The Art of Saying No: Set Boundaries Without Guilt and Reclaim Your Time

Alexandra M Ortiz is a licensed clinical social worker, boundary coach, and speaker based in Portland, Oregon, with more than fifteen years of experience helping individuals reclaim their time, energy, and sense of self. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington and completed postgraduate training in cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy at the Portland Psychotherapy Clinic.

After a decade of clinical practice focused on anxiety disorders, codependency, and burnout prevention, Alexandra founded The Clear Path Institute in 2019, a coaching practice dedicated to assertiveness and boundary-setting for high-achieving professionals. Her work has been featured in *Psychology Today*, *The Wall Street Journal*, and *Forbes*, and her boundary-building workshops have been delivered to teams at Google, Nike, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Alexandra's approach blends evidence-based therapeutic techniques with practical, real-world application. She believes that boundary-setting is not a luxury for the privileged few but a fundamental skill for anyone who wants to live with integrity, purpose, and peace. Her clients range from executives learning to manage upward to parents navigating the complex terrain of family obligation.

*The Art of Saying No* is her first book, born from thousands of therapy sessions where the same question emerged again and again: "How do I say no without ruining everything?" This book is her answer.

Alexandra lives in Portland with her partner and their two rescue dogs. When she is not coaching, writing, or speaking, you will find her hiking the Columbia River Gorge—saying yes to the trail and no to her inbox.