Meet David Blacker of David Blacker Family Therapy, Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Blacker.

Hi David , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Philadelphia, the youngest of three boys, and from an early age people described me as a sensitive, creative, and empathetic soul. I felt things deeply and always noticed what others were going through. Naturally, when I headed to Penn State for my undergrad studies, I wanted to major in psychology. But my parents — and even my high school guidance counselor — worried I was “too sensitive” to survive in such a demanding career. They feared I’d carry other people’s pain as my own. So, after some soul-searching, I pivoted to advertising, a field that also dives into human behavior but through the lens of storytelling and persuasion.

I threw myself into that world, and by my twenties I was climbing fast — working at big-name agencies and eventually becoming a creative director. From the outside, it looked like everything was on track. But inside, I knew something was missing.

Therapy helped me face a truth I’d long avoided: I was gay. Growing up in the eighties and nineties, being gay felt taboo, even shameful, and I spent years suppressing that part of myself. In my late twenties I made a bold move — literally. I packed up and drove 3,000 miles west to Los Angeles, determined to build a life on my own terms.

LA gave me freedom and, eventually, family. I met my now-husband, Alex, and together we adopted our son, Maxwell, who has been the greatest gift of my life. Becoming a parent shifted everything. By 2010, while at the peak of my advertising career, the titles and awards didn’t matter anymore. What I craved was meaning — a way to use the very qualities people once thought would hold me back (sensitivity, empathy, compassion) to actually help people heal.

So, in my forties, I made a second leap. I enrolled in Antioch University’s Master’s program in Marriage and Family Therapy, completed thousands of training hours, passed the grueling licensing exams, and opened my own practice. Today, I work with individuals, couples, and families — many from LGBTQIA+ and other marginalized communities — through an affirming, strengths-based approach. My belief is simple: healing begins when people feel seen, valued, and empowered to embrace who they really are.

My background in advertising still shapes my therapy work. For 25 years, I crafted stories that connected with audiences; now I help clients rewrite the stories they tell themselves — moving from self-doubt or shame into possibility and pride. I often work with people in transition, whether they’re changing careers, becoming parents, or navigating identity. And as a gay dad, I’m especially passionate about supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples who are creating families of their own. For the past 12 years, I’ve written monthly columns for Gays with Kids, sharing the joys and challenges of queer parenting with honesty and humor — the kind of guidance I wish I’d had when Alex and I were adopting.

Outside the therapy room, I still write — sometimes screenplays, sometimes articles about mental health — and I cherish time with Alex and Maxwell, who just started high school (how did that happen so fast?).

Looking back, I realize the very traits I was once told would hold me back are the ones that define my work today. That sensitive kid from Philadelphia grew up to build a life around listening, empathizing, and helping others find meaning in their stories. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all — but I wouldn’t trade the bumps for anything. Switching careers in your 40s requires a lot of patience, determination, and faith. At one point, I was holding down a demanding job as a group creative director at a fast-paced ad agency, attending graduate school full time, and raising a young son — all while the world was unraveling at the start of COVID. There were weeks where it felt like I had to be three places at once: carpooling my son and his friends to school, pitching a new business campaign, and then rushing off to provide therapy to a family in crisis during my internship. There were definitely moments I thought, “I’ll never get through this.”

There were also plenty of sleepless nights filled with papers, exams, and doubts. Eventually, I had to make the leap — resigning from my well-paying advertising career and leaning fully into therapy, even if it meant volunteering at a teen crisis line to gain the experience I needed. Those late-night calls with teenagers, hearing their raw and often heartbreaking stories, gave me perspective. Whatever stress I was under didn’t compare to what many of them were going through, and that reminder gave me gratitude for my own privilege and fueled my commitment to this new path.

Looking back now, the hard years flew by. The late nights, the juggling, the uncertainty — they were all part of building a foundation for this “chapter two” of my life. And what felt impossible at the time now feels like the most rewarding decision I’ve ever made.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about David Blacker Family Therapy, Inc.?
I don’t believe in a “one-size-fits-all” approach to therapy. Every client comes in with their own story, strengths, and struggles, so I tailor sessions to fit the individual. My role is less about telling people what to do and more about helping them discover, understand, and embrace what works best for them. I like to say: you’re the expert of your own life — I’m here to walk alongside you.

My style is client-centered, collaborative, and often sprinkled with humor. I pull from different approaches depending on what’s needed — narrative therapy (reframing your life story in a more empowering way), psychodynamic therapy (exploring how past relationships shape the present), and cognitive-behavioral therapy (challenging unhelpful thought patterns). No matter the method, the foundation is always empathy, validation, and the belief that change is possible.

As a married gay man and father, I have a special passion for working with the LGBTQIA+ community — particularly those navigating family-building, parenting, or identity-based challenges. I know firsthand how isolating those journeys can feel, and I want my clients to have the kind of affirming support I wish I’d had when my husband and I were going through the challenging adoption process. For over 12 years, I’ve also written monthly articles for the website Gays With Kids, sharing the joys and complexities of queer parenting with honesty and humor.

Because I changed careers in my 40s, I also love working with people in transition — whether that’s starting a second career, becoming a parent, or caring for aging parents. My background in advertising makes me especially attuned to the needs of creative professionals, and many of my clients work in entertainment, design, and the arts.

While I specialize in working with LGBTQIA+ parents, creatives, and people in transition, my door is open to anyone who wants to build deeper self-awareness, strengthen relationships, and create positive, lasting change. Above all, I want clients to feel seen, valued, and empowered to write the next chapter of their own story.

What matters most to you?
Without question, being the best, most unconditionally loving parent I can be to my son, Maxwell. That’s number one. A close second is showing up for the other important people in my life — my husband, family, and friends — and making sure they feel supported and loved.

Beyond that, what matters deeply to me is being part of the solution. There’s so much heaviness in the world right now, and if I can make even one person’s day feel a little less overwhelming, a little less chaotic, then I feel I’m doing something worthwhile. That’s what I hope to create in the therapy room — a safe place where people can breathe, process, and find new strength.

And finally, something I’m still learning: prioritizing myself. This work can be emotionally exhausting, and it’s easy for me to give to everyone else and forget about my own needs. I’m trying to give myself the same grace, care, and compassion that I offer my clients and loved ones. It’s not always easy, but it matters — because when I take care of myself, I can show up even better for everyone else.

Pricing:

• My standard fee for individuals is $210 for a 50-minute session
• For relationship partners and families, my fee is $230.
• A sliding scale is available for low income and underemployed individuals on a case-by-case basis.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.davidblackerpsychotherapy.com
• Instagram: @DavidTheTherapist
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1039633

Image Credits
Robin Randolph
@RobinRandolph