About Alan
Alan Hoffman uses a practical, goal-focused approach to therapy. He keeps conversations straightforward and works with people to set clear goals and small steps toward them.
Background and approach
Alan holds a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and brings 25 years of experience as a therapist to his work in Washington. Clients often come with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, parenting pressures, low self-esteem, or depression.
Alan also addresses adoption and foster care concerns, autism and Asperger syndrome issues, blended family challenges, and substance use. He blends concrete skills practice with conversational sessions so people can try things between meetings.
Alan favors methods that emphasize skills and real-world changes, such as cognitive behavioral techniques and the Gottman Method for relationship patterns. He also uses motivational interviewing, narrative ideas, and solution-focused work when those fit the concern.
Sessions typically end with a short, practical suggestion or an exercise to try before the next meeting. Alan is a U.S.
Army veteran and a parent, and he draws on those life roles alongside formal training. He frames therapy as a partnership and helps people decide what to try next based on their goals and daily life.
The tone in sessions is straightforward and down-to-earth rather than overly clinical. To begin, a prospective client fills out a short questionnaire and schedules a session.
Alan offers a mix of contact methods so people can pick what fits their schedule and comfort level.
Approaches that translate well to online work
Alan commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy and the Gottman Method in his practice. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on spotting unhelpful thinking and trying new behaviors to reduce anxiety and low mood; it works well for stress, depression, and many everyday problems. The Gottman Method targets relationship patterns and communication skills, offering practical exercises couples can practice between sessions to improve understanding and reduce conflict.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Alan talks with each person about their goals, preferences, and life demands, and together they pick methods that feel workable. He often blends techniques so sessions match what the person needs that week rather than sticking to one rigid plan.
Online therapy offers flexibility in how people connect. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when visual cues matter. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit into a break at work. Live chat and text-based messaging let clients check in or handle brief coaching-style moments without scheduling a full video visit. These options make it easier to keep momentum and practice skills between meetings.
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Parenting issues
Also works with
- Adoption and foster care
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Blended family issues
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Money and financial issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 25 years
- Licensed
- Washington
- Languages
- English