David Neal

I came to therapy from the other side of it. Years ago, a workplace injury took away the career I'd built and — for a while — my ability to cope with much of anything. Rebuilding taught me what actually works: not inspiration, not willpower, but practical tools and someone willing to be honest with you about what's going on. I've been an LCSW since 2019, trained at the University of Tennessee, and I work exclusively with adults across Tennessee through telehealth. My clients deal with anxiety, ADHD, depression, grief, anger, trauma, and the particular weight of living with chronic pain alongside mental health struggles. I'm not a blank-slate therapist — I'm direct, I'll tell you what I'm observing, and I treat your goals as the actual point of the work

My approach is integrative and structured. I primarily use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) — not because I picked a favorite, but because different situations call for different tools. CBT helps interrupt the thought loops feeding anxiety and low mood. MBCT builds attention and steadier emotional regulation over time. PST turns overwhelming situations into concrete next steps. When trauma is in the room, we work at a pace that actually feels manageable, not one that just sounds manageable on paper. We'll name what you want to change in the first session, and we'll check back on that regularly so therapy doesn't drift into something vague. I work best with clients who want to understand what's driving their patterns — and leave sessions with something specific to try.

The first session is an honest conversation, not an intake checklist. I'll ask about what's happening right now — your daily functioning, physical health, family history, any past treatment, and when things started feeling like too much. We'll talk about what you most want therapy to change, and by the end we'll have the start of a plan that belongs to both of us. You don't need to have the right words ready or know exactly what's wrong — that's what we'll figure out together. Expect me to listen closely, be straightforward, and leave the session having heard you. Progress takes time, but knowing where you are headed makes the work feel different from the start.