Meet David Swirnoff, MA, LPCC

I believe all of us are doing the best we can with the resources we have and the circumstances we find ourselves in, and that sometimes, when life leaves us feeling stuck, lost, or overwhelmed, it becomes necessary to reach outside of ourselves and ask for help. My goal is to give you a safe space to be listened to and heard, to tell your story, and for us to work together toward constructing a future that feels hopeful and inspiring. When you walk into my office I promise to see you as a highly complex, impossibly irreducible, fully unique human being, and I promise to treat you with the respect and dignity you deserve.

I work with adult individuals from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life. My specialty is helping people with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, life transition, and relational issues. Because I do not believe that one size fits all, therapy begins by getting to know you in whatever way feels comfortable for you, and working together, collaboratively, to find a direction that feels right to begin moving forward. Our lives – and where we are at any given moment – are fluid and ever-changing; therapy should reflect that.   

I am a strong believer in the mind-body connection, and along with narrative and other cognitive-based therapies, I also bring with me an understanding and knowledge of the essential role of neurology, and, in particular, our nervous system, in keeping us stuck in unhelpful and distressing patterns. I am certified in Adaptive Internal Relational (AIR) Network and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) for the specific treatment of trauma and PTSD, and use a combination of person-centered, relational, life experience, and a questionable sense of humor to treat most everything else.

After spending a good portion of my adult life working in the book business, being a professional writer, and working in film, I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies that combined psychology with Buddhism/Mindfulness from Marylhurst university in Portland, Oregon. From 2013-2019 I worked with the Face It Foundation, a non-profit organization offering free support and psychological services to men with depression, leading groups and conducting seminars on men and relationships. In 2019, I received my Master of Arts degree in Counseling and Psychological Services from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and in 2022 completed 4000 hours of supervised training to became licensed as a Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).  

I bring creativity, compassion, humor, a lifetime of experience and learning, and a deep passion for helping people get unstuck and move forward in their lives with meaning and purpose. Make the first move and reach out. I promise I’ll be there to help with the rest. 

I accept the following insurance: Bind, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Health EZ, Hennepin Health, Health Partners, Medica, Medicaid (MA), UCare, UMR, United Health Care. I also accept HSA and private pay.
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To schedule an appointment with David, fill out our "Book Appointment" form below.