Earned credibility
Locker rooms, formations, and duty shifts are not abstractions here. The work starts from a shared vocabulary and skips the translation step.
About
Built from the environments we serve
Paul Swanson founded Cause & Effect Institute after moving through the same kinds of high-stakes environments he now works in: collegiate athletics, military service, and clinical training. Those experiences showed him that performance and mental health are part of the same conversation.
Paul Swanson is the founder of Cause & Effect Institute, offering counseling and mental performance consulting for people who operate under pressure, including athletes, coaches, military personnel, first responders, and their families.
After high school, Paul enlisted in the U.S. Army, then went on to attend Arkansas State University and play football. He later returned to military service as a commissioned Infantry Officer, and now serves in the Air National Guard as a Security Forces Officer. His path from enlisted soldier to college athlete to officer gave him a firsthand view of how pressure, identity, and transition show up in high-stakes environments, and why mental health support needs to fit the world the client actually lives in.
Paul holds a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and practices as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) in Washington State. He is also pursuing Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) certification through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
His counseling approach is practical and forward-looking, built on Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: less time dwelling on the problem, more time building clarity and a plan you can follow through on. He works with individuals on goals and mental clarity, and with teams and families on communication and trust so performance becomes sustainable, not just possible for a season.
Paul's military service is shared as professional background. Cause & Effect Institute is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, or the National Guard.
Credentials & supervision
Paul Swanson, LMHCA
Credential #MHCA.MC.70147923
Verified by Psychology TodayPaul Swanson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) in Washington State and practices as an associate counselor under the clinical supervision of Jonathan Douglas, MS, LMHC, NCC, Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor. As an associate, he is not independently licensed; all counseling services are provided under this supervisory relationship.
Paul is pursuing Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) certification through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). Mental performance consulting is educational and skill-based; it is not psychotherapy or mental health counseling.
How we practice
Principles
Clinical rigor
Licensed counseling grounded in evidence-based practice. Performance work stays clearly separated from clinical care, and you always know which one you're in.
Direct, practical, and human
You'll get straightforward feedback, clear structure, and practical work that fits a real training, family, or duty schedule. The goal is honest progress delivered with respect.
Privacy first
Records, scheduling, and messaging live inside a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform (SimplePractice). What happens in session stays protected.
See if this is the right fit
A consultation is a conversation, not a commitment. We'll talk through what you're facing and what kind of support actually matches it.