Debra (Debbie) Shepard
Experienced LCSW offering collaborative, evidence-informed care
LCSW Illinois
- Experience
- 14 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Debra
Debra (Debbie) Shepard is an Illinois-licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 14 years of experience working with a broad range of life challenges.
Background and approach
She focuses on concerns such as stress, anxiety, addiction, relationship difficulties, depression, coping with life changes, trauma and abuse, sleep and eating problems, parenting issues, anger, self-esteem, career struggles, bipolar disorder, compassion fatigue, and ADHD. Her additional interests include matters like abandonment, body image, codependency, communication problems, divorce and separation, and isolation or loneliness.
Her approach blends client-centered principles with evidence-informed methods to tailor care to each person’s needs. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness strategies, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic elements, and the Gottman Method where relevant to help clients build practical skills and insight.
Sessions aim to be warm, interactive, and strength-based while targeting realistic solutions and coping strategies. Debra frames therapy as a collaborative process and encourages clients who are ready to work toward change.
She brings clinical and supervisory experience to sessions and supports people in identifying what is not working and exploring manageable steps toward improvement.
Therapeutic Approaches and Online Access
Debra often integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts and develop practical strategies for mood, anxiety, and behavior change; this approach is useful for addressing stress, anxiety, sleep and eating concerns, and addiction-related patterns. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, offering an empathic, nonjudgmental space that prioritizes the client's perspective and supports self-directed growth. In some cases she incorporates Mindfulness Therapy to teach present-focused awareness and stress-management techniques that complement cognitive and behavioral work.
Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and she collaborates with each person to determine which methods fit their goals, needs, and preferences. Treatment plans are adjusted over time based on progress and client feedback so the work stays relevant and practical.
Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These formats make it easier to access consistent care from Illinois without needing travel, and they allow sessions to fit into busy lives while maintaining continuity of treatment with a licensed professional.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
14+ years
Licensed
Illinois
Languages
English