Daniel DaSilva
I’m Daniel DaSilva, a licensed therapist with over 13 years of experience helping people navigate anxiety, trauma, relationship difficulties, and life transitions. I work with people who may feel overwhelmed by their emotions, caught in recurring patterns, or aware that something needs to change but unsure where to begin. My style is warm, compassionate, and down-to-earth. You can be comfortable being yourself, including the parts of your experience that are difficult to explain or share. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I bring an appreciation for how our backgrounds, relationships, and life experiences shape the way we see ourselves and the world. Together, we’ll explore the emotions, beliefs, and patterns that may be keeping you stuck. This can mean processing painful experiences, learning to respond differently to difficult emotions, or understanding why certain situations bring up strong feelings and unwanted behaviors. We’ll work at a pace that respects your readiness while taking practical steps toward change. My approach combines evidence-based therapy and deeper emotional exploration. My goal is to help you loosen the hold of past experiences, navigate difficult emotions with greater confidence, and feel more connected to yourself and others.
First session
Our first session is an opportunity to get to know each other and begin understanding what brings you to therapy. We’ll talk about what you’ve been experiencing, how it’s affecting your life, and what you’d like to change. I’ll ask about your background, current concerns, and what you may have already tried. You don’t need to prepare a perfect explanation or share everything right away. We’ll begin identifying your goals and discussing how my approach may help. We may also use brief questionnaires to understand your symptoms and establish a starting point for tracking progress. You’ll have space to ask questions and share what would help you feel comfortable and supported. My goal is for you to leave feeling heard, with a clearer understanding of what we can work on together and what the next steps will look like. When helpful, we’ll also identify a practical skill or small step you can begin using before our next session.
Strengths
I bring warmth, compassion, and over 13 years of clinical experience to my sessions. My approach is results-oriented: I want our work to help you make meaningful changes in how you feel, respond to challenges, and live your everyday life. I use evidence-based approaches, including EMDR and the Unified Protocol, to help you process painful experiences, navigate difficult emotions, and change patterns that keep you stuck. We combine this work with practical skills you can apply between sessions, bringing what you learn in therapy into your daily life. Together, we’ll set clear goals and regularly review your progress. Using brief assessments and your feedback, we’ll track changes in your symptoms and well-being and adjust our approach to your needs. My background in trauma treatment and my own healing journey help me bring both compassion and a clear focus on change to our work. My goal is to help you feel more confident navigating difficult emotions and leave therapy with practical skills you can continue using throughout your life.
Ideal clients
I work well with people who are struggling with anxiety, painful past experiences, relationship difficulties, or recurring emotional patterns. You may find yourself overthinking, doubting yourself, avoiding situations, or feeling overwhelmed by emotions you don’t fully understand. Perhaps you recognize what’s happening but still find it difficult to respond differently. My ideal clients want meaningful change and are willing to take an active role in therapy. This includes exploring difficult emotions, looking honestly at patterns, and practicing new skills between sessions. You don’t need to feel ready for every challenge—curiosity and a willingness to take manageable steps are a strong starting point. You may want to feel more at ease with yourself, build healthier relationships, or stop letting fear and past experiences shape your choices. Together, we’ll clarify your goals, work through what’s keeping you stuck, and build skills that help you create lasting change.
Treatment methods
EMDR
I use EMDR to help clients process painful or traumatic experiences that continue to affect how they feel, see themselves, or respond to situations in the present. We begin by understanding your history, identifying relevant memories, and building skills to help you manage difficult emotions. When you’re ready, I guide you in briefly focusing on aspects of a memory while using bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating taps. Throughout the process, we check in on what you’re experiencing and adjust the pace as needed. The goal is for the memory to feel less distressing and for negative beliefs connected to it—such as “I’m unsafe” or “It was my fault”—to become less powerful. EMDR is integrated into our broader work so you can apply these changes to your everyday life.
Brainspotting
I use Brainspotting to help clients explore difficult emotions and experiences that may be hard to put into words. Together, we identify an eye position connected to what you’re feeling, then gently notice the emotions, physical sensations, and thoughts that arise. I offer support throughout the process, checking in and adjusting the pace to help you stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed. You don’t need to describe every detail of a painful experience. I integrate this work with practical emotional skills and regularly review whether it’s helping you move toward your goals.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
I draw on Internal Family Systems to help clients understand different “parts” of themselves, such as a self-critical part, a part that tries to please others, or a part that avoids painful emotions. We explore these reactions with curiosity and compassion, looking at how they may have developed to protect you and what they need now. This work can help you relate to your emotions with less judgment, understand conflicting feelings, and respond more intentionally. I integrate parts work with practical skills so that greater self-understanding translates into changes in your everyday life.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use the Unified Protocol, an emotion-focused form of CBT that incorporates third-wave elements such as mindfulness and acceptance. It helps you understand how thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviors interact—and how attempts to avoid or control uncomfortable emotions can keep you stuck. Together, we build skills to notice emotions without judgment, think more flexibly, and respond in ways that support your goals. We gradually practice approaching feelings and situations you may have been avoiding, helping you become more confident in your ability to handle discomfort. Our work is structured and collaborative, with practical exercises between sessions and regular progress reviews. The goal is to help you develop a healthier relationship with your emotions and lasting skills you can use in everyday life.
Location
Virtual sessions