Hi, I’m Deb

I grew up in Maryland and was raised by a multicultural family: my Ukrainian-Polish Jewish grandparents, my Swedish mother, and my American father. Living in a multilingual & multigenerational household, impacted by war, cultural differences, and unprocessed trauma, things were… complex, to put it gently. Feelings of disconnection left me confused about myself and lonely in ways I never quite had words for.

I started my own therapy after college, and began a journey I could never have imagined. Curious about psychology, I started working crisis lines, returned to school, and ultimately landed at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where I supported research on disordered eating patterns among youth. I went on to earn my M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California.

Relationship therapist, Deborah Altman, smiling towards camera

Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.

Bell Hooks

Trauma-informed.

Evidence-based.

Client-centered.

Deb Altman, marriage and family therapist in Reno, sitting on a beige armchair near a window with white blinds, inside a cozy therapy office, smiling softly.

The Work I Do

I’ve had the privilege of doing this work from D.C., to New York, LA, and now Reno. My training started in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and clinical research, but I quickly grew disillusioned by individualistic models that expect people to heal in isolation. Our sense of self doesn't get created in a vacuum, so why would we heal that way?

You don’t need another voice repeating coping skills or telling you to buy a program, app, or supplement. You need a guide who understands the messy intersections of your biology, history, and the broad web of systems and institutions that weren't always built for your safety.

Healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. My approach is relational and integrative because life is integrative; you can’t separate your experience from the world you live in and relationships you’re tied to. I will never tell you to do more or add to your plate. I want you to release what holds you back, and build a life where you feel anchored, resilient, and connected to your body and your people.

Advanced Therapy Trainings

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

Somatic Experiencing (SE)™: Training in progress

Somatic CBT Practitioner: The Embody Lab

Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO): IFS Institute Online Circle

Discernment Counseling: Doherty Relationship Institute (In-Progress)

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Core Skills

Gender-Affirming Care: Assessment & Letter writing for medical interventions