About Debbie
Debbie Chirikos brings 40 years as a licensed clinical social worker to her counseling practice, combining deep clinical experience with a warm, engaged presence.
Background and approach
She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Clinical Social Work from universities in Colorado and has worked across multiple states as well as in Hawaii and Canada, continually updating her skills to remain responsive to changing social needs.
Debbie emphasizes attunement and focused attention when meeting with clients, aiming to help them resolve painful patterns and move toward more authentic, satisfying lives. She encourages clients who are ready to do the hard work of self-examination and behavior change, offering patient, nonjudgmental guidance and pragmatic support.
Debbie uses a collaborative stance that values curiosity, humor, and steady encouragement, believing that people who are suffering already have the resources to overcome many challenges and sometimes need a thoughtful partner along the way. Her approach supports people coping with stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, relationship struggles, parenting and family concerns, career transitions, ADHD, and related issues.
Therapeutic approaches and online care
Debbie draws on client-centered therapy to create a compassionate, nonjudgmental space where the client’s experiences and goals guide the work. This approach focuses on listening, empathy, and supporting each person’s capacity for growth, which is helpful for people coping with depression, self-esteem issues, and life transitions.She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. CBT provides concrete tools for anxiety, stress, sleep problems, and many daily challenges by combining practical strategies with collaborative problem solving.
Finding the right approach is part of the process, and Debbie works with clients to determine what methods fit best given their needs, goals, and preferences. She frames therapy as a partnership, offering guidance while inviting client feedback to adjust focus and techniques over time.
Online sessions are offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and access. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, continue regular contact during life transitions, and choose the communication style that feels most comfortable for the client.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Debbie address in therapy
What therapeutic style can I expect in sessions
How long has she been practicing
Where is Debbie licensed and located
Does she provide services in languages other than English or to international clients
What session formats are available for online work
How are fees and subscriptions handled
What steps are involved in beginning therapy
Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Parenting issues
Also works with
- ADHD
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Post-traumatic stress
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 40 years
- Licensed
- Illinois
- Languages
- English