Daniel Spence

I usually work from a mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral perspective. For anyone that hasn’t heard of this, these are terms that basically mean – we will examine how your thinking affects your emotions and behaviors. By becoming aware of unhealthy thought patterns, we can learn to think differently; which will soften our emotions and subsequently prevent self-defeating behaviors.

Beyond examining your thoughts, emotions and behaviors, we will look at our relationship, which I view as an important component of healing. Being aware of our dynamic will provide information about the ways you interact in relationships with others; as well as be a vehicle for having healing experiences of unconditional love.

To do this, I think it’s important to show that I am human too. I am not perfect; I also struggle. And to show this, I prefer not to be a “blank slate,” but to share myself and who I am (if you want to know).

I often work in a more direct manner, giving you concrete tools that you can use to help yourself; as well as skills to help you manage emotions or change habits. Of course, all of this will depend upon you! Each treatment will be a collaborative process, depending on what works best for you.

While I work with all mental health issues (anxiety, depression, anger-management, etc.), I do so through a trauma-informed lens, as that has been my main area of focus and training, both here and abroad (I trained at a refugee center in East Africa). I also specialize in issues of identity, gender and sexuality, self-acceptance and body image.

I have specific expertise in working with stigmatized groups, like LGBTQ+, HIV+, non-binary and gender-creative folx, sex workers, poly, kink, and other people from diverse sexual and gender experiences; as well as refugees and immigrants; and people living with complex trauma.

I also specialize in relationship counseling, especially with polyamorous folx (polycules, triads/throuples).