Debra "Debbie" Briggs

Debra "Debbie" Briggs is a Washington LMHC with 14 years of practice. She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self-esteem struggles, coping with life changes, and ADHD. She also supports people dealing with abandonment, attachment concerns, caregiver stress, fertility issues, and questions about life purpose.

Debbie keeps conversations direct and focused. She listens for what is most troubling and then helps people try specific steps that can ease stress or sharpen decisions. Sessions blend talk with practical tools drawn from cognitive behavioral techniques and mindfulness. EMDR and trauma-focused strategies are used when past events keep affecting daily life.

Her approach treats the person as the expert on their own story. She helps identify strengths and small changes that build momentum. That often means setting a short experiment to test a new behavior or thought and then checking what happened.

Debbie has worked with people facing sexual assault, post-traumatic stress, family-of-origin problems, codependency, impulsivity, and isolation. She also supports those who are managing adoption and foster care issues or struggling with communication and relationship patterns.

Sessions may include solution-focused planning to address immediate problems alongside longer-term trauma work when needed. She speaks English and Spanish and uses a practical style aimed at helping someone who feels stuck move toward clearer choices.

How therapeutic approaches shape online sessions

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and reflecting what matters most to the person. It helps when someone needs space to describe confusion and feel understood while deciding next steps.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thought and behavior and offers clear tools to test different ways of reacting. It is useful for managing anxiety, impulsivity, and self-esteem concerns through short exercises and skill practice.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma-focused method that helps process distressing memories so they reduce their hold on daily life. When appropriate, it can be used with trauma and post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, then adapt methods collaboratively. That lets sessions blend quick problem-solving with deeper trauma work when needed.

Confirm the specific session formats offered before booking. Many people find online sessions easier to fit into a day off work or a break between responsibilities, and some formats allow shorter check-ins that take less time. If video is a challenge, options that rely more on voice can reduce bandwidth and let the session stay focused on practical steps.