Debra Schwarze, LCPC, LPC

Debra Schwarze is a licensed counselor based in Illinois with 30 years of experience across community mental health, schools, faith-based organizations, health systems, and private practice settings. She holds master's degrees in counseling and art therapy and maintains professional credentials as an LCPC and an LPC - designations that indicate licensure to provide clinical counseling services. Debra draws on an eclectic, client-focused approach, blending cognitive behavioral techniques, DBT-informed practices, client-centered methods, and expressive therapy to tailor care to each person’s needs.

When clients are open to creative approaches, she incorporates art making to help give voice to experiences that may be difficult to put into words. Her clinical work includes support for major depression, bipolar disorder, a range of anxiety disorders, ADHD, life-changing events, end-of-life concerns, and cancer. She also works with stress, grief, relationship and family issues, coping with change, compassion fatigue, sleep difficulties, self-esteem, career concerns, trauma and abuse, and other mood and anxiety-related challenges.

Debra emphasizes a collaborative relationship in which the therapist provides guidance and a supportive environment while clients engage openly to facilitate growth and change. She welcomes the opportunity to join clients on their journey toward improved mental and emotional well-being.

Approaches for Online Therapy and How They Help

Debra Schwarze integrates several evidence-based approaches that translate well to online work. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating a respectful, nonjudgmental space where individuals explore feelings and values at their own pace - it supports people working through life transitions, relationship concerns, and emotional struggles. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors through practical exercises and skills building, and is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress management. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) offers a structured method to process distressing memories and trauma using bilateral stimulation paired with guided recall, and can be an option when trauma and abuse are part of a person’s history.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Debra works with clients to assess needs, goals, and personal preferences, and will recommend or combine methods that fit each person’s situation so that therapy feels purposeful and tailored.

Online therapy options - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to connect from different locations. These formats allow licensed professionals to deliver consistent care, offer flexible scheduling, and support ongoing work between sessions, helping clients maintain progress while accommodating their daily lives.