Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Knoxville, TN covered by Aetna

Hello! I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner (LIMHP) based in Tennessee. I am also licensed in the states of UT and NE. I have been in practice for 15 years. I love working with clients who are genuinely seeking therapy for their own growth and awareness. I enjoy helping clients who want to take a deeper look at behaviors and relationships in their lives that could be modified and or improved. I started my career in community mental health working with individuals who were suffering from addiction, childhood trauma, family conflict, and faith crisis. I feel like I have learned the true impact addiction, poverty, trauma, and abuse can have on an individual and family system. This has helped me create space for clients to feel safe, heard, valued, and respected in our sessions. I look forward to meeting you!

I believe meaningful change starts with feeling truly seen, heard, and understood. Many of my clients come to me feeling overwhelmed by intense emotions, stuck in unhelpful patterns, or unsure of how to move forward—and that’s okay. You don’t need to have everything figured out before starting therapy.

I work with individuals who are navigating challenges like anxiety, stress, relationship difficulties, and emotional ups and downs. If you often feel like your emotions are hard to manage or situations become overwhelming quickly, you’re not alone, and there are ways to build more balance and control.

My goal is to create a space where you can be yourself without fear of judgment, while also helping you develop the skills to better cope, communicate, and move forward with confidence. Therapy with me is not just about talking, it’s about learning practical tools and creating real, lasting change.

I love working with people and helping them "grow" through the things of life that they "go" through. A quote that I love to share with clients and live by personally is to remember not to focus on your purpose but to live your life purposely. As a military social worker my background is specific to first responders, but most importantly individuals that are learning their new "normal" after traumatic life events that have unexpectedly shaped them.

I am an individual counseling with over 12 years of experience at the Post-Graduate level. I specialize in working with adults and have experience with many clinical settings, including In-patient care, community mental health and private practice. I also provide Clinical Supervision for counselors that are on track to become licensed in the state of Tennessee.

I believe that your lived experiences are valid and essential for our work together. I specialize in eating disorders, disordered eating, body image issues, and also treat depression and anxiety. Foundational to my work are the principles of bodily autonomy, Health At Every Size (HAES®), harm reduction, social justice, and compassion.

Dr. Deborah DeFrieze

Dr. in Education

Master's degree in social work

Social Work and Licensed Massage Therapist for 15 years

Missionary in Africa for 18 months

Public Education for 33 years

Regular and Special Education Teacher

Assistant Principal

Principal

Assistant Professor

I get it—feeling stuck in the same old patterns, craving deeper connections, and wondering how to even begin to break free can be exhausting. If you’re anything like the people I work with (and honestly, like I once was myself), you’ve probably spent a lot of time thinking, “Something has to change... but what?” That’s where I come in.