Deborah Gleason

Deborah Gleason is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who helps people facing anxiety, trauma, relationship strain, and identity concerns. She brings nine years of practice and a calm, steady presence to sessions. Parents and individuals often look to her for help with stress, sleep problems, grief, and changes that feel overwhelming.

Her work centers on slowing down and noticing how the body and mind respond to stress. Deborah uses conversation alongside practices that increase body awareness and help people feel more grounded. She aims to make room for emotions and patterns without judgment and to teach practical tools for day-to-day coping.

Sessions are collaborative. She listens for recurring beliefs and protective habits that once helped but now get in the way. Then she helps clients try new ways of responding, using straightforward exercises, mindfulness, and skill-based strategies drawn from cognitive behavioral and acceptance-based approaches.

Deborah also supports people navigating relationship issues, identity-related concerns including LGBT topics, addiction, and work or career stress. She has worked with adolescents in group home settings and with adults facing family, parenting, or caregiving strain.

She works from Alabama and holds licensure in both Alabama and Illinois. Conversations focus on small, achievable steps so change can fit into a busy life. To begin, clients are invited to share where they are and what matters most to them.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Deborah draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, and it supports values-based action when life feels overwhelming. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on understanding the person's experience and offering a calm, accepting presence to help them find their own solutions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches concrete skills to change unhelpful patterns.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Deborah will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as needed based on what works in real life.

The original profile does not list specific session formats, so confirm available online options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow for short check-ins when needed. It also lets people practice mindfulness or grounding skills in the places where they live and work, making new habits easier to keep.