I help women reduce anxiety, let go of self-defeating patterns and improve relationships.
Online in Illinois, Washington, Idaho and Florida. Walk and Talk Therapy along Chicago’s Lakefront Trail.    
Therapy For Women
If you’re reading this then you’re probably on the verge of deciding to accept some help. It can be really hard. I grew up a very anxious, self-loathing and depressed kid. I knew I liked girls and not boys and that was enough in my Catholic upbringing to leave me very worried that I was going to Hell. Ironically, believing in Hell probably saved me from killing myself. Most of the things I know I learned the hard way. Eventually, I accepted help. By a process of therapy, Al-Anon, finding a lesbian community and ride-or-die women friends, I made positive changes. And the process continues. https://wisewomantherapy.com/about-debdettman/
I started Wise Woman Therapy after 30 years working in non-profits, providing therapy for women recovering from addiction and trauma. Beyond those issues, I work with women in recovery from the impacts of homophobia, sexism, toxic workplaces and relationships and religious trauma.
I believe in your capacity to find the Wise Woman within, no matter how much you struggle with the parts of you that feel damaged and stuck in old patterns.
Active Collaboration
If you’ve been in psychotherapy or counseling before you may have had a rather passive therapist. She just kept saying, “How did that make you feel?” or “Tell me more about that.” If that’s all that happens, I don’t find this to lead to much progress.
How you feel is very important but I will have way more to say. I will be asking plenty of questions. There will be a lot of suggestions on coping strategies you can try. You will get to decide if you try any of it, but I will have ideas. I see my work as a combination of being a compassionate witness, a guide, a detective and a scientist. Together we will try to make sense of some things and set you on a useful path to sustainable change.
In order to break out of self-defeating patterns that stem from old wounds we will need to do some hard work. Because of this dynamic, our work comes down to finding that deep down you are a wise woman. You are going to find your own resilience. I will help with that.
I will assist you in setting realistic personal goals and then I will be around to help you be accountable to yourself to achieve them.
To enhance our work, I will give you ideas for things you may want to read. (See page on Recommended Reading.)