aute porter

licensed marriage and family therapist #153925

pronounced /awe-tay/ like latte
I was born in Tahiti to my Tahitian-immigrant mother and my white-Californian father, and was raised in the small beach town of Carpinteria, CA. Growing up as a sensitive human-being, I greatly felt the effects of being told who I was expected to be from those around me, and often responded to implicit messages of “not belonging” through achievement and the aspiration for perfection. As someone who presents as ethnically-ambiguous, and who is multiracial, multicultural, first-generation, and a holder of white privilege, I have felt as though I am continuously untangling myself from all that is projected onto me, while also trying to locate what feels like the real “me” in the process.

Now as a therapist, my hope is to assist anyone who feels as though parts of themselves are unacceptable or not good enough, and assure them of the beauty these “unacceptable” parts are capable of.

Outside of the therapy office, you’ll probably find me sipping iced coffee, or spending quality time with my very-cute long-haired dachshund. Some things I love are: art, photography, and design, learning about niche subjects, traveling, day-trip adventures, and finding the best chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Education

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology - University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Master of Marriage and Family Therapy - University of Southern California (USC)

Clinical Training

Genesis Healing Institute

Decolonization of Mental Heath & Holistic/Ancestral Healing Integration
Trauma Resource Foundation (In-Process)

Traumatic Stress Studies
Linda Thai

Somatic Embodiment & Regulation Strategies
CCEC Clinical Training Program

Clinical Excellence Award
Pacific Brainspotting

Brainspotting (Phase 1)

I completed my Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree from USC, where I had the privilege of learning from powerful voices in the field, and receiving education well-oriented to an integrative and intersectional approach. I have received extensive training from CCEC’s Clinical Training Program, and was honored to obtain an award for Clinical Excellence. My experience has been in supporting clients of all ages, and with issues such as complex-trauma, identity exploration, anxiety, perfectionism, depression, BPD, communication issues, grief, and relationship difficulties. Learning is a value of mine, and I continue to seek additional training to refine my treatment approaches, some of which are listed here.