Deana Porter, LMFT

Deana Porter is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California with 29 years of clinical experience. She works with adults on relationship strain, trauma and abuse, intimacy concerns, and problems like anxiety, depression, grief, and anger. Her practice also addresses sleep and eating difficulties, parenting stresses, and career-related pressure.

She uses clear, goal-focused conversation to help people notice patterns that keep problems alive. That often means looking at thoughts that increase upset, behaviors that push others away, and the ways past hurts shape present reactions. Sessions include concrete tools for reducing tension and for communicating more directly with partners and family members.

Deana draws on several clinical approaches when useful, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), the Gottman Method, and Internal Family Systems. Those models are used to teach specific skills, improve emotion regulation, and uncover internal parts that influence behavior. She explains methods in everyday language and practices together with each person to see what fits.

Her background includes long-term work helping people through major life changes, caregiver strain, adoption and foster care matters, and family-of-origin issues. She often addresses codependency, setting boundaries, and commitment concerns in practical steps. The focus is on what a person can do differently between sessions to feel steadier and more connected.

Deana offers sessions in English and works from her California licensure. To start, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session where goals and an initial plan are set.

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