(she/her)
New to Grow
Hello! My name is Deborah Gromack. I'm a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, in MA as well as a Board Certified Music Therapist with 27 years of experience in both fields. As an LMHC, I have worked with children, young adults, older adults from all walks of life, who are dealing with anxiety, depression and life transitions. As a Music Therapist, I have specialized in the areas of Alzheimer's and Autism, primarly, but also have experience in working as an LMHC/MTBC with adults who are seeking traditional talk therapy, and who are open to the possibility of utilizing the creative arts to process aspects of experience which are difficult to hold, process and express verbally.
When we meet for our first session, we would visit what brought you here to therapy, what your prior experience was like with a therapist, if any, and what you would like to talk about in this first session. Since we will be getting to know each other and will be working together, I am open to questions about the ways in which I work, as well as determine how best to work together. At the end of the session, we can determine if you would like to keep meeting with me, which I hope you do~ or if you would prefer to work with someone else. I am completely invested in you getting what you need out of therapy, whether it's an empathetic ear, resources, support, educational materials, coping skills. I am an honest and down to earth person and this extends to the ways in which I choose to work and show up as a therapist.
i work as a Solution Focused Therapist, a Rogerian Therapist, and a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. Depending on what you may need in the moment, during our session, any of these skills will be utilized to aid in the therapeutic process and to further the therapeutic alliance we form in working together. For example, if you are coming to therapy for anxiety or depression, I am an empathic listener, who can also offer coping skills to aid in anxiety management within the first session, if this is your stated need. If you are focused on problem solving, I may listen empathically, helping to cultivate and provide a safe space where you feel you can express yourself freely and without judgement, and then we can both work on reframing and focusing on solutions. If you feel that you need someone to simply listen, and to provide a safe space for you to express yourself freely and do not wish to focus on solutions or reframing, I am here for you, as well. I find that with every session, what a person may need changes, and so I utilize my skill sets to help answer and address a client's needs in the moment, within the session. You can find out more about me in my PsychologyToday profile, which is attached to my account.
I work best with clients who are experiencing anxiety and depression and who need concrete skills to address immediate needs. During Covid, I counseled many clients, college age students as well as healthcare workers 'in the trenches' and found that they benefitted most from concrete skills and goal oriented sessions. However, I also work well with clients who are in need of support, and simply need someone to listen, validate, mirror, reframe, and support. It is helpful if the client comes with a goal in mind, however, many times goals are emergent, and malleable, I have found. I also enjoy offering ciients access to my experience and pespective as a creative arts therapist, and oftentimes will suggest music playlists, creative pursuits, songwriting, narrative therapy, journaling, etc. to aid in the therapeutic process.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
We would work together, collaboratively, to focus on how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected. This will aid in identifying helpful/unhelpful patterns and behaviors, and reduce emotional distress, improve daily functioning.
Faith based therapy
We would work together to integrate your personal, spiritual beliefs with evidence based practices. In our sessions we will create a safe space to explore your mental health goals through the lens of your faith, spiritual values, using sacred texts, prayer and meditation as active tools to promote healing and growth.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
As a person-centered therapist, I will act as a non-judgmental facilitator, creating a safe space where you lead the conversation and set the pace. By offering to you unconditional positive regard and active empathy, I will help you to explore your true feelings, build self acceptance, and discover your own solutions.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
Solution Focused Brief Therapy is a collaborative, goal oriented approach that focuses on your strengths and preferred future, rather than analysing past problems. We will work together to identify existing skills to build practical, small steps towards solutions.