Deborah Strouse
Welcome! I'm Deborah Strouse, LCSW, a therapist licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey with nearly two decades of clinical experience. I graduated from Temple University with my master's degree in 2007 and hold a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) Credential in PA . My personality is warm, authentic, and collaborative. I firmly believe that the therapeutic relationship is a real bond and the ultimate key to your success in therapy. As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I draw from both my professional training and my own rich life experiences-- from the discipline of practicing karate to the groundbreaking peace of nature foraging, kayaking, and hiking-- to provide a safe, affirming virtual sanctuary for my clients. In my work, I blend mindfulness-based therapeutic approaches, leaning heavily on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Motivational Interviewing. This means our sessions will combine deep, compassionate listening with the development of tangible, real-world emotional regulation skills. My ideal clients are resilient individuals navigating the complex, often overwhelming waters of major life transitions, profound stress, and identity exploration. Many belong to underserved populations or the queer community and are seeking a non-judgmental space to process change.
Find your footing through life's transitions in an affirming space built on real connection and practical skills.
Whether you are enduring the raw weight of a divorce, facing sudden career shifts, or working through deep-seated anxiety, I know how freezing and terrifying these moments can feel. You do not have to cut through the noise alone. Together, we will work at your pace to dismantle shame, reclaim your inner strength, and build a lasting, balanced foundation of stability, purpose, and radical self-love. Let's take that next step together.
First session
Your first session is all about lowering the pressure and helping you find your bearings. We won't dive into your deepest wounds right away; instead, our primary goal is to begin to build a genuine, authentic relationship where you feel completely safe, seen, and heard. Think of this initial meeting as a comfortable, collaborative conversation. Together, we will gently explore what is currently bringing you the most stress or friction-- whether that is a recent life transition, anxiety or navigating your identity path. We will look at what you want to achieve at your own pace, establish clear boundaries, and ensure you leave with a realistic, manageable sense of how we will partner together to reclaim your inner strength and stability. You don't have to have everything figured out before you log on-- just show up exactly as you are.
Strengths
My therapeutic approach stands out because it treats the therapeutic relationship as a real, authentic bond, not a cold clinical transaction. I believe true healing is impossible without a space where you feel genuinely seen, heard, and valued. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I draw from my own lived experiences to provide a safe virtual sanctuary for queer and underserved individuals navigating major life transitions and intense stress. While my presence is warm and relational, my clinical foundation is highly structured and practical. I bridge the gap between deep empathy and evidence-based action by integrating mindfulness-based approaches, leaning heavily on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Motivational Interviewing. This combination ensures that our sessions don't just focus on processing painful emotions, but on equipping you with tangible, real-world skills to regulate your nervous system and dismantle shame. Having faced major life upheavals myself-- and drawing daily grounding from the focus and discipline of practicing karate-- I understand the raw courage it takes to find your footing when you are scared. My approach stands out because it honors your unique timeline, balances compassion with absolute honesty, and treats you as an active partner in anchoring your own personal victory.
Ideal clients
My ideal clients are resilient individuals navigating the complex, often overwhelming waters of major life transitions, profound stress, and identity exploration. My practice is built on an open-door policy: EVERYONE is welcome, and clients do not have to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community to receive my highest standard of compassionate care. Structurally, I work primarily with adults aged 18 and older who are managing the heavy emotional realities of adulthood, but I also specialize in supporting LGBTQ+ teens when there is active family involvement to help build an affirming, stable home environment. The individuals who thrive most in my practice want a three-pronged approach to therapy: * Real connection: They are tired of cold, clinical transactions. They want a genuine, authentic relational bond where they feel completely seen, heard, and respected as an equal partner. * Practical skills: They don't just want to talk; they feel frozen by anxiety or depression and want tangible, structured tools-- like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)-- to regulate their nervous system and clear external and internal clutter. * Internal motivation: They may feel stuck, but they possess a deep desire to change. They appreciate a collaborative, non-judgmental style--informed by Motivational Interviewing-- that gently guides them to reclaim their inner strength. Ultimately what unites my clients is their courage. Whether they are enduring the raw weight of a divorce, sudden job loss, or identity paths, they are ready to cut through the noise, dismantle shame, and build a lasting foundation of stability, purpose, and self love. If you are ready to find your footing, you are welcome here.
Treatment methods
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
In my practice, I utilize Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as a highly practical, skill-based framework to help you navigate overwhelming emotions and reclaim a sense of control. Rather than just talking about your challenges, we focus on building tangible, real-world tools across four core areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. This approach is deeply collaborative and balances absolute acceptance of where you are right now with a structured push toward positive change. By integrating these concrete DBT strategies into our ongoing sessions, you will learn how to effectively calm your nervous system, disrupt painful cycles of anxiety or depression, and dismantle deep-seated shame-- equipping you with a reliable blueprint to handle life's heaviest transitions with confidence and clarity.
Motivational Interviewing
In my practice, I utilize Motivational Interviewing (MI) as a highly collaborative, conversational tool to help you uncover your own internal drive and navigate the places where you feel stuck or frozen. When you are facing major life transitions or overwhelming stress it is completely natural to feel ambivalent or uncertain about the next step. Rather than telling you what to do or imposing rigid expectations, I use MI to create a non-judgmental space where we explore your personal values, strengths, and goals. By gently highlighting your own insights and inner wisdom, we work together to dismantle the fear of change, strengthen your confidence, and empower you to make decisions entirely on your own terms and timeline.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Licensed in
- New JerseyLicense 44SC06029500
- PennsylvaniaLicense CW016464