Deana Porter, LMFT

Deana Porter is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in California. She draws on decades of clinical work to help people who are struggling with relationship stress, trauma, intimacy concerns, mood shifts, and everyday pressures. Her approach is practical and direct, aimed at helping people make steady changes that matter in daily life.

With 29 years of experience, she has worked with a wide range of issues including self-esteem, anxiety, grief, sleep and eating difficulties, and career strain. She also supports people navigating adoption and foster care matters, caregiver stress, blended family challenges, and family of origin problems.

Her work uses well-known methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to identify unhelpful patterns and teach skills for managing emotions. She also incorporates the Gottman Method for relationship communication and Internal Family Systems to look at inner parts that influence behavior. Sessions focus on concrete tools, clearer communication, and practical next steps.

Deana emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion in her sessions. She says the first step toward a happier, more fulfilling life takes courage, and she aims to provide steady support through that process. Her conversations and treatment plans are adapted to each person’s needs.

People who choose to work with her can expect collaboration on goals, skill-building for daily challenges, and attention to both emotional and relational concerns.

How her approaches guide online work

Deana uses approaches that focus on skills, emotion regulation, and relationship interaction. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people identify and change thought and behavior patterns that make problems worse. It is useful for anxiety, depression, sleep and eating changes, and for day-to-day coping skills.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) adds emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills to that toolbox, helping when strong emotions or impulsive reactions get in the way of goals. The Gottman Method informs how she talks about communication and conflict patterns in relationships, focusing on practical ways to talk and listen differently.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. She will work together with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That choice may shift over time as circumstances change.

If you are considering online sessions, confirm the current session options before booking so you know what formats are available. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into busy days, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when schedules demand it, and make it simpler to continue care during life transitions. Licensed professionals tailor session pacing and methods to what works best for each person.