Spencer Dutson LMFT
All About Spencer
Education: Spencer Dutson earned his undergraduate degree from Utah State University, studying Family Services, Community Services, and Human Development. He then received his master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, graduating in 2015 with his bachelor's and in 2019 with his master's.
Certifications: In 2019, Spencer received a certificate in Medical Family Therapy, focusing on integrated care and collaboration with different professionals to treat the whole person. To help in his work with couples, he became a certified Emotionally Focused Couples and Individual Therapist in 2022 along with being a Certified SYMBIS Facilitator for premarital couples. Spencer is also passionate about working with trauma and difficult life experiences. To help with that work, he was trained in EMDR in 2018 and officially became a certified EMDR therapist in 2024.
Years Practicing: He has been practicing therapy for the last seven years.
Specialties: Spencer specializes in couples therapy and trauma therapy.
Why he became a therapist: He chose therapy because he recognized the importance of healthy family and couple dynamics. Seeing the positive impact of healthy relationships inspired him to become a marriage and family therapist. He found a passion for couples and trauma therapy due to his belief that addressing past trauma and improving relationships can significantly improve a person’s well-being.
Therapy Style: Spencer describes himself as an attachment-based, Emotionally Focused therapist. He relies on attachment theory, focusing on how individuals relate to others and fostering in-session changes that can be applied in daily life. He primarily works with individuals who have experienced trauma or past difficulties, as well as couples and individuals dealing with a range of issues from depression to anxiety and addiction.
Favorite Self-Help Book: For relationship advice, he recommends "Love Sense" by Dr. Sue Johnson. For those dealing with trauma, he suggests "What Happened to You?" and "Getting Past Your Past."
Second Favorite Hobby: His second favorite hobby is drumming. He plays the drum set and various hand instruments, with training in West African music.
Greatest Fear: Spencer's greatest fear is being permanently stuck somewhere and feeling isolated in that situation.
Best Movie/TV Show: As a Star Wars fan, he enjoyed the recent "Andor," "Kenobi," and is currently watching "Ahsoka."
Favorite Book: His favorite novel is the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, which he considers a classic.
Coolest Place he has traveled: Spencer and his wife spent three and a half months in China, where they taught English to elementary school children. He found China to be a fascinating place and highly recommends visiting.