Staci Hallanzzini

I have spent nearly two decades doing social work in medical and community settings. For more than eight years I worked as a social worker at Providence Health in Portland, sitting with people in some of the most difficult moments of their lives: illness, grief, caregiving, and the particular exhaustion of managing a body or diagnosis that keeps changing. Before that I worked in patient advocacy at OHSU and in perinatal medical social work.

That background shaped how I think about what people need. When someone comes to therapy carrying something heavy, whether it is a health challenge, a loss, a life transition, or years of simply managing too much, I am not surprised by any of it. I know what that weight looks like, and I know that holding it alone is not sustainable.

I hold a Master of Social Work from Eastern Washington University and am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oregon. I work with adults via telehealth, focusing on coping skills, chronic illness, grief, aging, and life transitions (including transitions to pregnancy and parenting). I draw from CBT, Internal Family Systems, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing, and I tailor my approach to what each person actually needs.

My style is calm, clear, and collaborative. I am not here to push you toward insight you are not ready for. I am here to work alongside you at a pace that makes sense for your life.

Much of what I do is help people process what they are carrying, regulate their nervous systems, and build strategies that hold up over time, not just in theory. We figure out what is actually getting in the way and work on that together.

I work with adults navigating chronic illness, grief, aging, caregiver stress, and major life transitions. For most of the people I see, the goal is not dramatic transformation. It is clarity, steadiness, and a way forward that feels real and sustainable.

Outside of sessions, I live in Portland, where I have built a career and a life over many years. I speak some Spanish and have lived abroad, which has shaped how I think about people and what they carry with them.

I am drawn to work that is honest and practical. The people I connect with best are not looking for a quick fix. They are ready to do thoughtful work and want someone steady in their corner. If that sounds like you, I look forward to seeing if we are a good fit.