Testimonials

"My 18-year-old son spent three weeks at NWA this summer and it was time and money very well spent!  The staff were experienced, caring, and professional and my son was able to connect quickly with them during his sessions.  After the three weeks, he left with greater insight into his mental challenges as well as finally overcoming his fear of needles.  Kevin and his team worked with us in mapping out a program that would be realistic and productive.  I am very thankful for the support that was provided and highly recommend NWA to other families with struggling teens."

– Parent of Client

“Kevin approached the difficult subject of teen anxiety and depression with empathy, humor, and, most importantly of all, an understanding of what educators face on a day-to-day basis. His presentation was down to earth and accessible to our entire faculty and staff. We participated in some truly engaging and informative activities that challenged many of our preconceived notions about teenage anxiety and left us with concrete strategies for the future. I highly recommend Kevin’s services, particularly for educators struggling to make sense of the large, difficult, and important topic  of adolescent mental health.” 

– Valley Catholic High School

"When I was asked, as the school counselor in a K-8 school, to select a topic for a parent workshop, the decision was easy…anxiety.  I selected Kevin Ashworth out of many local practitioners in Portland.  We began to have conversations by phone and email so that we could formulate an event that was tailored to my school.  I found Kevin to be very receptive, flexible and, most importantly, knowledgeable.   When he presented to the parents, his style was incredibly engaging.  What impressed me the most was his ability to, not only speak in a very organized and relatable way, but how much time he left to answer questions.  He had no preparation for the questions but fielded each parent’s (sometimes very specific!) questions with skill and made the parents feel very comfortable in the process.  The feedback I received from parents and teachers (some attended) was overwhelmingly positive and I am grateful to Kevin for his energy and grace."

– School Counselor

“Allison taught our child lifelong skills to overcome anxiety and fears. Our fun-loving, adventurous child is back and educated with skills needed to be confident in all aspects of life now and going forward.”

– Parent of Client

“Kevin guided my daughter out of her own way. We used to say, our daughter would be so happy if she could just get out of her own way. Looking back, there were signs at a young age. The video of her sixth birthday shows her slowly sliding under the table as a group sang her happy birthday. In photos she was either glued to a trusted person’s side or her face turned away from the camera. Anxiety and stage fright kept her from tasks as simple as asking directions from a stranger to quitting classic soccer because she could feel people watching her play during the games. How could this girls who had vivid, vivid dreams of being a professional singer ever have a chance of pursuing this goal? And worse yet, as a teen she suffered from migraines, anxiety, and depression. Her life was slipping away but she couldn’t let go of her dream. We couldn’t figure out how to reconcile this dichotomy.

A friend heard Kevin speak at a teen gathering and recommended him to us. What did we have to lose? Immediately our daughter felt comfortable with him and she started sessions. His gentle prodding started after only a few appointments. On their first “field trip” he expected her to walk the streets with him and say hello to strangers. Gradually the expectations increased. Eventually she played her guitar and sang in a local pastry shop. The process wasn’t easy for her but he was patient with her but firm. I will never forget her singing a song on stage, alone, at her high school. Tears were streaming down my face.

Kevin never told her not to be anxious but through his caring, logical, creative support he helped her learn how to feel her anxiety, sit with it, and ultimately survive it. The more she “survived” it the less power it had over her. Thanks to Kevin’s she is pursuing her singing career.”
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– Parent of Client

“Allison Bonifay helped me change my life. I was suffering from social anxiety that was holding me back on a number of fronts: in my relations with my family, professional achievement, my self esteem in general. Allison taught me about CBT and provided instruction on using CBT tools to alleviate that restricting anxiety and allowed me to personally achieve and grow in so many ways.  I will always be grateful for her teachings, support, and counsel.”

– Client

"My 18-year-old son spent three weeks at NWA this summer and it was time and money very well spent!  The staff were experienced, caring, and professional and my son was able to connect quickly with them during his sessions.  After the three weeks, he left with greater insight into his mental challenges as well as finally overcoming his fear of needles.  Kevin and his team worked with us in mapping out a program that would be realistic and productive.  I am very thankful for the support that was provided and highly recommend NWA to other families with struggling teens."

– Parent of Client

"In 2015, my 15-year-old son began to display alarming symptoms of anxiety and mental distress.My husband and I did not know where to turn.  Thankfully, we picked Kevin out of the phonebook.Kevin immediately diagnosed my son with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Over the next few years, Kevin and the team worked intensely with my son using exposure response therapy. At times, even more, intensive therapy was required and Kevin helped us find and secure the necessary inpatient resources. My son was able to resume his life, complete high school and is now a freshman in college.When OCD rears it’s head, Kevin is still there as support for our entire family.I don’t know what we would have done without him."

– Parent of Client

"NW Anxiety Institute was a tremendous resource to our family as we worked to understand and manage our son’s anxiety disorder. Through exposure therapy and parent education, Kevin was able to help our son develop tolerance and coping skills to handle trigger situations. Our son’s anxiety challenges are complex and nuanced. Kevin worked to connect with our son and encourage him while also pushing him to do the hard work of exposure therapy. Our son continues to do well 1.5 years after completing exposure therapy."

– Parent of Client

"I had OCD my entire life. I never understood it before meeting Kevin. I'd seen so many therapists who were not able to understand my OCD and Anxiety. Exposure therapy changed my life. It was the hardest thing I've ever done but it has given me my life back. I now feel confident that I can live my life and manage my anxiety without despair. Kevin is blunt but uses his humor to get you through the worst. I am forever grateful."

– Client

“Allison helped me overcome my anxiety and get back my freedom to enjoy all the things I love.”

– Client