Dave Porter is a dedicated psychotherapist who has a profound passion for mental health and working with individuals, couples, and families. As an integrative psychotherapist he uses multiple therapeutic methods and his counseling style is compassionate, collaborative, strength-based, and rooted in Systems Thinking. In therapy sessions with Dave, you will experience a safe place to explore emotions, gain insights, practice new skills, and create positive change in your life. With full appreciation of you as a person Dave will respect your individuality and diversity. Working together, Dave will support you in clarifying your goals and provide concrete strategies you can use to improve your mental health, overcome your challenges, and feel better. Dave encourages you to take an active role in this work, to ask questions, voice concerns, and openly share your thoughts and feelings.

Key therapeutic modalities which inform his work include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Family Systems Therapy, Existential Therapy, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Nature Therapy and The Gottman Method. During treatment, he is likely to draw on ideas from one or more of these therapeutic methodologies based on your unique needs. He will employ a diverse set of resources and modalities of therapy to aid in bringing about change, growth and solutions. For example, he may teach the practice of mindfulness, including breath meditation and somatic grounding to decrease stress, increase insight, while enabling improved mental health and well-being.

Dave is a Seattle native, has been married for over 35 years, and is a parent. Being raised in the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest has instilled a powerful sense of how our mental, physical, and spiritual health is a continuous interaction between ourselves, social connections, and natural environments. This systemic perspective is fundamental in Dave’s therapeutic work both professionally and personally as he strives to enhance the wellbeing of clients and his community. His own practice of optimal health includes running, hiking, biking yoga, healthy nutrition, and daily meditation, along with social engagement to bring about positive change within himself, his community, and the world.

Professional Qualifications and Educational Background

After a successful twenty-five-year career in the high-tech industry, Dave embarked on a transformative path as a psychotherapist. His passion for mental health and personal growth led him to explore the intricate world of psychotherapy. Dave began his journey as a psychotherapist in 2014 when he worked as a counselor in intensive outpatient clinics while completing licensure as a Substance Use Disorder Professional. Dave then completed a Master of Art’s degree in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Counseling at Saybrook University. Dave is dually credentialed in Washington State as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with license LH61161650, and a Substance Use Dependency Professional (SUDP) with license CP60937683.

Dave continues to actively enrich his skills as a psychotherapist and he has formal training in Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Vipassana Meditation, and The Gottman Method.