About Debra
Debra Counadis is a licensed clinical social worker with 20 years of professional experience in Hawaii. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, and depression. Her approach is respectful and compassionate, and she aims to meet each person where they are.
She works with clients on practical steps to cope with life changes and build confidence. That can include talking through difficult feelings, problem-solving stressful situations, and finding ways to reframe negative self-talk.
How Debra works
The goal is steady, manageable progress rather than quick fixes. Debra also pays attention to issues that often accompany mood concerns, such as control struggles, guilt and shame, and feelings of isolation or loneliness. She helps people sort out what matters most to them and identify small actions that lead to change.
This can make overwhelming problems feel more doable. When trauma or post-traumatic stress symptoms are present, she supports clients in pacing their work and developing coping skills. Social anxiety and phobia are approached with steps that build comfort in social situations over time.
Forgiveness and life purpose work are offered as part of broader healing and meaning-making. Sessions are tailored to each person’s needs and goals. Debra encourages a collaborative process where clients set the pace.
She recognizes that starting therapy takes courage and aims to make the first steps straightforward and respectful.
What Debra works with
The areas below are the ones Debra selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
Training and background
| Register | LCSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 20 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Hawaii |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
Evidence-based approaches and how they work online
Debra uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques to guide practical change. One common approach focuses on building coping skills and problem-solving. This involves identifying stressful patterns, practicing new responses, and using small experiments to test ideas in daily life. It can help with anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes.Another central approach emphasizes processing difficult emotions like grief, guilt, or shame through paced conversation and reflective exercises. This helps people make sense of painful experiences and find ways to move forward without rushing healing. For social anxiety and phobia, she works on gradual exposure and confidence-building steps that increase comfort over time.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what feels manageable. They collaborate to choose techniques and adjust the pace so the plan fits the individual's life and needs.
Online therapy is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video calls let people see nonverbal cues and have deeper conversations. Phone sessions can be a good low-bandwidth option or a shorter check-in. Live chat and text-based messaging allow for brief updates, real-time support, or flexible exchanges when schedules are tight. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into everyday life.
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Common questions
What concerns does Debra commonly help with?
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What background and experience does she bring?
Where is she based and what credential does she hold?
Can sessions be conducted in other languages or internationally?
What session formats are available?
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
How do I get started with therapy with her?
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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