Debbie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is 100% Telehealth, not providing in-person treatment at this time. She has provided counseling services to individuals, couples, adolescents and families since 1992. Debbie provides therapy for Adult Children of Alcoholics/Dysfunctional families, blended families, codependency, communication problems, marriage, depression/anxiety, family counseling, infidelity, parenting & stress management. She has attended John Gottman conferences and uses the Gottman method with couples. She is an active, directive, cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused therapist who has worked with diverse cultures, ethnicities, sexual orientations and religions. Debbie's approach focuses on empowering her clients with the knowledge they need to become more effective in managing life's challenges. The wounded inner child is one of her special interests. She is down- to -earth and genuine. She will challenge you, assign homework assignments, and suggest YouTube videos/articles/ TedTalks/Podcasts
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions, then I like to understand the question of "why now". Then I want to hear and understand the specific challenges you are facing and what you have already tried that has worked and what hasn't worked. I like to have helpful context to the current difficulties. This helps me to create a tailored plan for us to work through in our sessions. I always make sure to leave time towards the end of the session for any questions to me about the therapeutic process or what to expect next or any information that the client feels may be pertinent to be shared with me.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Helping to educate patients on how their thinking can cause them difficulties or add to them. I do like to understand the context of the conflict or struggle a client or couple brings in, such as understanding their childhood and their experience with caregivers. I do provide education about cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy and mindfulness training. Self care and self love are important in wanting to make changes and feel they can be assertive and ask for what they want and need from others. In order to set boundaries there has to be the knowledge that you are worth it.