About Deana
Deana Porter is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with nearly three decades of experience. She focuses on anxiety as well as relationship and intimacy concerns. She aims to make the first step feel manageable and supportive for people who are worried or overwhelmed.
She works with common struggles like stress, low self-esteem, grief, depression, and mood concerns such as bipolar disorder. She also helps people navigate parenting questions, sleep or eating problems, and life transitions.
Background and approach
Her approach is practical and straightforward so conversations stay focused on what matters most to the client. Deana draws from methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to address unhelpful thinking and build everyday coping skills. She also uses elements from the Gottman Method for relationship work and Internal Family Systems when exploring inner parts and family dynamics.
These approaches are woven into sessions to match each person’s goals and pace. Sessions are tailored to the individual. Deana listens first, then suggests steps that can be tried between meetings.
She emphasizes clear, respectful dialog and sets achievable targets so progress is visible. People who choose to work with her often want steady practical tools and a calm presence during hard moments. She aims to help clients reduce anxiety, improve communication, and find ways to feel more effective in daily life.
How therapy approaches translate to online care
Deana uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice patterns of thought that increase anxiety or low mood, and to practice new ways of reacting. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is used to teach coping skills for strong emotions and to improve emotional regulation and distress tolerance. The Gottman Method provides structured tools for addressing communication and conflict in close relationships.Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will talk with each person about their goals and preferences, then suggest which methods to try first. That choice is a collaboration and can change as needs shift over time.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for in-depth conversations and relationship work. Phone sessions can fit into a work break or be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging support shorter check-ins, skill practice, or when someone prefers writing to speaking. These options make scheduling more flexible and help therapy fit into busy lives.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
Also listed
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Eating disorders
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Narcissism
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Stress, Anxiety
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 29 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English
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