David Morris, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker focused on helping children, adolescents, adults, couples and families at New Directions with specialty areas that include ADHD, oppositional-defiant disorder, anxiety, depression, child trauma, performance anxiety, relationship difficulties and parenting challenges. David has been providing services to children, adolescents and families for the past five years in a therapeutic academic setting helping them to build behavior changes, reduce anxiety, lessen depression, improve performance, and add to parenting skills. He has also worked in partial hospitalization programs for children and teenagers with severe mental illness, plus other settings in which he has helped typical families and couples make the changes they desire.
In addition, David is a part-time faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh Social Work School. He teaches courses for both undergraduate and graduate programs on marital therapy, human behavior, and social work assessment.
His approach to good therapy is a combination of evidence based care using cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), trauma focused CBT, dialectical behavior skills (DBT), behavior management, Gottman’s approach to marital therapy, and in vivo exposures. David believes in a strength-based model, with plenty of skill building, practice, and encouragement. He is also open to a faith-based approach to those who desire it.
MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
David has had a serendipitous path; first educated as a writer and graphic designer, then as a college soccer coach for eight years and finally finding his niche in providing therapy where his background in psychology, the arts, human behavior, and performance can be of use to others.
He started as a graphic designer and radio spot writer in New York City. While coaching collegiate soccer, David maintained a thriving marketing/design business with clients such as Holiday Inn, American Express, American Eagle Outfitters, U.S. Film Crew, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and Puma. He loves to be a part of New Directions Counseling where he can utilize his skills to benefit the mental, physical, and nutritional health of people from Western Pennsylvania.
David is originally from Hartford, CT, but graduated high school in Pittsburgh, PA. He returned to the Pittsburgh area with his family in 2006. David graduated with a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh in 2007 with an emphasis on child and family therapy and is currently a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.