Vibe Check

Portland’s Seasonally Affected, Politically Depressed Mood

Photographer Jordan Gale attempts to capture the city’s wilted spirit as inauguration looms and seasonal depression lingers.

01/17/2025 By Matthew Trueherz Photography by Jordan Gale

Best of the City

Top Doctors, Nurses, and More 2025

Our annual list of the best health care professionals in the Portland metro area.

11/25/2024 Edited by Portland Monthly Staff

Fact Check

What Is Contrast Therapy and Does It Work?

Advocates say alternating between hot saunas and cold plunges can have major wellness benefits. The research is a little more complicated.

11/05/2024 By Erin Ross Illustrations by Derek Abella

Sanity

Why Are Oregon Therapists Training for 500 Fewer Hours?

Alarming as it sounds, it’s a good thing.

12/13/2023 By Arianne Cohen

Essay

He's Thought about This Death of a Houseless Man Since 1987

A murder during Portland's homelessness surge three decades ago tells us about the city today. A writer has wrestled with his proximity to it ever since.

09/23/2023 By Bill Donahue Illustrations by katherine lam

Essay

The Deschutes River Became My Therapist and Healer

"The pain I fought, the darkness I navigated, and the loneliness I endured as a navy veteran fighting PTSD would leave my body the closer I got to the river to fly-fish."

06/08/2023 By Chad Brown

Self-Care

4 Local Spa Treatments to Shake the Winter Doldrums

A Hawaiian massage, a float tank, and your choice of soaks

02/08/2023 By Karen Brooks, Katherine Chew Hamilton, Isabel Lemus Kristensen, and Margaret Seiler

Home and Health

Hoarding Disorder Appears to Have Increased in the Pandemic

It might be fodder for reality TV, but the issue—for which local groups are seeing an uptick in subsidized housing as inspections resume after a pandemic hiatus—is no laughing matter.

01/31/2023 By Laurenz Busch

Top Medical Providers 2023

The Portland Area’s Top Nurse Practitioners, as Chosen by Doctors and Nurses

Meet the winners of our annual peer survey for nurse practitioners, midwives, and certified registered nurse anaesthetists.

11/18/2022 Edited by Margaret Seiler

Health

Samantha Hess, Portland's OG Cuddling Professional, Is Calling It Quits

Over nine years, Hess received national publicity and dreamt of a chain of cuddling studios. But bad faith landlords and the pandemic both took their toll.

09/22/2022 By Julia Silverman

Hot Tub Time Machines

Hot Tub Rentals, Delivered to Your Backyard, Are a Thing in Portland Now

We deserve this.

04/12/2022 By Julia Silverman

News

A Lot Is Riding on Portland Street Response’s Citywide Expansion

The path ahead has its obstacles, from bureaucracy to staying in touch with a very mobile population.

03/01/2022 By Karina Brown Illustrations by Daniel Fishel

Air Travel

PDX Opens New Sensory Room in Concourse D

PDX joins a growing list of airports offering spaces and programs designed for fliers on the autism spectrum.

01/27/2022 By Gabriel Granillo

Light a Fire

How 4 Nonprofits Stepped Up in the Pandemic

Vaccine clinics, mental health hotlines, hot meals, business support—these groups got help to those who most needed it.

11/30/2021 By Julia Silverman and Margaret Seiler

News

Portland Street Response Gets an A on Its Report Card

Researchers from Portland State's Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative recommend a citywide expansion of the program.

10/05/2021 By Karly Quadros

Top Doctors, Nurses & More

Portland Monthly’s Annual Medical Surveys Are Open

Doctors, nurses, naturopaths, chiropractors, physician assistants, massage therapists, and more—nominate your peers now!

07/20/2021 By Margaret Seiler

Politics

Ron Wyden Talks Climate Change and Police Reform

The US Senator told us about the clean energy proposal, his personal reasons for funding mental health first response teams across America, and his conviction that nobody should bet against Portland.

07/15/2021 By Fiona McCann

Footnotes

LISTEN: How to Recognize and Recover from Burnout

OSU professor Regan Gurung helps us break down what exactly burnout is, how to recognize it, and how we—as employees and employers—can prevent it and recover from it.

07/09/2021 By Gabriel Granillo

Health & Wellness

Feeling Burnt Out at Work? You’re Not Alone.

How to recognize and recover from burnout. Pro tip: You’ll need your boss’s help.

07/09/2021 By Gabriel Granillo

Footnotes

LISTEN: Breaking Barriers in Science, Research, and STEM with Gail Stonebarger

An OHSU behavioral neuroscience graduate student talks about the hierarchal structure of research and the lack of mental health support for underrepresented communities within STEM fields.

03/26/2021 By Gabriel Granillo