Portia Anderson , LMFT

Portia Anderson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 19 years of experience helping individuals and families navigate life’s challenges. She blends psychodynamic and solution-focused perspectives with dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and trauma-informed techniques to tailor care to each person’s needs. Her approach is grounded in humanistic values and a commitment to social justice, which shapes how she listens, explores patterns, and supports change.

Portia partners with clients to address a wide range of concerns, including trauma-informed care, substance use disorder and recovery with attention to dual diagnosis, life transitions, mood disorders, and family of origin issues. She also works with clients facing socioeconomic stressors and the effects of racism, gender, and LGBT+ challenges, as well as codependency, the needs of children in foster care, and interpersonal and relationship difficulties. Court-mandated treatment and support for improving communication and connection are additional areas of focus.

Portia aims to help people cultivate greater emotional regulation, healthier relationships, and more meaningful daily functioning. She supports clients in identifying practical skills and deeper understandings that promote resilience and a more fulfilling life.

Attachment, CBT, and DBT in Online Therapy

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns of connection formed in early relationships and how those patterns show up in adult bonds. It helps people explore issues like attachment wounds, abandonment, and family of origin concerns and supports healing through increased emotional attunement and clearer communication.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a practical, skills-oriented approach that examines how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. It is often used to address anxiety, depression, stress, and unhelpful thinking patterns by teaching strategies to reframe thoughts and change behavior.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. It is especially helpful for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and developing coping skills for crisis moments.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Portia works with clients to identify goals, preferences, and strengths so therapists can tailor techniques and mix approaches that best fit each person’s needs.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging - making it easier to fit care into busy schedules and to access licensed professionals and therapists from different locations. These options support continuity of care and increase access to consistent therapeutic work.