Dana McPherson

Compassionate, goal-focused mental health support

LCSW Oregon

Experience: 4 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages: English

About Dana

Dana McPherson is an LCSW based in Oregon who focuses on helping people navigate stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, and identity concerns within the LGBT community.

Background and approach

She draws on four years of professional practice to support clients working through self-esteem issues, career transitions, and major life changes, adapting her approach to each person’s situation. Her practice also addresses a wide range of related concerns including attachment and abandonment issues, caregiver stress, body image, chronic illness and end-of-life matters, and blended family dynamics.

Her style is collaborative and respectful, centered on meeting clients where they are and tailoring sessions to individual needs. Dana combines client-centered skills with structured methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), along with mindfulness and motivational interviewing techniques, to help clients build coping strategies and clarify goals.

She asks prospective clients to follow established scheduling guidelines and notes that limited appointment times may mean a wait for openings.

Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Care

Dana uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and problems with coping. She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness for people struggling with intense emotions or relationship challenges. Both approaches are practical and skills-focused, often pairing structured exercises with real-life practice between sessions.

Choosing the best approach is a collaborative process. Dana works with clients to clarify goals, preferences, and what feels most useful, and then adapts methods over time so therapy remains aligned with changing needs and progress.

Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging offers flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats let clients access licensed professionals from their own locations, use brief check-ins or longer sessions as needed, and maintain continuity of care when life circumstances change.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this therapist commonly address?

Dana supports people with stress, anxiety, relationship and family challenges, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, LGBT issues, self-esteem, career questions, and coping with life changes. She also works with many additional focus areas such as attachment, caregiver stress, body image, and end-of-life concerns.

What is Dana McPherson's therapeutic style?

Her approach is collaborative and client-centered, meeting clients where they are and tailoring plans to individual needs while integrating structured techniques when helpful.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has four years of professional work experience supporting a range of mental health and life transition concerns.

What are her credentials and where is she located?

Dana holds an LCSW and maintains licensure details as OR LCSW L16003 and CA LCSW LCSW123245; she practices from Oregon.

Does she work with non-English speakers or international clients?

Sessions are conducted in English, and she accepts international clients as part of her practice.

Which session formats are available?

Clients can meet via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on preference and therapist availability.

How is cost handled for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What steps are required to begin working together?

To get started select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuse Grief Depression

Also works with

LGBTFamily conflictsSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoping with life changes

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPhobias Post-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

4+ years

Licensed

California, Oregon

Languages

English