Deborah Sterling, LCSW

Licensed in California · 3 years in practice

Deborah Sterling helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, parenting strain, grief, and the fallout from trauma and abuse.

License and registration

LCSW, California: 60078 · expires January 2027
NPI: 1609330554 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 3
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Deborah

Deborah Sterling helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, parenting strain, grief, and the fallout from trauma and abuse. She also supports individuals coping with ADHD, low self-esteem, relationship challenges, compassion fatigue, and issues related to adoption, foster care, polyamory, and divorce. Deborah is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and she brings an approachable, steady presence to sessions.

She keeps the work straightforward and practical. Sessions often begin with what’s most pressing and move toward short, workable steps.

Background and approach

Deborah uses talk therapy alongside tools drawn from cognitive behavioral ideas to help people notice patterns and try different responses. She focuses on small changes that add up over time. Her background includes a master’s degree in social work from California State University, San Bernardino and long experience with children and families involved in foster care.

That history shapes a calm, child-aware perspective even when working with adults. Her clinical experience also includes time supporting teens in therapeutic settings. Deborah favors a warm, client-centered style.

She aims to create a space where people feel heard and can say what’s hard. From there she and the client set practical goals and try manageable strategies between sessions. Sessions are offered in English and delivered online in a variety of formats.

Deborah has three years of experience in her current clinical practice as an LCSW in California.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Deborah lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Family conflicts
Self esteem
Depression
ADHD
LGBT
Relationship issues
Trauma and abuse
Grief
Parenting issues
Coping with life changes
Compassion fatigue
Adoption and foster care
Divorce and separation
Family problems
Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
Self-love

Approaches Deborah names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How Deborah’s Approaches Work Online

Client-centered therapy centers on the person’s experience and priorities. The therapist listens closely, reflects what she hears, and follows the client’s lead to build goals that feel relevant and achievable. This approach helps when people need space to sort feelings and decide what matters most.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact. Sessions include identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and testing small behavioral changes. CBT-style techniques can be useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with change.

Solution-focused therapy zeroes in on practical next steps. Rather than dwelling on problems, it highlights strengths and immediate actions that move someone toward their goals. This method suits people who want short-term, goal-oriented work.

Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. Deborah will work with each person to pick methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. She checks in regularly and adjusts plans as things change so the work stays useful.

Online therapy offers flexibility for different schedules and needs. Video calls are good for full sessions with face-to-face conversation. Phone sessions can be shorter check-ins or a lower-bandwidth choice. Live chat and text-based messaging allow quick updates, brief reflections, or support between longer sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent despite busy lives.

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Questions people ask

What concerns does Deborah focus on?

She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem, relationship challenges, ADHD, and compassion fatigue, plus adoption and foster care related issues.

What is her therapy style like?

Her approach is client-centered and practical. Sessions aim to identify immediate concerns and try small, useful steps between meetings.

What experience does she bring?

Deborah has three years in her current practice as an LCSW and long prior work with children and families involved in the foster care system.

Where is she licensed and based?

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in California and practices there.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging for online therapy.

How does billing and cost work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

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