Deborah "Debbie" Kirby, LCSW

Deborah "Debbie" Kirby is a licensed clinical social worker with 24 years of experience based in Oregon. She combines practical tools and clear conversation to help people manage stress, anxiety, grief, career moves, and major life changes. Debbie also offers coaching for professionals who want focused guidance on goals and decision-making.

Her style is straightforward and compassionate. She aims to make sessions feel safe and nonjudgmental so people can talk honestly about what matters. Debbie listens closely and helps clients break problems into manageable steps.

Debbie draws on cognitive behavioral ideas alongside acceptance and commitment techniques to address unhelpful thoughts and unwanted patterns. She also uses attachment-informed perspectives to look at how relationships shape feelings and behavior. Dialectical skill-building and a client-centered attitude round out her approach.

Over the years she has supported people dealing with trauma and abuse, eating difficulties, parenting strain, and compassion fatigue. She also works with concerns such as adoption and foster care issues, blended family challenges, infertility stress, first responder strain, and hospice or end-of-life counseling.

Sessions focus on practical strategies, clearer communication, and steps that can be tried between meetings. Debbie encourages collaboration - she and each person set goals together and adjust the plan as needed.

Online approaches that focus on thinking, values, and relationships

Debbie uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test new ways of thinking and behaving. CBT often includes short exercises between sessions to practice skills and track progress.

She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which helps people clarify their values and take action even when difficult feelings are present. ACT emphasizes small steps toward a meaningful life rather than trying to eliminate all unpleasant feelings.

An attachment-based lens helps explore how early and current relationships influence emotional reactions and patterns. This perspective can be useful for people trying to change relationship habits or understand why certain situations feel triggering.

Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. Debbie will work with each person to choose methods that match their goals and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as needs change.

Online formats available include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video works well for deeper conversations and visual cues. Phone sessions can fit into a work break or require less bandwidth. Live chat and messaging allow brief check-ins, ongoing coaching-style support, or a way to share thoughts between scheduled meetings.