meet | David Lim

David Lim Therapy & Supervision | Counseling, Coaching, Clinical Supervision, Therapy for Therapists

My professional path to psychotherapy had a few twists and turns. | I grew up in Indiana, went to Purdue University and graduated with a B.A in Communications and a B.S. in General Science. I started out in journalism, worked at a Washington Post suburban weekly, a daily in Pennsylvania, and a Washington DC magazine. I also worked for a DC political consulting firm. I took a professional turn and earned my Master’s of Social Work from the Suzanne Peck-Dworak School of Social Work, University of Southern California — then a brief stint in marketing and an MBA from the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine.

In 2007, I moved to Seattle. That year, a series of significant personal events, opened my eyes to the importance of accepting and aligning with internal and external experiences. That allowed me to accept my calling. And I owe a great deal to the Institutes for Family Development for giving me my first opportunity.

The last 12 years have unfolded rapidly, passionately, with alignment, purpose. While Organic Chemistry and Activity Based Cost Accounting were not my cups of tea (nor grammar), I did discover a penchant for connecting different psychological disciplines quickly and a vision that allows me to see emotional, behavioral and thought patterns with respect to an individual’s space-time.

I quickly absorbed training in behaviorally specific parent coaching, Motivational Interviewing and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. That was followed by a complete and absolute alignment with training I received in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy. While at Kaiser Permamente, I became foundationally trained by the Linehan Training Institute in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.  Following that, I became a fidelity  Internal Family Systems therapist (Level 1 training through the IFS Institute with Levels 2 and 3 upcoming). I have also been trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) by official EMDR trainers through the EMDR International Association. I have developed more practical uses of  Psychodynamics, Positive Psychology, Neuro-Linguistic Programing. I have started another chapter in psychotherapy and counseling —- helping those with Chronic Pain. I am also beginning a new chapter in helping individuals with Chronic Pain. My work is inspired by Dr. Howard Schubiner, MD. and his cutting-edge approach to the “Mind Body Syndrome.” I will also be launching another endeavor —- providing psychological and emotional coaching/psychotherapy for slumping or athletes using the Internal Family Systems approach.

Along the way, I also took an interest in mental health leadership and realized that my true passion has always been in direct service. I am an adjunct professor at Bastyr University —- as a counseling rotation supervisor and class instructor (including Motivational Interviewing, Abnormal Psychology, Counseling people with Chronic and Terminal illnesses). I am also a contracted DBT IOP group facilitator for THIRA Health.

What do I do in my off-time? I write. I love physical movement, and most any kind of sport: basketball, tennis, cross-fit, former runner, dance fitness. Various injuries necessitates participation in yoga and swimming. And to those activities, I’m not exactly a natural. Mindfulness activities are also fun for me. And transcendental meditation has been a real —- since I find it less anxiety provoking if I fall asleep doing TM than if I were to snooze off while sitting and observing my breath.

I am both a dog and cat person. I like most music (especially classical music since I used to play). I love really love inspirational speakers and I love humor — especially absurdist humor. I am obsessed with college basketball, and I am an absolutely tortured fan of Purdue University sports.

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