How my journey began

Me riding a red tractor, in front of a mobile home

Hello! I am Dr. Travis Wonders. I am a Texan first, a southerner second, and a nerd third. Growing up in the woods of East Texas, I became interested in emotions and feelings early on (the Carebears had an outsized influence on my development). After meeting a kind therapist in my teens, I decided I wanted to go into the field to help others deal with their journey and find a safe place to work through the trappings of life.

I attended community college in Texas, undergrad in St Louis (Go Gorloks!), and grad school in Hillsboro/Portland, Oregon. I graduated with a Doctorate of Psychology (PsyD) in 2015.

I’ve worked extensively in community mental health, tribal health and wellness, and in LGBT organizations throughout the Pacific Northwest and Minnesota.

Myself in an office with a cat looking in the window

I believe that true mental health isn’t about avoiding the storms, it’s about building a foundation strong enough to stand through them. My approach sits at the intersection of stoic resilience and southern hospitality. We cannot control the winds, but we can choose how we set our sails. In our work together, we treat therapy like a collaborative project. Whether you have a past history of trauma, are navigating a heavy season in your life, or working to rewrite your internal scripts that no longer serve you, I provide a grounded honest space to do the work.

I sometimes tell clients that real strength is like a hurricane fence. It isn’t found in rigidity or white knuckling it through pain. It’s found it the courage to be flexible, to open up, and to examine the “backstory” of your own life. Therapy is a place to set down the heavy pack you’ve been carrying, troubleshoot what lies in your path, and taking the rests (short or long) we need to “level up” our wellbeing. And then we get back out there.

My Therapeutic Values

  • Empathy

    “

    I’m not a blank slate. I’ll laugh with you, sit in the heavy silence with you, and offer a gentle nudge you might need to see things from a different point of view.

    ”

  • Evidence-Based

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    I stay up to date with research and utilize evidence based practice to support healing.

    ”

  • Authenticity

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    I value folks being themselves. You don’t need to censor yourself on my account, or have the “right” words.

    ”

  • Transparency

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    It’s okay to talk about the taboo stuff. Any therapist that asks you not to speak about aspects of your life, be it money, power, sex, spirituality/religion, or dreams risks missing the deepest parts of ourselves.

    ”

  • Curiosity

    I ask questions. I am a lifelong learner. I want to understand your world, your experience, and your view point.

A note on the process:

Therapy is a space where we can be serious about heavy things and still find room for a sense of humor. I’m a believer in laughter, playing video games on easy mode to focus on the story, and finding gratitude in the small things.

How to Connect:

I currently work full time for Teladoc Health, a multinational telemedicine and virtual healthcare company. Currently I can only see people through the Teladoc platform.