Debra Thurman, LCSW

Debra Thurman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Montana with 25 years of experience. She most often works with adults and focuses on concerns such as stress, anxiety, anger, self-esteem, depression, parenting, career pressures, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes.

She also addresses issues connected to family relationships, including family of origin concerns and family problems. Additional areas she sees include caregiver stress, aging and geriatric issues, chronic illness and pain, codependency, and forgiveness and guilt. She lists work related to trauma and abuse alongside sleeping difficulties and LGBTQ topics.

Her approach draws on a mix of practical methods. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior. She incorporates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) ideas to help clarify values and build committed action. She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills and Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) ideas when emotion regulation and relationship feelings are central.

Sessions are conversational and client-centered. Debra adapts the pace and focus to the person who comes in. She aims to create a predictable process so people can try small changes and track what helps.

People who are worried about repeating patterns from the family they grew up in often come to talk about practical next steps. She encourages straightforward goals, simple skill practice, and clear check-ins about progress.

Therapeutic approaches and working online