Dakota Parmley is a graduate student intern pursuing a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Dakota embraces a mindful, present-centered approach to therapy, inviting the deeper self to emerge within the therapeutic space. By creating this safe and collaborative environment, Dakota helps clients listen to the voice beneath the surface of their symptoms, uncovering the roots of their distress and fostering greater self-awareness.

Dakota believes that suffering often hides in plain sight, masked by layers of conditioning and unconscious patterns. Dakota works alongside clients to slowly peel back these layers, addressing feelings of dissatisfaction, confinement, and stuckness. As a compassionate guide and good friend of the heart and mind, Dakota utilizes a range of tools, from mindfulness of bodily sensations to support trauma release, to creative exploration, to the use of imagery and metaphor in revealing the unconscious mind’s influence.

What drives Dakota’s work is a dedication to supporting each client’s highest and deepest growth. Inspired by depth psychologist James Hillman’s metaphor of the acorn, Dakota aims to nourish the potential within each individual to grow into their fullest self.

Outside of the therapeutic space, Dakota enjoys trail running, writing and reading prose and poetry, playing chess, going to the gym, and spending time in nature. Whether connecting with friends or engaging in a spiritual practice, Dakota continually seeks growth and balance in all aspects of life.