David Lechnyr, LCSW

David Lechnyr, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Gottman Therapist (#436). The Gottman Institute has awarded the Certified Gottman Therapist credential to 621 clinicians worldwide; he is one of roughly a dozen listed on the Gottman Referral Network in each of Oregon and Arizona. He provides structured, skills-based couples therapy via telehealth in Oregon and Arizona, based in Portland, and relationship coaching worldwide, integrating the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Cognitive Behavioral Couples Therapy (CBCT). He works with couples navigating recurring conflict, emotional disconnection, communication breakdown, and relationship ambivalence. He is the author of Personality Patterns in Couples Therapy, a framework for clinicians on recognizing relational patterns in couples work, and How to Screw Up Your Relationship in Ten Easy Steps, a field guide for couples on the patterns that quietly erode connection. New clients begin with an initial consultation.

Anxiety Treatment: Uncontrollable Worry About the Uncertain Future

August 5, 2025September 21, 2022 by David Lechnyr, LCSW

Anxiety – it’s more than just a fleeting feeling of nervousness. For many, it’s a constant companion that impacts every aspect of life. Whether you’re dealing with occasional anxiety or a full-blown anxiety disorder, it’s important to understand that you don’t have to face it alone. Effective treatment is available, and the first step is … Read more

4 Mistakes That Stop You From Rebuilding Trust (And What to Do Instead)

February 25, 2026June 7, 2022 by David Lechnyr, LCSW

Couple in their late 40s sitting on opposite ends of a couch, looking forward rather than at each other, conveying emotional distance during relationship repair

We all want to regain our trust in others. Sometimes, in our urgency to get rid of our uncomfortable feelings, we fall into a few mistakes that actually make things worse. Knowing about the key mistakes that are made when we work on rebuilding trust will save us unnecessary time and further disappointment.

Measure Your Baseline Happiness

March 17, 2025May 19, 2022 by David Lechnyr, LCSW

If your goal is to be happy, it’s useful to know how far you’ve come.

As the old saying goes, if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else. With happiness, it’s important to know what your current level of happiness is so that you can measure how effective therapy is over time.

Signs of Infidelity in Marriage: What Therapists Actually Look For

May 21, 2026May 5, 2022 by David Lechnyr, LCSW

Woman sitting alone at a kitchen table in the early morning, looking out the window with a distant expression, empty chair across from her

Have you ever had a gut feeling that something in your marriage was amiss, but it would take some time for all to sink in right? Well, intuition has always been our best friend. In these days when the internet is rife with all sorts of dating services and adulterous spouses roam about looking to strike down marriages in order to supplement their home life with another partner, if we have doubts about our partner’s fidelity then we should pay attention, because infidelity can destroy a relationship.

Trust Problems in Dysfunctional Families

March 17, 2025March 29, 2022 by David Lechnyr, LCSW

Why do some adults have more struggles in life than others? Many times it relates to how dysfunction “entered” their childhood family. Such problems can arise from abuse, neglect, psychological abuse, immature parents, secrets in the family that impact others or an overwhelming sense of insecurity in the home environment. Understanding a few things might help in clarifying this tricky situation.