Deana Porter, LMFT
Therapist in California
Deana Porter is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California.
- License 46489 · California Expires August 2026
- NPI 1235954587 · national registry
- Experience and languages 29+ years in practice English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.
About Deana
Deana Porter is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California. She brings nearly three decades of clinical experience to sessions. She focuses on relationships, trauma, intimacy, and everyday struggles like stress and low self-esteem.
Her style is respectful and straightforward, aiming to help people make practical changes that feel manageable. Deana uses tools from several approaches to fit each person's needs. She draws on Gottman Method ideas for improving communication and connection.
Background and approach
She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address unhelpful thoughts and Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for managing strong emotions. In sessions she listens first, then works with each person to set clear, achievable goals. She tailors conversation and interventions to what actually helps someone day to day.
That might mean role-playing a difficult talk, practicing coping skills, or identifying patterns that cause stress. Deana has worked with concerns ranging from grief and depression to parenting stress and career changes. She also supports people dealing with trauma, attachment wounds, and family-of-origin issues.
Her approach is practical and paced to match each person's comfort level. People meet with her for individual work on communication, self-worth, or life transitions. She emphasizes steady progress and realistic steps.
The focus is on building skills that carry into daily life.
Credentials
- LMFT (California)
- License 46489 · expires August 2026
- NPI
- 1235954587 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the therapist lists and checks neither.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Deana lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Self esteem
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Dependent personality
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Narcissism
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches Deana names
- Gottman Method
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Internal Family Systems
These are the approaches Deana names on their own professional profile. Naming an approach is not evidence of training or certification in it, and this directory checks no training records. Ask directly if it matters to you.
Online support
How therapy methods translate to online sessions
Deana often uses the Gottman Method approach to help people improve communication, reduce conflict, and rebuild connection. Gottman-informed work focuses on specific conversation skills and practical exercises to shift how partners or individuals relate to each other. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, targets unhelpful thought patterns and teaches clear strategies to change behaviors and mood. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems.Choosing the right approach happens together. She will talk with each person about their concerns, goals, and what feels doable. Then she tailors methods so they fit the client's life and preferences, adjusting pace and techniques as needed.
Online formats offer real flexibility. Video calls allow longer sessions that include visual cues and role-play. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or a session needs to fit a short break. Live chat and text-based messaging make it easier to check in between sessions or use brief coaching and reminders. These options help people keep therapy consistent around work, caregiving, or other daily demands.
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Frequently asked
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with relationship strains, trauma and abuse, intimacy issues, and self-esteem struggles. Common topics also include anxiety, grief, parenting stress, and life changes.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is practical and collaborative. She listens, sets clear goals, and uses role-play and skill practice to make changes that work in everyday life.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 29 years of professional experience in clinical work. That experience spans many common relationship and mental health concerns.
What credentials does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, licensed in California. Her practice is located in California.
Which languages are services offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available online?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Different formats suit different needs like brief check-ins or longer conversations.
How does cost and getting started work?
Cost varies with location and the subscription model used by the service; sessions are part of a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session based on therapist availability.
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