About Dave Lechnyr
Welcome! I work with people who truly want to get unstuck and make some actual impact in their life by being a better version of themselves. My approach to therapy has been influenced greatly by the compassion of Carl Rogers, the cognitive-behavioral skills of Aaron Beck and the wisdom of Pema Chödrön. I firmly believe that the key ingredient to change is in gaining Emotional Flexibility: Acceptance, Compassion and Curiosity.
Of course, that’s the boring stuff. Let’s try that again with something more interesting:
- Eugene is my home town.
- I graduated in 1992 with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work.
- Two of my sisters are also therapists, and my father is a retired Psychologist.
- I learned to drive a stick shift on the hills of downtown Seattle.
- Growing up with three younger sisters, I’ve never learned (or cared) to understand the rules for football.
- I’m pretty good with Star Trek trivia.
- I both love, and shudder at, the 80’s.
- My two favorite books for personal growth are The Alchemist and Who Moved My Cheese (only 95 pages; you can’t beat that).
For those that are fans of the Myers-Briggs, here’s my results (INFP):
I feel strongly that real, genuine change can happen when we remember and respond to these eight Key Life Skills:
- Face life openly (what we avoid imprisons us)
- You must be curious to learn about your hidden thoughts and motivations, without assigning blame – this part is tricky.
- Accept yourself as you are and stop trying to prove yourself.
- Let you past inform your future, but not control it.
- Our thoughts and actions can directly affect our emotions.
- How we respond to a situation is just as important as the situation itself.
- Personal growth can be difficult to achieve when pursing dreams rather than goals.
- How we talk to those we care about is more important than what we talk about.
After all, it’s no surprise that how we think and act can directly impact how we feel. Specifically, it is our thoughts and behaviors, not other people, situations or things, that make us feel bad. When we use unhelpful thinking patterns, we tend to get “stuck in the muck” and end up spinning our wheels.
Some of these patterns come from how we have learned to relate (or react) to life; others come from deep inside of us and are tightly connected to our views about our self worth, our beliefs about other people, and the world in general.
Types of Therapy I Use
My background includes training for CBT for depression & anxiety from the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Gottman Certification Consultation Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Specifically, I use:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Our thoughts directly create or impact our feelings and behavior.
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy: How we talk with our partner is more important that what we talk about.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS): The different parts of ourselves all have a voice that needs to be acknowledged and heard.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Choosing to live in the moment allows you to move forward all-together rather than specific pursuits.
Testimonials
What follows are testimonials from former clients regarding what their struggles have been and how things ultimately changed for them with therapy.
“Before I felt like I had hit the end of my rope, everything felt like a complete spiral with no idea where to begin to climb out. Now I am trying to become aware of what’s happening and why and then what to do next.”
Becky C.
After working with Dave on issues concerning relationships, anxiety and work-stress“Before, it felt like torture to be in my own skin. I beat myself up for everything and guilt ruled my whole life. When I started, I couldn’t cope with life at all. Now, I’m not beating myself up compulsively and I feel hopeful about the future for the first time in a long time.”
Sarah S.
After working with Dave on issues concerning stress, anxiety and self-esteem“At first, I was afraid of conflict. I always assumed other people know more than me and that if we disagreed on something, they would leave me. Then, I learned to trust my opinions enough to voice them and how to stop worrying about saying something wrong. Now, I can be uncomfortable during conflict without being overwhelmed or waiting for it to pass or for someone else to resolve it. It’s so much more comfortable a feeling than what I’ve been living with up until now.”
Jay W.
After working with Dave on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship, and self-compassion“I like the idea of a more proactive, aggressive approach to problem solving and it sounds like I can find that here.”
Angela B.
After working with Dave on issues concerning depression and self-esteem“Before therapy, I felt a lack of control of my thoughts, feelings, emotions, and direction in life. I felt like my day-to-day was unpredictable. Now, I feel like I have strategies to deal with ups and downs and manage my way through any potential relapses.”
John C.
After working with David on issues concerning stress, anxiety and relationships“I’ve had many other counselors over the years and I chose you because of your focus on CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy). But, I really relate to your more analytical, organized, solution focused approach verses just letting me talk and you listen. It feels more pragmatic.”
Tim K.
After working with Dave on issues concerning procrastination, perfectionism, self-compassion and anxiety“I used to feel like a complete mess. I felt lost. Every emotion and thought I had felt wrong. I felt totally lost like I was drowning. I was so uncomfortable and very unhappy. I was starting to lose myself and everyone else that I cared about. After working with Dave, I learned how to be mindful and talk myself out of my spiral of endless worry. I don’t feel so completely lost or crazy. Instead, I feel more normal, more at peace. I’m not totally fighting myself at every turn.”
Brooke D.
After working with Dave on issues concerning social anxiety, depression, stress and self-esteem“I used to worry about what my coworkers are thinking of me. I was worried that they were going to think I’m not good enough or mean. At the same time, I did’t want them to think I was too happy or too bubbly. Dave helped me so that I’m no longer stuck inside of my head. Now, I can interact with my coworkers without being consumed by my own thoughts.”