- Client-centered care
- Practical tools
- 15 years experience
About Deborah
Deborah Thoennes is a licensed professional counselor in Wisconsin who helps people facing stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, and problems with self-esteem. She offers a respectful, compassionate approach and focuses on what each person needs right now. Deborah aims to make the first step feel manageable for someone who is worried or unsure.
Her way of working centers on listening closely and tailoring conversation and plans to each person's situation. She uses practical tools to address difficult feelings and everyday struggles. Sessions can include ways to manage anxiety, build motivation, and handle life changes.
Deborah brings 15 years of professional experience to her work. That background includes support for people dealing with grief, relationship strains, parenting stress, workplace pressure, and long-term conditions like chronic pain. She also assists those navigating issues around attachment, abandonment, and identity concerns, including LGBT matters.
Her approach draws on client-centered methods, cognitive behavioral techniques, emotionally-focused ideas, existential perspectives, and mindfulness practices. Those methods are used to help people notice patterns, shift unhelpful thoughts, and strengthen emotional connection with themselves.
Therapy with Deborah is collaborative. She and the person she works with set goals together and adjust the plan as progress is made. The emphasis is on practical steps that fit into everyday life and on steady support through change.
Her way of working centers on listening closely and tailoring conversation and plans to each person's situation. She uses practical tools to address difficult feelings and everyday struggles. Sessions can include ways to manage anxiety, build motivation, and handle life changes.
Deborah brings 15 years of professional experience to her work. That background includes support for people dealing with grief, relationship strains, parenting stress, workplace pressure, and long-term conditions like chronic pain. She also assists those navigating issues around attachment, abandonment, and identity concerns, including LGBT matters.
Her approach draws on client-centered methods, cognitive behavioral techniques, emotionally-focused ideas, existential perspectives, and mindfulness practices. Those methods are used to help people notice patterns, shift unhelpful thoughts, and strengthen emotional connection with themselves.
Therapy with Deborah is collaborative. She and the person she works with set goals together and adjust the plan as progress is made. The emphasis is on practical steps that fit into everyday life and on steady support through change.
How Deborah’s Approaches Work Online
Client-centered therapy focuses on the person’s own goals and experiences. The therapist listens closely, reflects what she hears, and helps people clarify what matters most. This approach is useful when someone needs a supportive space to make sense of feelings and choices.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It uses concrete exercises and small behavior changes to reduce anxiety or depressive symptoms and to build coping skills that can be practiced between sessions.
Emotionally-focused ideas concentrate on identifying important emotions and how they show up in relationships with others and with oneself. This can help people who struggle with attachment, commitment worries, or repeated communication patterns.
Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with the person to match techniques to their goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful. Plans are adjusted over time based on how things are going.
If you are considering online therapy, confirm the session formats available before booking. Many people find that scheduling sessions around work or caregiving makes it easier to keep steady progress. Online sessions can also allow for shorter check-ins, reduce travel time, and let someone use mindfulness or skill practices in the moment between appointments.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy
Experience
15+ years
Credentials
Wisconsin
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Deborah commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Additional focus areas include grief, relationship and family issues, ADHD, and career or caregiver stress.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is respectful and compassionate, with a strong focus on listening. She tailors conversations and treatment plans to each person and uses practical, easy-to-use techniques.
How much experience does she have?
She has 15 years of professional work experience supporting people through anxiety, trauma, depression, and related concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds an LPC credential, indicating Licensed Professional Counselor status, and practices in Wisconsin.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are costs and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a therapy relationship?
Start by selecting the continue button on this profile, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.