Debra Fitzgerald
Practical, experienced counseling for life’s big challenges
LPC-MHSP Tennessee
- Experience
- 22 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship
- Approaches
- Gottman Method, Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Debra
Debra Fitzgerald is a licensed counselor (LPC-MHSP) in Tennessee with 22 years of clinical experience. She focuses on helping people sort through stressful life events and painful emotions in clear, practical ways.
Background and approach
Her work centers on everyday problems like anxiety, depression, relationship strain, grief, and issues around self-image and addiction. Clients can expect straightforward sessions that aim to make problems easier to manage.
She uses tools from cognitive behavioral approaches to notice patterns of thought and behavior. She also draws on the Gottman Method to address relationship and intimacy-related concerns and client-centered methods to keep each person’s goals central.
Debra often works with people facing caregiver stress, midlife transitions, cancer-related concerns, and end-of-life matters. She also addresses process addictions, substance use, panic attacks, and eating- and body-image issues.
Her experience includes helping people cope with isolation, family-of-origin problems, and career-related stress. Sessions are practical and paced to each person’s needs.
Debra aims to help people build coping skills, improve communication, and regain a sense of control. She encourages realistic steps and clear strategies rather than long lists of abstract ideas.
Her practice welcomes diverse backgrounds and identities. Sessions are offered in English and take place through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules.
Using evidence-based approaches online
Debra integrates the Gottman Method, client-centered therapy, and cognitive behavioral techniques into online work. The Gottman Method focuses on improving communication and reducing conflict in relationships through practical exercises and guided conversations. Client-centered therapy emphasizes listening and empathy so the person’s own goals guide sessions and pace. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce anxiety, panic, and mood symptoms.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Debra will work with each person to identify goals, try different methods, and adjust the plan as needs change. The emphasis is on practical steps that fit the client’s life and values rather than one fixed method.
Online formats offer several practical advantages. Video calls let the therapist and client use visual cues and work through exercises together. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and text-based messaging allow ongoing support between sessions or a way to connect when scheduling is tight. These options make therapy more flexible and easier to fit into busy lives.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
22+ years
Licensed in
Tennessee
Languages
English