David Washington

Hi, I'm David — and I'm really glad you're here.

I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, UC-Certified Master Gardener, and Certified Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner. At The Planted Brain, healing and nature go hand in hand. I specialize in individuals, couples, and groups, with deep experience supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals and BIPOC communities. If you've ever felt too much, not enough, or simply unseen — you belong here. Every part of you is welcome, exactly as you are.

A portion of every session funds free mental health workshops for underserved communities across Los Angeles. Your healing helps grow something bigger.

Plants don't force growth — they respond to the right conditions. I believe people work the same way.

My practice weaves together Polyvagal Theory and Therapeutic Horticulture — using the science of the nervous system alongside the grounding, sensory experience of working with nature. We'll gently move out of fight, flight, or freeze and into safety, using the natural world as both metaphor and medicine. Soil, seasons, living things — they have a way of reaching places that words alone sometimes can't.

Everything is trauma-informed and person-centered. You lead. We go at your pace.

Honestly? A lot of exhaling.

We'll talk about what brought you in, what's been weighing on you, and what you're hoping to grow. No pressure, no agenda — just an honest conversation. I'll share what our work together might look like, including how nature and horticulture weave into the process.

You'll leave feeling heard and hopeful. Whatever brought you to this page, I'm glad it did.