Debra Schwarze , LCPC, LPC

Debra Schwarze is a licensed counselor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and women's issues. She brings 30 years of experience working across community mental health, schools, faith-based settings, health systems, and private practice in Illinois and Wisconsin. Debra uses straightforward, practical methods to help people manage symptoms and cope with life changes.

Her approach is client-centered and focused on what each person needs in the moment. She often uses cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. When trauma or painful memories are present, she may use EMDR to help lessen distress around those memories.

Debra also integrates mindfulness practices to build awareness and ease stress. She sometimes uses art-making for people who find words hard to access, offering another way to express emotion. Sessions are conversational and paced to the individual's comfort level.

Over her career she has worked with people dealing with bipolar disorder, obsessive thoughts and compulsions, panic attacks, ADHD, caregiver stress, cancer, end-of-life concerns, and relationship and family strain. She supports those facing divorce, infidelity, loneliness, or questions about life purpose.

Debra holds LCPC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor) and LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) credentials and works from Illinois. She provides sessions in English and offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs.

How her approaches translate to online care

Client-Centered Therapy places the person and their goals at the center of sessions. The therapist listens closely, reflects what she hears, and adjusts the pace and focus to fit the client's needs. This approach helps when someone wants a steady, respectful space to talk through feelings and decisions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. Online sessions can include identifying unhelpful thought patterns and trying short experiments between meetings to test new behaviors. This approach is often used for anxiety, panic, mood concerns, and stress management.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR, is a method used to reduce distress tied to troubling memories. In an online setting, elements of EMDR can be guided through video or phone formats with careful preparation and pacing to match the person's comfort.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss options and collaborate with the client to pick methods that fit their goals and preferences. Treatment plans are adjusted over time based on progress and feedback.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls let the therapist and client meet face-to-face when needed, phone sessions use less bandwidth, and live chat or text-based messaging work for brief check-ins or when someone prefers nonverbal contact. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life while keeping regular contact with a licensed professional.