Contact David: (845) 795-8030 ext: 703

David Robles, LMHC

David views therapists as storytellers, a perspective rooted in the universal power of storytelling. From the captivating tales in children's storybooks to the influential narratives in gossip, sales calls, and political speeches, storytelling holds a powerful influence over human experience. Despite this, people often overlook the significance of the stories they tell themselves about their own lives, treating them merely as “what happened” or “how they are.”

In David's practice, much of the therapeutic work involves engaging with a client’s narrative, exploring and filling in gaps to uncover deeper truths, and helping them distinguish between the factual aspects of their lives and the stories they tell about those facts. David believes that significant healing occurs when clients reframe their stories in ways that infuse their lives with fresh meaning and empower them to pursue their personal goals.

David emphasizes a person-centered approach to therapy, placing clients in the driver's seat of their own journey. Emphasizing that there is no universal standard for mental health, success, or a well-lived life, David supports each client in finding their own path to self-actualization. This process involves uncovering the inner wisdom that every person, no matter the age, holds within and articulating goals and directions that align with their truest self. This can take countless forms depending on the client, from exploring dreams and engaging the unconscious mind to the identification of troublesome patterns in relationships that block a person from creating the life they desire for themselves.

This philosophy is reflected through various therapeutic methods, including play therapy, role-play exercises, and group therapy. Even ‘clinical-sounding’ techniques like Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are approached through a storytelling lens, helping children and adolescents address traumatic events by narrating their experiences in an empowering manner before sharing them with parents or loved ones. David utilizes whatever creative tools are accessible, whether visual art, music, Legos, or tabletop role-playing games, to connect with clients and facilitate their self-expression.

For older adolescents and adults, David draws on Existential Therapy approaches, integrating a lifelong interest in philosophy and spirituality to support clients in exploring themes of life, meaning, and identity, without seeking to impose his views or opinions in the process.

Prior to becoming a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, David taught yoga for over a decade, leading retreats, teacher trainings, and philosophy classes as well as Vinyasa Yoga classes for all levels. He brings his deep engagement with this and other traditions to Evolutionary Psychotherapy through mindfulness-based interventions, breath-work (pranayama), and embodied interventions that form a rich toolbox of coping skills to be shared.

Outside of his work as a psychotherapist, David loves writing, playing guitar, listening to loud music, and playing nerdy games with his friends.

*Hosts our Modern Men’s Group

Tuesdays at 6:30pm, in-person