Debra Velasquez
Hi! Welcome to my practice! I offer therapy as a calm, supportive space where you can slow down and feel genuinely heard. With over 15 years of experience, I’ve helped individuals move through anxiety, depression, hurt, and major life transitions. My style is warm, collaborative, and practical—focused on helping you feel grounded and capable of meaningful change. I use evidence‑based approaches like DBT, CBT, and Problem‑Solving Therapy to build resilience, strengthen coping skills, and support personal growth. Together, we’ll explore what’s been weighing on you, understand patterns that no longer serve you, and practice tools that help you move forward with clarity and confidence. Therapy with me is welcoming and human. You don’t need to have the perfect words or a polished story—just a willingness to show up as you are. My hope is that each session leaves you feeling supported, understood, and more connected to your own strength.
First session
A first session is simply a chance for us to get to know each other. We’ll talk about what brought you in, your goals, and what feels most important right now. Many people feel nervous at the beginning—that’s completely normal. My role is to create a calm, supportive space where you can settle in, ask questions, and share at your own pace.
Strengths
I bring a grounded, compassionate presence shaped by years of education and lived experiences with struggle and resilience. My work has strengthened my ability to build trust, offer stability, and meet people exactly where they are without judgment. Clinically, I blend warmth with evidence-based approaches to provide support that is both empathetic and practical. Together, these experiences allow me to show up with steadiness, curiosity, and a deep respect for each person’s story.
Ideal clients
A preferred client for me is someone who’s ready to participate in their own growth—motivated for change, open to reflection, and willing to engage in the process even when it feels uncomfortable. I work best with people who show up with curiosity, honesty, and a desire to understand themselves more deeply. Whether they’re navigating instability, transitions, or long‑standing patterns, I’m drawn to clients who want to take active steps toward a more grounded and empowered version of themselves.
Origin story
My path into the mental health field began with years spent mentoring young people. Being alongside them during moments of uncertainty, transition, and pain showed me how deeply someone’s circumstances can shape their sense of self—and how powerful it is to have even one steady, caring person show up for them. That experience became especially meaningful as I worked with transient young adults and adolescents moving in and out of foster care. Their resilience, complexity, and need for consistent support made it clear that I wanted stronger, more tangible tools to help people who were hurting. My own family history also played a role. Growing up around people who struggled—and witnessing both the challenges and the strength that emerged from them—taught me early how vital it is to have someone who listens without judgment. Those experiences stayed with me and ultimately guided me toward clinical training, where I could learn evidence‑based ways to offer both compassion and practical support. What led me into this field wasn’t a single moment, but a collection of relationships, stories, and lived experiences that made it impossible not to want to help people feel seen, supported, and capable of healing.
Ongoing work together
Clients often recognize progress in small but meaningful shifts. They may notice they’re handling stress a bit differently, feeling more grounded, or recovering more quickly after difficult moments. Progress can also show up in clearer thinking, improved communication, or taking steps—even tiny ones—toward goals that once felt out of reach. Most importantly, clients begin to feel more connected to their own strengths and more confident in their ability to navigate whatever comes next.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is a way of helping people notice the patterns between what they think, how they feel, and what they do. It teaches you to slow down and look at your thoughts with a bit more clarity—especially the ones that make life feel heavier or more stressful. Instead of getting stuck in old habits or assumptions, CBT helps you practice new ways of responding so you feel more grounded, capable, and in control. At its core, it’s about learning small, practical skills that make everyday challenges easier to navigate.
Solution-Focused Brief Treatment
Solution‑focused therapy centers on what’s already working in your life and helps you build on those strengths. Instead of staying stuck in the problem, it encourages you to picture what things would look like if they were even a little better, then identify small, realistic steps to move in that direction. Problem‑solving therapy fits naturally into this approach by helping you break challenges down, look at them more clearly, and try out practical solutions one at a time. Together, these methods help you feel more capable, hopeful, and confident as you work toward meaningful change.
Faith-based therapy
Faith‑based therapy weaves a person’s spiritual beliefs into the healing process in a way that feels natural and supportive. It helps people draw strength, comfort, and guidance from their faith while working through life’s challenges. Instead of focusing only on problems, it encourages reflection, hope, and connection to something larger than oneself. At its core, it’s about using the values, practices, and meaning already present in someone’s spiritual life to support growth, resilience, and emotional well‑being.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Hispanic / Latinx
Woman
Top specialties
Anxiety
Depression
Life Transitions
Other specialties
Burnout
Codependency
Emotional Regulation
Foster Care/Adoption
Grief
Self Esteem
Serves
Adults (18 to 64)
Elders (65 and above)
Individual Therapy
Woman
Doesn't specialize in
Autism
Bipolar Disorder
Couples Counseling
Dissociative Disorders
Family Therapy
Learning / School Challenges
Learning Disabilities
Licensed in
CaliforniaLicense 113143