Dr. Deborah Harris-Sims , LPC

Dr. Deborah Harris-Sims is a licensed professional counselor with 20 years of experience. She brings a calm, attentive presence to sessions and focuses on practical ways to manage stress, anxiety, and life transitions.

She uses a blend of client-centered work and evidence-informed techniques to help people rebuild confidence and regain balance. Sessions focus on clear goals and small steps that fit daily life. Dr. Sims listens closely and helps clients notice patterns that get in the way of change.

Her background includes extensive work with people who have experienced trauma and emotional abuse. She also supports those dealing with depression, addictions, and intimacy-related concerns. Relationship struggles, parenting stresses, grief, and career questions are common topics she addresses.

Dr. Sims draws on cognitive behavioral and solution-focused tools to teach coping skills and to reframe unhelpful thoughts. She also uses psychodynamic ideas to look at how past relationships shape current patterns. The length and focus of work vary by each person’s needs and goals.

Clients can expect practical strategies for sleeping and eating difficulties, help with anger and self-esteem, and guidance through separation or adoption-related concerns. She is experienced with a wide range of personality and attachment issues and helps people plan realistic steps forward.

Approaches that guide remote care

Client-centered work prioritizes the client's perspective and values. The therapist listens and helps people set their own goals, which is useful for relationship concerns, self-esteem, and coping with life changes.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It teaches concrete skills to manage anxiety, depression, sleeping and eating problems, and unhelpful behavior patterns.

Trauma-focused and psychodynamic ideas may be used when past experiences shape present reactions. These approaches help identify patterns linked to attachment, abandonment, or family of origin issues so clients can make different choices today.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences and then shape sessions around what helps most. This is a collaborative process that can change over time as needs shift.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for more in-depth conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can fit easer into a busy day or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging are good for brief check-ins, coaching-style support, or ongoing reflections between sessions.