Deborah Tommey, LPC

Deborah Tommey is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who earned a Master of Counseling from Oklahoma State University/Tulsa. With 15 years of clinical experience, she works primarily with adults and prefers clients aged 20 and older. Her practice addresses a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma and stress-related disorders, dementia and cognitive impairment, LGBTQ matters, hoarding disorder, relationship and family issues, self-esteem, sleep problems, anger, career concerns, and caregiving and aging-related stress.

Deborah emphasizes a person-centered approach that places the client’s perspective and goals at the center of therapy. She integrates Solution-Focused, Gestalt, and Existential techniques as needed, and uses mindfulness practices when appropriate to support emotional and physical wellbeing. She begins from an optimistic, empathic stance and often invites clients to consider the question, "What difference or change do you want to achieve?" to clarify goals and direction.

She has experience facilitating support groups and providing education and training for other professionals on behavioral health topics. Deborah offers sessions by phone and video and uses messaging between sessions for important updates. She aims to guide and support adults through life transitions and toward the changes they want to make.

Approaches That Translate Well to Online Therapy

Deborah uses client-centered therapy to create a supportive, collaborative space where the client’s goals and values guide the work. This approach helps people build autonomy, improve self-esteem, and address relationship or life-direction concerns by focusing on the client’s experience and strengths.

She also draws on existential therapy to explore meaning, purpose, and choices in the face of loss, major life transitions, or feelings of emptiness. This perspective can help clients reframe difficult experiences and consider new ways of living that align with their values.

Mindfulness techniques are incorporated when helpful to manage stress, anxiety, and strong emotions by cultivating present-moment awareness and self-regulation skills.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Deborah works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adapts the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can be scheduled as video calls or phone sessions, and messaging or live chat can be used for brief check-ins or between-session support. Deborah generally prefers phone and video for full counseling sessions and uses messaging for important updates between appointments, offering accessibility for those with busy schedules or limited local options.