Debbie Pittman
I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with over 15 years of experience as a school counselor, along with experience providing counseling services in private practice. I support college-age and young adult women as they navigate anxiety, stress, life transitions, relationships, identity, and personal growth. My approach is warm, compassionate, and holistic, focusing on the connection between thoughts, emotions, body responses, experiences, and values. Christian counseling is available upon request.
First session
Beginning counseling can feel unfamiliar, so our first session will be a relaxed opportunity to get to know one another. You can share what has been weighing on you, what you hope will change, and what you would like support with. I will ask questions to better understand your experiences, relationships, strengths, and the areas of life that are most important to you. There is no expectation to tell your entire story during the first session. We will move at a pace that feels comfortable and focus on what feels most important to you. By the end, we will begin identifying goals and discussing how we can work together in a way that feels supportive and meaningful.
Strengths
I bring a warm, compassionate, and down-to-earth approach to counseling. My years of experience as a school counselor, along with my experience in private practice, have taught me the importance of listening without judgment, recognizing each person’s strengths, and meeting people where they are. I use a holistic, mind-body approach that considers the whole person, their thoughts, emotions, body responses, relationships, experiences, and values. I integrate ACT, CBT, attachment-based approaches, somatic approaches, and polyvagal-informed practices to help clients better understand themselves, recognize patterns, and develop healthier ways of responding to life’s challenges. I believe counseling should provide both a safe place to be heard and practical tools you can use in everyday life. Together, we can build greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, self-compassion, and a stronger connection to the life you want to create. If faith is important to you, Christian beliefs and spiritual values can also be incorporated into our work.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is a college-age or young adult woman who is navigating the transition into adulthood and seeking support through a season of growth, change, or uncertainty. She may be experiencing anxiety, stress, self-doubt, relationship challenges, difficulty setting boundaries, perfectionism, or feeling disconnected from herself. She is looking for a safe, compassionate, and supportive space to better understand her thoughts, emotions, patterns, and experiences. She may want to build confidence, strengthen emotional resilience, improve relationships, and create a life that feels more aligned with her values. She does not need to have everything figured out, just a willingness to explore, grow, and create meaningful change.
Treatment methods
Christian Counseling
When requested by clients, I integrate Christian faith and spiritual values into counseling in a way that honors the whole person—mind, body, emotions, relationships, and spiritual life. We may explore how faith, prayer, Scripture, and personal beliefs can support healing, resilience, self-understanding, and navigating life’s challenges while incorporating evidence-based therapeutic approaches such as ACT and CBT.
Attachment-based
Attachment-based I use an attachment-based approach to help clients better understand how their early relationships and life experiences may influence the way they view themselves, connect with others, and respond to emotions and stress. Together, we explore patterns in relationships, communication, boundaries, self-worth, and emotional needs. By developing greater awareness and self-compassion, clients can begin to build healthier relationships with themselves and others. This approach is integrated with evidence-based methods such as ACT, CBT, somatic approaches, and polyvagal-informed practices to support emotional growth, resilience, and meaningful change.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients develop a healthier relationship with their thoughts and emotions while learning to move toward the life they want to create. Rather than trying to eliminate difficult feelings, ACT helps clients build awareness, practice acceptance, and develop skills to respond to challenges in ways that align with their values. Together, we explore what matters most to you, identify patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and develop greater psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and confidence. ACT can be especially helpful for navigating anxiety, life transitions, self-doubt, and the uncertainty that often comes with personal growth.
Somatic
I incorporate somatic approaches to help clients develop greater awareness of the connection between their emotions, thoughts, and body responses. Our bodies often communicate important information about stress, emotions, and experiences, and learning to notice these signals can support greater self-understanding and emotional regulation. Together, we explore body awareness, grounding techniques, mindfulness, and strategies to help clients feel more present and connected to themselves. When combined with approaches such as ACT, CBT, attachment-based work, and polyvagal-informed practices, somatic work can help clients build resilience, process emotions, and develop healthier ways of responding to life’s challenges.
Polyvagal Therapy
I incorporate polyvagal-informed practices to help clients better understand the connection between their nervous system, emotions, body responses, and experiences. This approach can help clients recognize how stress, relationships, and past experiences may influence the way they respond to challenges. Together, we explore tools that support nervous system awareness, emotional regulation, grounding, and a greater sense of safety and connection. When combined with evidence-based approaches such as ACT, CBT, attachment-based work, and somatic approaches, polyvagal-informed practices can help clients develop a deeper understanding of themselves and build healthier ways of responding to stress.
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Licensed in
- North CarolinaLicense 11504