Hi, I’m Xy!
My full name is Xylem Nilsen and I use they/them pronouns. I am white/Norwegian, transgender, nonbinary, queer, disabled, and neurodivergent. I grew up in Portland, OR and feel the most at peace when surrounded by trees. Did you know the term xylem is a part of a tree? I chose it myself, though people assume I have this name because I have hippie parents, haha. Speaking of hippie, the majority of my clothing is tie dye so you will most certainly see lots of color in my little zoom window. You also will likely see one of my two cats make an appearance (unless that feels distracting for you, of course).
My longest standing special interest is meeting new people and getting to learn about what is important to them. It’s pretty cool that I am a professional active listener now!
You will not find a “blank slate” therapist here, in fact I’m one of those people who “wears their heart on their sleeve.” I also invite silliness and humor alongside the grief and hardship (with an occasional swear word for good emphasis).
I am open to sharing about my lived experiences with mental health struggles, chronic pain and fatigue, identity exploration, and grief and loss if it feels helpful for you in your healing journey. I believe my own experiences help me be a better therapist and it certainly has played a part in what inspired me to go into the caring profession.
Have any other curiosities or questions about who I am and what I believe in? Ask away!
My Background:
I graduated with my Masters in Social Work and Masters in Public Health in 2018 from the University of Michigan and I am now a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the State of Oregon (License number is L11474). I started my career in social services in 2012 with the majority of my experiences providing support to adults who have significant mental health struggles and other disabling conditions and struggling with unstable housing and poverty. I have worked within several healthcare and community health settings providing resource navigation, case management, crisis support, and informal therapeutic interventions.
In 2025, I started this private practice providing therapy to adults. While I may be newer to this formal therapeutic setting, my many years of personal and professional experience have strengthened my ability to be a calming and validating presence for others that are feeling immense pain and suffering. I am so excited to continually grow and learn as a therapist and am always looking for more learning opportunities, especially from psych survivors and Mad activists to do what I can to minimize the harm that can be caused in western mental health spaces.