About

Welcome! I’m Dawnn Rabinovich Meiers, Psy.D.

I’m a licensed psychologist with 20+ years experience, with specialties in women’s issues, nature-based stress reduction, and mindful approaches to food.

Interested in working together? My therapeutic approach is interactive, present-focused, and trauma-informed. All treatment interventions are grounded in science, and include nature prescriptions as well as opportunities for emotional processing, skill building, and values exploration. If you want to show up more fully in your life while also navigating the tough stuff effectively, I may be the right fit for you!

What to expect from this website:*

Information on individual psychotherapy and psychoeducational group services (for residents of Washington & Oregon, as well as those in these 43 states). View my listings on Psychology Today and Therapy Tribe.
Registration for educational programs on health benefits of people-plant connections, including classes I teach at Portland Community College.

Qualifications and education (prior to 2022, as Dr. Dawnn R. McWatters, Psy.D.):

Licensed Psychologist – Washington State (#PY00003711) & Oregon (#2195), with Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT #15052) in 43 additional states
Pacific University School of Professional Psychology – Psy.D. (2006) and M.S. (2002) in Clinical Psychology; President’s Award of Academic Excellence (2006); Willamette University – B.A. (1995) in Liberal Arts, cum laude

Professional experience highlights:

In the Portland-metro area, I maintained a full-time independent private practice (2007 – 2019) as a licensed psychologist specializing in mindfulness-based interventions and Binge Eating Disorder treatment, before I began a sabbatical (extended by the COVID-19 pandemic) training in the field of therapeutic horticulture through New York Botanical Garden. Previously, I was contracted as the primary mental health services provider at Washington State University-Vancouver’s Student Counseling Center. Prior to graduate school, I spent a number of years supporting individuals both within and in recovery beyond state correctional facilities.

I’ve served as an adjunct instructor at colleges including Oregon State University and Pacific University School of Graduate Psychology, and facilitated a variety of professional presentations (most recently, a Therapeutic Gardening workshop at UW Botanic Gardens and at the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association’s annual conference).

Current and previous leadership positions include volunteer roles with the American Psychologist Association, Washington State Psychologist Association, Oregon Psychological Association, and Columbia River Eating Disorder Network.

Over the past twenty-five years, I’ve graduated from a variety of mindfulness programs, including intensive professional training from Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), Dr. Jan Chozen Bays (Mindful Eating), and Dr. Christopher Germer & Dr. Kristin Neff (Mindful Self-Compassion). I’ve recently resumed formal mindfulness study as a student at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center.

When I’m not working, I’m hanging out with my adoptive, neurodiverse family; growing good things as a Certified WSU Extension Master Gardener in King County; and sharing people-plant connections through my micro plant nursery, Lavender Belle Farm.