PuttingFamilyFirst

The therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp and we will earn a commission if you use our link - at no cost to you.

DD Portrait of Deborah  Devlin
Online therapist

Deborah Devlin

Support for families and parents

Credentials
LPCC
Experience
25 years
Licensed in
Ohio
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Deborah

Deborah Devlin is a licensed professional clinical counselor with 25 years of experience who focuses on family and parenting concerns. She aims to make the first steps feel manageable for busy, worried parents. Her style is practical and down-to-earth, with a focus on clear next steps rather than jargon.

Deborah uses a client-centered stance that keeps family needs at the center of conversations. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.

Background and approach

She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help families clarify values and take workable actions. Her background includes outpatient work, hospital settings, disaster response teams, and home-based programs. She has worked overseas with military members and their families and has experience supporting youth, adults, and groups facing mental health and addiction challenges.

Deborah holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Akron and a master’s degree in community counseling from Malone University. Deborah also earned a master’s degree in philosophy and is completing doctoral work at Walden University, with dissertation research on post-traumatic growth and military members. That mix of practical experience and academic study shapes a thoughtful, flexible approach.

In sessions she talks through realistic steps, offers tools families can try between meetings, and adjusts the plan as needs change. The goal is steady progress toward better family routines, clearer communication, and more confidence in parenting choices.

How Deborah Brings Evidence-Based Approaches Online

Deborah uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help families spot unhelpful thoughts and change small behaviors that make a big difference. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and parenting patterns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people name their values and take small committed actions even when feelings are hard. ACT can help with stress, grief, and coping with life changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Deborah will talk with each family about goals and preferences and then recommend what to try first. She treats the choice as a collaboration and adjusts approaches based on what is or is not helping.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Sessions can be done by video calls, by phone, or through live chat and text-based messaging to fit family schedules. That flexibility makes it easier to keep continuity of care, try brief check-ins between sessions, and practice new skills in real life while getting timely feedback from a licensed professional.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Less about arguing with difficult thoughts, more about loosening their grip and acting on what matters to you anyway. Values and committed action carry the work, which suits conversation at a distance.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of family concerns are addressed?
Therapy covers stress, anxiety, parenting, blended family issues, communication problems, grief, and many related concerns listed in the profile.
How would Deborah describe her therapy style?
She uses a client-centered approach with practical techniques from CBT, ACT, DBT, and attachment work to create steps families can try at home.
What is her professional background?
She has 25 years of experience in outpatient and hospital settings, disaster teams, home-based programs, and overseas work with military families.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She is an LPCC with licensure recorded as OH LPCC E.0004001-SUPV and practices from Ohio.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats does she offer?
Sessions may be done through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How are fees and the subscription handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Experience
25 years
Licensed
Ohio
Languages
English

Next step

Talk to Deborah

  • Takes a few minutes
  • Nothing to set up just to look
  • Stop at any point