- Years in practice
- 25
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- Montana
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Anger management
- Focus
- Self esteem
About Debra
Debra Thurman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 25 years of practice based in Montana. She prefers working with adults and often helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem, or depression. She also supports people facing parenting challenges and coping with major life changes.
She centers conversations on respect and compassion. Sessions are tailored to each person’s situation and goals. Debra uses plain language and practical steps so parents and adults can try ideas between meetings.
Background and approach
Her background includes long experience with trauma and abuse, grief and loss, sleep disruptions, and complex mood concerns such as bipolar disorder. She also pays attention to caregiving strain, chronic illness, and issues that come from family history or past relationships. Therapeutic tools come from approaches like cognitive behavioral work, acceptance and commitment strategies, dialectical behavior skills, and client-centered listening.
These methods are used to build emotion regulation skills, change unhelpful thinking, and clarify values that guide daily choices. Debra aims to be a steady collaborator while people sort through practical problems and emotional pain. She invites questions, adapts plans as needs shift, and supports progress at a pace that feels manageable.
What Debra works with
Everything Debra lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Debra helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Control issues
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches Debra lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How Debra’s Approaches Work Online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, often called ACT, focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small steps toward them even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present. It can help people who feel stuck by shifting attention to what matters most and building committed actions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behavior and teaches concrete tools to change unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors. It is often used for anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and stress.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Debra will explore your goals, preferences, and daily routines, and then recommend a mix of methods that fit. This is a collaborative process where plans are adjusted as progress is made or needs change.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day. Video is useful for full conversations and skill practice. Phone calls can work when bandwidth is limited or a quieter check-in is needed. Live chat and messaging let people share short updates, try quick coping strategies, or hold brief check-ins between longer sessions.
Questions people ask about Debra
What concerns does Debra commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, anger, self-esteem and depression, along with parenting challenges, trauma, grief, sleep problems, and bipolar mood concerns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She uses straightforward, respectful conversation and practical steps that people can try between sessions. The approach blends listening with skill-building and value-focused work.
What kind of experience does she bring?
She has 25 years of professional experience and has worked with people across a wide adult age range.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an MT LCSW, which denotes a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Montana, and practices from Montana.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different needs and schedules.
How does billing and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are arranged through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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