Lance Dean

Driven by a deep commitment to helping others navigate life's challenges, I bring empathy, humor, and evidence-based care to my clinical practice. My background in social work has shaped a strengths-based, values-oriented approach that empowers clients of all ages. I specialize in treating mood, anxiety, and trauma, using modalities like CPT, CBT, DBT, ACT, and RO-DBT. I entered the field to support individuals in finding stability, balance, and self-worth through compassionate connection.

I believe therapy works best when you feel genuinely heard, understood, and respected—not judged or told what you “should” be doing. My approach is collaborative and practical. I work with you to understand what is happening in your life, identify patterns that may be getting in the way, and develop tools that actually fit your needs.

I draw from evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and solution-focused therapy. Depending on what you need, therapy may involve learning skills to manage difficult emotions, challenging unhelpful thought patterns, improving relationships and communication, working through past experiences, or simply making sense of what you are going through.

I have particular experience working with adolescents, young adults, and families dealing with anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, behavioral concerns, trauma, relationship difficulties, and major life transitions.

You don't have to have everything figured out before starting therapy. My role is to meet you where you are, help you understand yourself more clearly, and work alongside you toward meaningful and lasting change.

From our first session, my goal is to begin developing a clear understanding of what is bringing you to therapy, what you would like to change, and what is most important to you. I use clinical assessments as an important part of that process—not simply as paperwork, but as tools that help identify areas of strength, areas of concern, and meaningful treatment goals. I am diligent about using assessment results to help guide the treatment plan and monitor progress over time.

I also believe that meaningful change is easier to sustain when it is connected to your personal values. I often use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and values-identification exercises to help clients clarify what matters most to them and identify the kind of person they want to be. From there, we can turn those values into realistic goals and concrete actions that guide the recovery process.

You can expect our work to be collaborative and purposeful. We will establish goals together, identify practical steps toward those goals, and periodically evaluate what is working and what may need to change. My goal is for you to leave therapy not only feeling supported, but with a clearer understanding of yourself, a direction for moving forward, and practical tools you can use between sessions.