- Strengths focused
- Practical strategies
- Collaborative care
About Debra
Debra (Debbie) Shepard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 14 years of experience helping people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start. She sees adults dealing with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship strain, depression, and big life changes. Debra writes plainly and listens carefully to understand what each person needs.
Her sessions are warm and interactive. She focuses on strengths and practical steps that people can try between meetings. Conversations often include skill-building for day-to-day coping, clearer communication, and strategies to manage mood and cravings.
Debra draws on Client-Centered Therapy to follow the client’s lead and create a collaborative space. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. Mindfulness techniques help people notice stress reactions and slow down before acting.
She also incorporates elements of the Gottman Method for relationship concerns and Motivational Interviewing when people want to change habits like substance use. These methods are chosen to fit the person’s goals rather than applied the same way for everyone.
Licensed in Illinois as an LCSW, Debra has worked across clinical and supervisory roles. She aims to help clients set clear goals, try realistic changes, and build on what already works in their lives. If someone is ready to take a first step, she supports that process with steady guidance.
Her sessions are warm and interactive. She focuses on strengths and practical steps that people can try between meetings. Conversations often include skill-building for day-to-day coping, clearer communication, and strategies to manage mood and cravings.
Debra draws on Client-Centered Therapy to follow the client’s lead and create a collaborative space. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. Mindfulness techniques help people notice stress reactions and slow down before acting.
She also incorporates elements of the Gottman Method for relationship concerns and Motivational Interviewing when people want to change habits like substance use. These methods are chosen to fit the person’s goals rather than applied the same way for everyone.
Licensed in Illinois as an LCSW, Debra has worked across clinical and supervisory roles. She aims to help clients set clear goals, try realistic changes, and build on what already works in their lives. If someone is ready to take a first step, she supports that process with steady guidance.
How Debra’s Approaches Work Online
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person’s own goals and priorities. The therapist follows the client’s lead and helps them make choices that feel right. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches small experiments to test new ways of responding. Mindfulness Therapy helps people notice stress and strong emotions without reacting, which can reduce impulsive behavior and improve sleep and focus.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Debra will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and recommend methods that match those needs. She treats therapy as a collaboration and adjusts methods as progress and circumstances change.
Please confirm the current online session options before booking, as formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, and reduce travel time. These practical benefits can help maintain consistency and integrate therapeutic work into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Family conflictsTrauma and abuseEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesBody imageCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPregnancy and childbirthProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Self-loveSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused Therapy
Experience
14+ years
Credentials
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Debra help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, depression, coping with life changes, family issues, trauma and related concerns listed in her specialties.
What is her general approach in sessions?
Her style is warm and interactive. She focuses on strengths, practical steps, and collaborative problem solving.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 14 years of experience in behavioral health, including clinical and supervisory roles.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in Illinois and practices from that state.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How does cost and payment work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a therapy relationship with her?
Use the continue button on this profile, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.