About Debra
Debra Sarno is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in New York. She brings 30 years of practice to help people work through stress, anxiety, grief, ADHD concerns, mood changes, and relationship struggles. Her approach is practical and person-focused.
She draws on client-centered methods to build a respectful, listening relationship. From there she combines cognitive behavioral techniques to address thinking and behavior patterns. Mindfulness strategies and solution-focused work are used to set clear goals and small steps forward.
Background and approach
Debra has worked in clinics, hospitals, and schools, and she uses that variety of experience to adapt to different lives and pressures. She helps people facing caregiving strain, chronic illness or pain, workplace stress, and midlife changes. She also supports those managing depression, bipolar disorder, personality or mood challenges, and compassion fatigue.
Sessions focus on identifying realistic goals, practicing new skills, and using brief, doable steps between meetings. She also uses hypnotherapy where it fits the person’s needs to reinforce new habits and reduce anxiety. Her style is steady, practical, and collaborative.
People who choose Debra often want clear strategies they can use right away. She works with each person to build a plan that fits their schedule and life demands. The aim is better day-to-day functioning and clearer direction for the future.
Therapeutic approaches you can use online
Debra blends client-centered work with cognitive behavioral therapy to help people understand what they want to change and learn concrete skills to do it. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building trust so people can set the pace and priorities. CBT looks at patterns of thinking and behavior and teaches step-by-step techniques to reduce anxiety, lift mood, and improve daily routines.She also uses mindfulness practices to help reduce stress and build present-moment focus. Mindfulness exercises are short and can be done between sessions to calm the mind, improve attention, and make coping easier. Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work together; Debra will collaborate with each person to decide which methods best match their goals and preferences.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video lets you use visual cues and deeper conversation, phone can be a simpler option if bandwidth is limited, and messaging or live chat supports brief check-ins and ongoing coaching. These options make scheduling easier and help fit therapy into busy lives.
Questions people ask
What kinds of concerns does Debra address?
What is her general therapy style?
How much experience does she have?
What are her credentials and where is she located?
In which languages are sessions offered?
Can people outside the United States work with her?
What session formats are available?
How do I begin working with her and what does cost look like?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Parenting issues
Also listed
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Coaching
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Intimacy-related issues
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 30 years
- Licensed
- New York
- Languages
- English
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