Deborah Elzea profile image

Deborah Elzea

Deborah Elzea

(she/her)

LPC
40 years of experience
Warm
Authentic
Empowering
Virtual

Hi- I’ve been a practicing therapist for 40 years, and in that time, I’ve seen and heard most everything. I was director of a local counseling center for 20 of those years. In 2016, I left that position and since then, I’ve been working primarily with clients who have a history of trauma. That’s pretty much everyone, right? We think of trauma as big events — combat, assaults, death. But trauma can be what others might consider small events. A heartbreak that happened in adolescence. Loss of a beloved pet as a child. Bullying. Family breakup. Hurtful words that still echo in our heart. I’m a certified addiction counselor and also trained in EMDR and Internal Family Systems therapy. These skills are frequently used in tandem to address the fallout from both old and recent traumas as well as addiction issues. I’m located in north Stockbridge, but do most everything on line now. If you would like to chat and see if we might be a fit, please call.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

The first session is always devoted to information gathering. We will explore your goals and start to develop a map on what might get you there. We will change direction when appropriate.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

This section asks me to describe my biggest strength. I started to say it was my years of experience. But really, I think it’s that I’m comfortable in my own skin, flaws and all. That has allowed me to be with clients in a genuine way, not having to pretend to know all or be all.

About Deborah Elzea

Identifies as

Licensed in

Appointments

Virtual

My treatment methods

EMDR

EMDR is preferred treatment for trauma— and I have found it is extremely effective for a variety of issues and symptoms when talk therapy or CBT has not helped. I was EMDR trained many years ago and have always been impressed at how quickly it can move people to a place of peace.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS (Internal Family Systems) uses the idea that we are composed of a collection of characters, all of whom play a role in protecting us. It’s a model that integrates well with EMDR as some of our “characters” hold the trauma. We can use the injured parts as well as the protective parts to facilitate healing.