About Deborah
Deborah Sterling is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in California who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, grief, and trauma. She also supports people dealing with ADHD, relationship concerns, LGBT issues, compassion fatigue, and life changes such as divorce or adoption and foster care matters. Deborah writes plainly and listens closely to what matters most to each person.
She trained at California State University, San Bernardino, earning a Master’s degree in Social Work with an emphasis on child welfare.
How Deborah works
For many years she worked in the foster care system with children and families, and she later moved into therapeutic roles with teens and adults. That background informs her approach to family problems and adoption or foster-care related concerns. Deborah uses Client-Centered Therapy to create a respectful space where people can talk through difficult feelings.
She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at thoughts and habits that keep problems going, and Solution-Focused Therapy to build practical steps forward. Sessions combine talk therapy with clear strategies people can use between meetings. Her style is supportive and direct.
She aims to help clients notice small changes that add up over time. Parents and individuals looking for help with stress, self-esteem, or relationship patterns will find concrete tools and steady guidance. Deborah offers sessions in English and practices as an LCSW in California.
She focuses on helping clients manage current problems and move toward healthier routines and relationships.
Deborah lists 3 ways of working on the entry:
What Deborah works with
The areas below are the ones Deborah selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Self esteem
Also listed
- ADHD
- Adoption and foster care
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Family problems
- Grief
- LGBT
- Parenting issues
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Relationship issues
- Self-love
- Trauma and abuse
Training and background
| Register | LCSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 3 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | California |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
Approaches that guide online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building trust so people feel understood. It helps when someone needs a nonjudgmental place to talk about stress, family issues, or identity questions.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts and behaviors keep problems going and teaches practical skills to change them. It is useful for anxiety, depression, ADHD-related challenges, and shifting unhelpful habits. Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on current goals and small, doable steps that lead to quick improvements in everyday life.
Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their needs, goals, and preferences and suggest which methods to try first. Plans are adjusted as progress is made so the work stays relevant and focused.
Online therapy offers real flexibility. Video calls let people work face-to-face from wherever they are. Phone sessions can fit a walk or a short break and need less bandwidth. Live chat and text-based messaging make it easy to check in between sessions or when someone prefers writing to speaking. These options help make ongoing care easier to schedule and maintain.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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