Deborah Fletcher

Sometimes what looks like difficulty focusing, anger, withdrawal, or anxiety on the outside is really a sign that something deeper is going on. You may be a young adult trying to understand who you are while depression, ADHD, past experiences, or difficult relationships make moving forward harder than expected. You may be a teen who feels misunderstood at home, or a parent watching your child struggle and wondering how to reach them. Although only licensed as a social worker for the past 6 years, I’ve worked with children, teens, young adults, and families for 30 years in various capacities. I have particular experience helping people whose lives have been shaped by trauma, including foster and adoption experiences. My goal is to help you feel understood rather than defined by what you’re going through, while building the confidence and skills to move forward.

I focus on helping you understand what is driving the emotions and behaviors you’re seeing, rather than simply trying to make them disappear. For a young adult, that might mean figuring out why certain relationships trigger intense reactions, learning to manage ADHD or anxiety, or understanding how past experiences still influence trust, anger, and self confidence. With children and teens, play, art, and music can make it easier to express feelings that are difficult to put into words. When families are struggling, we’ll look at patterns at home and help both young people and caregivers communicate and respond to each other differently. If trauma is part of the story, we’ll build healthier ways to manage difficult emotions before exploring painful experiences at a comfortable pace. The goal is to feel more in control of your emotions, more secure in your relationships, and better prepared for what comes next.

The first session is about understanding you (and/or your child and your family), not judging or expecting anyone to immediately open up to a stranger. We’ll talk about what you’ve been noticing at home, school, or in relationships, whether that’s anger, anxiety, trouble focusing, sadness, withdrawal, family conflict, or changes following a difficult experience. I’ll also want to hear your child or teen’s perspective because what adults see on the outside may feel very different to them on the inside. For younger children, games, play, art, or music can make getting comfortable and communicating feel much more natural. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions and share concerns. We’ll leave with a better understanding of what you or your family need and where we can begin.