Deborah DeFrieze

Hi, I'm Dr. Deborah DeFrieze, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 15 years of experience helping people work through anxiety, stress, trauma, grief, depression, and life's hardest transitions. If anxiety or overwhelm has been running the show lately, I'm here to help you take the reins back — with a warm, honest, and practical approach.

My path to this work has been a rich one. Alongside my social work career, I spent 33 years in public education — as a teacher in both regular and special education, an assistant principal, a principal, and an assistant professor — and I served as a missionary in Africa for 18 months. Those experiences taught me to meet people where they are, across every walk of life and stage of change. I hold a Master of Social Work from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a doctorate in education from the University of Georgia, and I'm also a Licensed Massage Therapist, which deepens my appreciation for the mind-body connection in healing.

I draw on evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, tailoring our work to what will help you most.

I'm a direct, solution-oriented therapist, and my goal is always to empower you. I'll listen closely and be honest with you — not to tell you what to do, but to help you find clarity, build on your own strengths, and take concrete steps toward the change you're looking for. You bring the expertise on your own life; I bring the tools and the partnership to help you move forward.

You can expect a warm, welcoming space and the beginning of a genuine, positive therapeutic relationship. Our first session is really about getting to know you — what brought you here, what you're hoping to change, and what matters most to you. There's no pressure and no judgment. From there, we'll start shaping a focused, practical plan to help you reach your goals.