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