I am a clinical social worker bringing a lifetime of experience to my work, helping clients to identify what's working and what's not; what is going well, and what they would like to change. I am a creative problem solver and excel at helping people get unstuck! I use my experience as a teacher, a human services professional, a small business owner and a clinical social worker to inform my practice and support client growth. I am eclectic in my approach, most often using cognitive behavioral therapy, brief therapy and positive psychology-- however I draw from other approaches and theories to meet the needs of the client. I am trained in trauma-focused CBT, substance abuse treatment and recovery, work with grief and loss, women's issues and strengths-based therapy. I identify as a long-time member of the LGBTQ community and am constantly striving to become more culturally sensitive and aware. I work with persons across the lifespan: ages preschool through seniors. I bring my sense of humor, ability to adapt and switch gears, and my huge heart and compassion to the work that I do!

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

Clients can expect to feel a sense of direction after meeting with me, and an idea of what next steps will be. I work to provide immediate relief through teaching skills of mindfulness, an improved daily routine and self-care or other resources-- while also providing a context for working on longer term concerns and problems. I generally provide homework in the form of recommending mindfulness practice, a habit tracker to support daily routine, a reading assignment or worksheets to help the client think through and process feelings and actions.

What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?

I draw from CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) because it has long been recognized as effective evidence-based practice for anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. I employ mindfulness and the practice of gratitude as tools for clients. I practice strengths-based approaches always, looking for what is already going well and what is possible. I use journalling and narrative therapy to help clients tell their stories and process them. I utilize trauma-focused therapy to help clients move through and past prior traumas, to the greatest degree possible and to help them move on to a place of improved functioning. When working with substance use disorders, I employ harm reduction as well as abstinence as valid goals and outcomes. From DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) I employ key concepts and most especially radical acceptance as a way forward.

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

My biggest strengths are my ability to hold hope and the possibility of change for persons I work with, and my sense of flexibility and problem-solving abilities.

About Deborah Ridgeway