Dr. Justin Panneck , LPC

Dr. Justin Panneck is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who blends clinical training, outdoor-based practice, and research-informed approaches to support people navigating stress, trauma, life transitions, and personal growth. He began his clinical work as a nature-based therapist on a 70-acre farm in Canby, Oregon, where he spent six years integrating hands-on, earth-centered activities such as forest archery, shelter and fire building, guided mushroom foraging, nature art, and ceremonial practices into therapeutic work. Those experiences inform the relational and experiential methods he uses in practice today.

For the past four years he has worked in private practice, focusing on life coaching, spiritual development, career and performance coaching, self-esteem, men’s issues and rites of passage, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, intimacy and relationship concerns, and a broad range of mood and anxiety-related difficulties. He also facilitates men’s groups and retreats and incorporates creativity, humor, and performance art into motivational workshops and staff retreats.

He holds a Master’s in Counseling, a Master’s in Education, and a PhD in health psychology, and his doctoral research explored coping mechanisms and alternative healing modalities with a focus on ethnopharmacology, including historical and cultural work with plant medicines. Over the last decade he has combined nature-based practice, clinical modalities, and research into a focus on optimal living, neuro-cognitive restoration, and peak performance strategies such as flow state cultivation, dream work, and behavioral health supports like movement and nutrition. He also supports clients in preparation and integration following independent work with entheogenic compounds.

His background includes collaboration with medical professionals as a behavioral health consultant, training in motivational interviewing and nutritional education, and research and presentations on consciousness, shamanism, and archetypal psychology. Prior business experience as a consultant, corporate trainer, and leader complements his coaching and counseling work. His approach is eclectic and integrative, drawing on methods such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), somatic techniques, cognitive-behavioral strategies, mindfulness, and narrative and dream work to tailor care to each individual.

Integrating Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings while taking steps that align with their values. It is often useful for stress, anxiety, avoidance, and building a more engaged life. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on providing an empathic, nonjudgmental relationship in which the therapist follows the client's lead to foster self-understanding, growth, and emotional healing - it can be helpful for self-esteem, life transitions, and relational concerns. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured approach aimed at processing traumatic memories and the emotions tied to them; it is commonly used for trauma, abuse, and certain anxiety-related issues.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. The therapist works collaboratively with each person to explore their needs, goals, and preferences and to decide which methods or combination of methods fit best. This collaborative stance helps shape a treatment plan that evolves as progress and priorities change.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - appointments can take place by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life transitions, or access care from other locations. Working with licensed professionals in these formats can support steady progress while accommodating the rhythms of everyday life.