Deborah Maqueira, LMHC

Deborah Maqueira is a licensed mental health counselor who helps people facing anxiety, depression, stress, grief, and life transitions. She writes plainly and gets to the point, so conversations tend to be direct and practical. Deborah encourages honesty and lightness alongside hard work. In sessions she focuses on changing the thoughts and habits that keep people stuck. Deborah commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and motivational interviewing as starting points and adapts tools to each person's needs. She often uses simple analogies to spark new ways of seeing old problems. Over 17 years she has supported people through intense depression, high anxiety, addiction concerns, relationship and intimacy issues, and challenges tied to work and caregiving. She also addresses concerns like abandonment, shame, dissociation, and feelings of emptiness. Her experience includes hospice and end-of-life counseling and first responder issues. Deborah works in a collaborative way. She balances empathy with clear challenges so clients can test new behaviors between sessions. People can expect practical strategies, short experiments, and check-ins to track progress. She offers sessions in multiple formats including video calls, phone, live chat, and text-based messaging. Deborah practices in Florida as an LMHC and conducts therapy in English. Getting started involves a short questionnaire and scheduling a time that fits the client.

How Deborah applies practical approaches online

Deborah commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at thoughts and behaviors together to build different habits and reduce distress. CBT works well for anxiety, depression, and patterns that keep people stuck. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings while committing to actions that fit their values; it is useful for stress, life transitions, and persistent worry. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and following the client's pace to create a safe space for change.

Finding the right approach is a team effort. Deborah will talk with each person about their goals and try methods that match those needs. She checks in regularly and adjusts tools so sessions stay practical and relevant to real life.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different routines. Video lets people work face to face from wherever they are. Phone calls can be useful when bandwidth is limited or for a quick check-in. Live chat and text messaging make it easier to get brief support between longer sessions or when someone prefers written communication. The formats give flexibility for adding short experiments and homework into everyday life.