman year. December of 1991, I traveled to Florida to meet my African American biological mother and discovered that I was actually the eldest of three. The meeting of my biological mother and younger sisters impacted my life greatly and propelled me further on the social work career path.

College years, as many of you know, is often a time where one is searching to answers regarding who they are. Having grown up in a Caucasian world and only recently meeting my African American mother and sisters, I needed more. So, I took a trip to Ghana in West Africa. There I met my now husband and we have been married for 16 years and have two handsome boys, 16 and 10.

I have been through a lot of experiences, some fantastic and others very painful. Sometimes, I have asked myself why I have gone through so many trials and joys. I believe that I was given all of these different experiences so that I could continue to grow as a person and as a professional, one who continues to be sensitive to others, empathic, caring and genuine.

If you are reading this page, you may be hurting, tired of how you have been living your life, looking for peace, looking for comfort, a place to heal...Or perhaps you are an MSW student, looking for a licensed clinical social worker to supervise you...Or perhaps you are someone in the community, looking for someone to partner with on a project...

...whichever the case may be, I am glad that you are here and hope you will continue to explore this website further and see how we can best work together.

I send you HOPE for this hour, the LEXIS of inspiration to hold you, PERMISSION to love yourself just as you are, POWER within and courage to make the CHOICE to heal...