Sibelia is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience as a mental health practitioner, case manager, educator, advocate, and caregiver. She has worked with families and individuals regarding issues related to aging, mental health, and disabilities since 1992, and has personal experience with these issues.
She feels passionately about helping people live their lives to their fullest potential.
An alumn of Portland State University, she went on to receive her Masters of Social Work at Salem State College in Massachusetts. She trained as a mental health clinician at Catholic Charities and Health and Education Services in Massachusetts.
Related work experience includes developmental disabilities case manager and therapist, geriatric psychiatric social worker at an inner city rest home, home care case management, clinical social worker at preschool and school age children's programs, outpatient mental health therapist in community mental health, PASRR II mental health assessments in nursing homes, and clinical social worker in inpatient psychiatry. She is a consultant for the Providence Elderplace Program. She started her private practice in 2005.
Sibelia also volunteers in special education as a IEP partner, is a member of the NASW Aging Network (affiliated with NASW), NASW (National Association of Social Workers) Member, member of the Portland Mindfulness and Psychotherapy Collective (www.mindfulnesscollective.org), member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and is on the board of IDNO (Interfaith Disabilities Network of Oregon) (www.interfaithdisabilities.org).
She has three boys - ages 14, 12, and 7. One of her sons struggles with a severe medical condition, chronic pain, and depression. She has traveled in SE Asia and Central America and lived in Bangkok, Thailand where she met her husband. She and husband Simon own and operate THAI BBQ Restaurant in Portland. She enjoys reading historical fiction, watching documentaries, listening to music, and spending time with her family (including her dog Sekhmet).
One of Sibelia's favorite quotes: "If you want to raise a man or woman from mud and filth, do not think it is enough to keep standing on top and reaching down to them a helping hand. You must go all the way down yourself, down into the mud and filth. Then, take hold of them with strong hands and lift them and yourself into the light." Rabbi Solomon ben meir ha-Levi