Meet Paul Morris, LCSW — Psychodynamic Psychotherapist in Nashville
If you are reading this page, you may be looking for a therapist who is right for you.
I am Paul Morris, LCSW. Over more than thirty years — and roughly 25,000 sessions — I have helped people coping with stressors and making positive changes, with a focus on psychodynamic therapy that promotes insight, self-understanding, and healthier relationships.
The development of self-awareness has interested me since college. I trained in religious studies, then social work, and finally psychoanalysis, and established a professional practice in Nashville, Tennessee.
Who I Work Well With
This practice is often a good fit for educated adults, professionals, people with families, and those navigating life transitions — new work, parenting, loss, relationship change, adjusting to new roles, or seeking to learn better ways to cope with difficult or even traumatic experiences. Many people who seek insight-oriented therapy want more than quick techniques; they want room to understand themselves more deeply.
You do not need a diagnosis, a crisis, or a polished explanation to begin. Curiosity about recurring patterns — in mood, relationships, or how you move through change — is often enough. Therapy here is thoughtful and collaborative, paced for lasting understanding rather than rushed solutions.
What the First Conversations Are Like
Early sessions focus on getting to know you — what brings you to therapy, current concerns, relationships, personal history, goals, and the wider context of your life. There is no rush toward a fixed plan before we understand what you are carrying.
The beginning is conversational and exploratory. Together we notice what feels most pressing, what has been hard to put into words, and whether this approach feels like a workable fit. Practical details — including format and scheduling — are discussed and agreed in advance.
Why I Do This Work
The development of self-awareness has interested me since I began taking courses in psychology, English literature, and religious studies in college. I did not know what to do with this interest. I found my way into mental health by what seemed to me to be an accident, when I was studying religion and philosophy.
I realized that I had an abiding interest in internal motivation and wanted to find the right path for myself to learn the practice of psychotherapy. I trained in religious studies, then in social work and finally psychoanalysis, and have established a professional practice in Nashville, Tennessee.
Experience, Training & Memberships
I am Paul Morris, M.A., M.S.S.W., L.C.S.W., a psychotherapist in private practice in Nashville, Tennessee. I trained in psychoanalysis at the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute and am a Certified Practitioner in Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama. I have worked with adolescents and adults for more than thirty years in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
I am on the faculty of the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute, a member of the American Psychoanalytic Association, and on the Education Committee of the Nashville Center for Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. I am also a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
To schedule or ask a question, call (615) 403-4235 or use the contact form on this site. The office is at 1708 Stokes Lane, Nashville, TN 37215.
Professional Background
The following overview summarizes education, licensure, clinical training, teaching, and memberships that shape my practice. It is offered for transparency — not as a marketing claim.
Education & Licensure
- M.A., M.S.S.W., L.C.S.W.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker — Tennessee
Clinical Training
- Psychoanalytic training — St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute
- Certified Practitioner in Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama
- Clinical work with adolescents and adults in inpatient and outpatient settings
Faculty & Teaching
- Faculty, St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute
- Education Committee, Nashville Center for Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Professional Memberships
- American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA)
- National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Areas of Specialization
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy for individuals
- Psychoanalysis
- Psychoanalytic couples therapy
- Anxiety, depression, relationship patterns, addiction recovery, grief, family-of-origin concerns, and life transitions
Professional Credentials
- Psychoanalytic trainingSt. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute
- Certified Practitioner in Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama
- M.A., M.S.S.W., L.C.S.W.
- FacultySt. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute
- In practice for 30+ years (~25,000 sessions)
- Member, American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA)
- Education Committee, Nashville Center for Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- Member, National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) — Tennessee
Who I Work With
Adults — often educated or working in professional settings, many with families — frequently seeking therapy during transitions such as new work, raising children, loss, or adjusting to new roles, or seeking to learn better ways to cope with difficult or even traumatic experiences. Couples and parents are welcome. You do not need a diagnosis or crisis to begin.
Specialties
Why do I keep feeling anxious or heavy even when nothing seems wrong?
Emotional discomfort that quietly interferes with work, relationships, and a satisfying life — and often has deeper roots than the present moment.
Why do I keep repeating the same relationship patterns?
Difficulties in intimate and work relationships that feel familiar, stuck, and shaped by earlier experience.
Why does every major life change feel so overwhelming?
New work, parenting, loss, and adjusting to new roles, or seeking to learn better ways to cope with difficult or even traumatic experiences.
Why can't I let go of the past — or of habits that no longer help?
Addictive attachments, unfinished grief, and family-of-origin patterns that keep showing up in the present.
Therapeutic Approaches
Practice Details
- In person in Nashville and online via FaceTime, Zoom, or telephone
- Licensed in Tennessee · 1708 Stokes Lane, Nashville, TN 37215
- Psychotherapy sessions $160–210. Payment: Cash, Check, Health Savings Account, Credit Card, Venmo, PayPal.
Professional directories & memberships
Verify credentials and find additional profiles through these professional listings.
“Psychodynamic psychotherapy focuses on understanding the here-and-now appearance of patterns learned in the past.”
Get in Touch
Reach out when you are ready to begin your healing journey — a chance to talk through your concerns and ask questions about how I work.
Schedule Consultation