About Wild CounselingHi, 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.
Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.
Bell Hooks
My Beliefs
My I’ve had the privilege of doing this work across D.C., New York, LA, and now Reno. My clinical foundation began in cognitive behavioral therapy and research, but I quickly grew disillusioned by 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 self-help book, app, or generic advice. You need a guide who understands the messy intersections of your biology, history, and the broad web of systems and institutions you live in every day.
I believe healing starts from the bottom-up - by listening to what your body is carrying rather than just trying to think your way out of it.
Healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. My approach is relational, experiential, and integrative because life is integrative. I will never ask 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.
Beyond the Therapy Room
I'm an East Coast transplant, Ashkenazi Jew, climate advocate, soon-to-be-mom, wife, and true-to-form Millennial.
You’ll most likely catch me sprawled on the floor with my dog, obsessively reading or learning (a trait I come by honestly as the daughter of a lawyer and scientist), backpacking or hiking, lounging in the sun, or catching the latest movie release. I’ll either have an episode of Hidden Brain, or some R&B, New Wave, or folk playing in the background.
At my core, I’ve always been drawn to people who have spent much of their lives feeling misunderstood, unloved, or endlessly stressed/anxious - tethered to the invisible, relentless pressure to produce, perform, and achieve.
I believe that our deepest wounds don't mean we are broken; they are the exact places where we learn to navigate challenge, honor our natural intuition, and finally learn to take a breath.
Mostly, I want you, me, and all of us, to feel alive.
Trauma-informed.
Evidence-based.
Client-centered.
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I utilize Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), the gold standard for relational healing, to help partners and individuals move out of reactive patterns and into secure connection. My work is grounded in attachment theory, helping you understand how your history and biology impact your current relationships.
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I am currently undergoing advanced training in Somatic Experiencing (SE), a research-backed, neuro-physiological approach developed to resolve the physical effects of stress and trauma. SE is widely recognized as a gold-standard trauma treatment. Unlike traditional talk therapy, SE focuses on how the nervous system stores survival energy. By working with the body’s natural 'reset' mechanisms, we can release chronic tension and burnout at the root, allowing your system to return to a state of balance and resilience
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Internal Family Systems helps you understand the different “parts” of yourself. By getting to know and care for the 'parts' of you that feel reactive or small during conflict, you can respond with clarity instead of old pain.
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EMDR is a powerful, evidence-based approach designed to help your brain and body reprocess painful memories that have become "stuck" in your nervous system. Often, the residue of the past (especially attachment wounds or relational trauma) shows up in the present. Using bilateral stimulation like eye movements or tapping, EMDR unlocks your brain's natural ability to release this stored emotional weight without requiring you to relive every detail of the event. I frequently integrate this with IFS (Parts Work) to ensure your internal "protectors" feel safe throughout the process, moving you from a state of chronic dysregulation toward a grounded sense of self-worth and internal safety.
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Nature-based healing uses the grounding power of the natural world to support emotional health. Whether we are incorporating ecotherapy principles or utilizing local landscapes, we bridge the gap between your internal experience and the stabilizing rhythms of the earth.
My Core Values
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Root-Cause Healing
No surface-level Band-Aids. Real, lasting shift requires going beneath symptoms to address the underlying nervous system patterns, relational blueprints, and deep history that drive them.
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Biology Over Blame
Your responses make sense. Chronic anxiety, over-functioning, and withdrawal aren't personal failures—they are intelligent survival strategies. We treat your biology with respect, not judgment.
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Authenticity
No clinical distance, no toxic positivity. I show up as a real human being in the room, not a sterile textbook. I invite you to show up as exactly who you are, stop masking, and reconnect with what is genuinely true for you.
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Radical Autonomy
You are the expert on your life; I am your expert guide. You won't find generic advice, toxic positivity, or task lists here - just practical tools that create space for genuine ease.
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Context Matters
We don't exist in a vacuum. You cannot separate your well-being from your relationships, family history, and broader social systems. Meaningful progress honors your whole environment.
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Inclusivity
All identities, backgrounds, and lived experiences are welcome here. I strive to create a safe, non-judgmental space where everyone is seen, respected, and supported in their healing.
Advanced Therapy Trainings
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (2022)
Somatic Experiencing (SE)™: Training in progress (2026- present)
Somatic CBT Practitioner: The Embody Lab (2024)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO): IFS Institute Online Circle (2025- present)
Discernment Counseling: Doherty Relationship Institute (2026 - present)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Level 2 Core Skills (2026)
Gender-Affirming Care: Assessment & Letter writing for medical interventions (2025)