DAVE BLANCO, MA, AMFT
Now Accepting Clients in-person in San Diego, CA, and via Telehealth Throughout California.
(949) 371-5125
Works With
Youth & Adults
Families & Relationships
Depression & Anxiety
Personality Disorders
Psychiatric Disorders
Grief, Loss, & Life Transitions
Substance Abuse
Addiction & Recovery
Active Duty & Veterans
Men’s Issues
Psychedelic Experience Processing
Expressive Arts
Board Certified Music Therapist (#15861)
MARI Practitioner
About Me
Hi there! I’m Dave, an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. I’m glad you found your way here! People rarely arrive at therapy casually, and reaching this point often means something important is asking for attention. Therapy is approached here as a space to slow things down, make sense of what’s happening, and examine the choices available—especially when all options feel costly or unclear.
My work is grounded in a narrative and relational perspective, with an emphasis on emotional literacy and agency. Rather than labeling experiences as good or bad, therapy focuses on understanding how patterns formed, what they once protected, and what they now require. From there, clients are supported in holding multiple truths at once and making more informed, intentional choices.
Before becoming a therapist, I served in the U.S. Navy and later trained as a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC), with six years of clinical work prior to completing graduate training in Marriage and Family Therapy. I am a credentialed MARI (Mandala Assessment Research Instrument) practitioner and integrate EMDR, MARI, and other therapeutic art approaches when they support the work.
I am currently enrolled in a PhD program in Marriage and Family Therapy. My clinical approach integrates narrative and relational frameworks with somatic awareness, informed by the Adaptive Information Processing model underlying EMDR. Outside the therapy room, I now pursue Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, circus arts, and strength in many forms. As a retired competitive CrossFitter, this ongoing relationship with the body informs how I think about capacity, adaptability, and growth.
Therapy here is offered as a collaborative, non-moralizing space where complexity is welcome and no one is expected to have answers in advance. If this way of working resonates, I welcome the opportunity to connect and explore whether it feels like a good fit.
Dave Blanco, M.A. AMFT #158487.
California Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
Under Licensed Supervision