- Relationship skills
- Trauma support
- Adoption focus
About Deana
Deana Porter is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California who brings nearly three decades of clinical experience to her work. She focuses on relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, intimacy challenges, self-esteem, and stress. Her approach is straightforward and respectful, with emphasis on practical conversation and steady support.
She uses familiar methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to address patterns of thinking and emotion. She also draws on the Gottman Method for relationship skills and Internal Family Systems to gently map internal parts. Sessions aim to identify manageable steps and strengthen everyday coping skills.
Deana adapts her conversations and treatment plans to each person's situation. She pays attention to motivations, confidence, and how life changes affect mood and behavior. She emphasizes sensitivity and compassion while keeping work focused and goal-oriented.
Her practice includes helping people navigate grief, sleep and eating difficulties, parenting strain, career stress, and compassion fatigue. Additional areas of focus include adoption and foster care concerns, attachment and blended family issues, and caregiver stress. Deana also supports people dealing with depression, bipolar disorder, anger, and communication problems.
Taking the first step can feel hard, and Deana aims to make that step clearer. She offers a calm, practical presence and partners with each person to set short-term goals and plan next steps.
How key approaches guide online work
Deana commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, which can ease anxiety, depression, and stress. She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques to build emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills, helpful when feelings are intense or overwhelming. The Gottman Method informs her work on communication and conflict skills for partners, focusing on practical exercises to improve interaction.Choosing the right approach is part of the process. The therapist collaborates with each person to identify goals and preferences, then suggests which methods to try first. Sessions evolve over time based on what helps most, and adjustments are made together when needed.
If you are considering online therapy, confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Many people find web-based sessions convenient for continued weekly work or for follow-up when life changes interrupt in-person routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
29+ years
Credentials
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?
Areas of focus include relationship and intimacy issues, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, stress and anxiety, grief, sleep and eating problems, parenting and career concerns, and mood disorders such as depression and bipolar.
What style of therapy can I expect?
The work combines practical, conversational therapy with methods that address thoughts, emotions, and relationship patterns, aiming to build concrete skills and clearer ways of relating.
How long has this therapist practiced?
The therapist has 29 years of professional experience working with a wide range of emotional and relational concerns.
What credentials and region are associated with this therapist?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - LMFT - practicing in California.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work together with this therapist?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin therapy?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.