- CBT ideas
- Solution-focused steps
- Motivational interviewing
About Deborah
Deborah (Debbie) Connery is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Illinois with 33 years of experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, relationship and family concerns, and life transitions. She also addresses issues such as guilt and shame, self-esteem, anger, bipolar mood challenges, and coping with change.
Debbie uses straightforward talking and practical methods in sessions. She focuses on finding small, useful steps people can try between meetings. She draws on approaches like cognitive behavioral ideas, solution-focused strategies, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed ways of working to help clients notice patterns and try different responses.
Her style is collaborative: she helps people identify strengths and looks for overlooked sources of hope. Sessions typically involve exploring what led to the current struggle, testing simple tools, and adjusting the plan as progress is made. The work often covers everyday problems as well as deeper losses or past hurts.
Debbie has worked in Illinois settings with adults for decades, bringing that practical experience to the room. She encourages clients to set clear, realistic goals and to check in about what is and is not helping. The focus is on useful change rather than labels.
People who come because they feel stuck by guilt or shame, or overwhelmed by grief or anxiety, will find a clinician who combines listening with concrete steps. Her approach aims to balance understanding with actions that can fit into busy lives.
How Deborah uses therapeutic approaches in online sessions
Debbie draws on cognitive behavioral therapy and solution-focused methods to structure work in sessions. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence one another and provides exercises to test different thoughts and reactions; it is often used for anxiety, depression, and worry. Solution-focused therapy looks for what is already working and builds on small, practical changes to move a person toward clearer goals and everyday improvements.Finding the right approach is part of the process. She will collaborate with a client to choose which methods to try, check what helps, and shift tactics when needed. Decisions about approach are guided by the client's concerns, goals, and preferences rather than a fixed formula.
Session format options are not specified in the biographical information, so please confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, shorten check-ins when time is limited, and let people connect without traveling. Licensed professionals use these adaptations to keep therapy practical and accessible while focusing on clear steps a person can try between sessions.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
33+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with adults around stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and family difficulties, life transitions, and related issues such as guilt and shame and self-esteem.
How does she approach feelings of guilt or shame?
She combines talking with practical techniques from cognitive behavioral and solution-focused approaches to help people notice patterns and try different responses to those feelings.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 33 years of experience working with adults in Illinois settings, drawing on long-term practice with mood, grief, and life change concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in Illinois and practices with that credential in Illinois.
In which language are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.