My Approach
How I Work
Therapy with me is a partnership. We look honestly at your experiences, build on your strengths, and find practical ways to respond to life now.
I bring 50 years of experience engaging with clients through some of the hardest chapters of their lives as we build resilience and solutions for better futures.
Your Life, Your Goals
I want to understand what matters to you and what you hope will be different. We set goals early and revisit them as needed, rather than following a program that asks everyone to do the same thing.
You can tell me when a conversation feels useful, when something does not fit, or when you want to change direction.
A clearer view of yourself, here and now.
Old experiences can shape the conclusions we draw about ourselves, and worry pulls attention toward what might happen. We make room to understand those experiences while returning to what you can notice, choose and practice in the present.
Working With the Inner Critic
If your inner voice is harsh, we can listen for where those judgments came from and consider whether they describe you fairly. I help you notice your strengths, values and capacities, rather than treating painful conclusions as the whole truth about you.
A Pace You Can Manage
Compassion, honesty and good humor all have a place in our conversations. You do not need to feel hopeful before starting, or share painful details before you are ready.
Insight and Practical Skills
I choose methods for your goals rather than following one method for everyone.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
We notice thoughts that accompany worry or low mood and practice questioning them.
Trauma-Informed Care
Choice and pacing matter. You decide what you are ready to discuss.
Insight-Oriented Psychotherapy
We explore how your history connects with your present relationships and responses.
Skills for Calming Yourself
We work on practical ways to settle yourself between sessions.
Communication Skills
We practice hearing one another and making difficult conversations less combative.
Explore My Approach
- Strengths-Based Therapy
Explore a strengths-based approach with David Johnson in Seattle: noticing existing capacities, clarifying values and choosing practical goals.
- Insight-Oriented Therapy
Learn how David Johnson explores connections between past experiences, present beliefs and relationships through insight-oriented therapy.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Read about how David Johnson uses cognitive behavioral therapy to explore thoughts, feelings and actions in the context of your own goals.
- Trauma-Informed Care
David Johnson describes an approach to therapy that makes room for choice, pacing and the effects of difficult experiences.
- Calming Skills
Explore how practical calming skills can become part of therapy with David Johnson, with attention to your preferences and daily circumstances.
- Communication Skills
Read about practicing listening, expressing needs and navigating disagreement with David Johnson in couples and adult family therapy.
Working With Couples and Families
The same principles apply to relationships. We get clear about how people relate now, how each person wants to relate, and what needs practice. I listen to each voice without deciding in advance what your relationship should become.
We may slow down an escalating argument, practice asking without blame, or consider how to listen before answering. Your goals guide the work.
Couples TherapyFamily TherapyFrequently Asked Questions
Do you follow one method?
No. I choose methods for your goals, drawing on insight-oriented psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and practical skills. We discuss what fits the work you want to do.
Will I get homework?
Sometimes we agree on small practices between sessions, only if they help you. That might mean trying a calming skill or a different way of communicating, then discussing your experience together.
How will we know it is working?
We set goals at the start and check them together. You can tell me what feels different, what remains difficult and whether we need to adjust our approach.