About
- Stress and anxiety
- Parenting support
- Grief and loss
About Deborah
Deborah Richardson is an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) practicing in Tennessee with 45 years of experience. She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, grief, parenting concerns, ADHD, bipolar disorder, relationship and family issues, and compassion fatigue among other concerns.
Deborah uses straightforward conversation and practical tasks in sessions. She listens for what matters most and then tries tools that fit the person. Sessions may include talking, writing, listening to music, drawing, or reading together when that helps someone say what they mean.
Her background includes inpatient and outpatient work, nursing home care, group-home settings, and prison-based work. She spent fifteen years doing forensic psychiatry work and more than two decades in private practice. That range of settings shaped a flexible approach to solving everyday problems.
Deborah values plain language over jargon. She looks for small, useful steps - filling potholes, building bridges, or mending a broken heart in practical ways. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Attachment-Based methods, and Client-Centered work as needed.
Outside of work she mentions family life, a teaching degree, a master’s in social work from The University of Tennessee, and a small dog that brightens calls. To begin, readers are encouraged to use the site matching process and schedule a first session.
How sessions work
How Deborah integrates therapeutic approaches in online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice their thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It teaches values-based action so someone can keep moving toward what matters despite difficult emotions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thought and behavior and provides concrete skills to change unhelpful habits and reduce anxiety or depression. Attachment-Based Therapy pays attention to how early relationships affect current patterns; it can help people understand reactions in parenting and family relationships.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Deborah will talk with each person about their needs, goals, and preferences and together decide which methods to try. That collaborative process can shift if something doesn’t fit, using different techniques until there is progress.
The practical benefits of online work include fitting sessions into a busy day and reducing travel time so check-ins are easier to keep. Because session formats are not specified in the biography, confirm the currently offered online options before booking. Online sessions can allow for shorter check-ins when days are tight, options that don’t require video if bandwidth is limited, and scheduling that fits around work, caregiving, or other home responsibilities.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
45+ years
Listed in
Tennessee
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, grief, parenting issues, ADHD, bipolar disorder, relationship and family concerns, and compassion fatigue among others.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is plain and practical, using conversation and simple exercises such as writing, music, or drawing when useful.
How many years has she been practicing?
She has 45 years of experience across inpatient, outpatient, nursing home, group-home, prison, forensic psychiatry, and private practice settings.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is an LCSW licensed in Tennessee and practices from that state.
Are sessions available in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Session formats are not specified here; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and services; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule an initial session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.