Daniel Swenson (he/they)

My Background

My path to becoming a therapist was circuitous. I graduated college in 2000 and worked as a musician, arts policy researcher, and career counselor, before getting a Master of Social Work degree in 2014. I have always been a sensitive person and for most of my 20s relied on alcohol to avoid emotional discomfort. All of this lived experience informs my clinical work. As a person in recovery, I help people to skillfully approach, experience, and express their emotions, without falling into problematic coping strategies. As a career counselor, I coach people in working toward long term goals. As a policy researcher, I prioritize evidence-based treatments. And as a musician, I listen and respond mindfully and without judgment.

My Approach to Helping

My approach to therapy is behavioral and relational. I believe that changing ineffective behaviors, and recognizing thoughts as just thoughts (not facts), can free us to pursue the relationships, passions, and community that make life worth living. I also take a systemic perspective, and view capitalism as a driver of human suffering. Progress includes learning to reorient toward connection and mutual support over striving and consumption. I am intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and before opening my private practice, worked as a DBT therapist for seven years. I have also been trained in Exposure and Response Prevention, Behavioral Activation, and the DBT Prolonged Exposure Protocol. I am comfortable treating anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, and substance use disorders, among other concerns. I have a keen interest in plant medicines, and enjoy helping people to integrate and consolidate the wisdom gained through psychedelic experiences into lasting behavioral change.