Deborah Cielo LCSW

I have previous experience as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Counselor. As an EAP Counselor, clients come to us with a set number of sessions that are provide by their employer or school. With that being said, there were times where a client may have only 3 therapy sessions available. So in order to be as effective as possible I utilized this treatment modality. However, this approach has also been effective with ongoing therapy as well.

DBT is an evidenced-based approach that is often used with clients diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. However, this approach can also be used with clients struggling with anxiety, depression, impulse control issues, and emotional regulation issues. I have been using the techniques and approaches used in DBT with my clients for many years.

CBT is the a widely-used modality by many therapist. As such, it is a modality that I used quite often. It is especially helpful when working with clients struggling with cognitive distortions or negative thinking. I believe there’s always room to become an even better-informed therapist, so I regularly participate in continued education and trainings on CBT, DBT, SFBT, and other modalities.

Anxiety is something that most of us struggle with. However, sometimes it becomes so severe that it effects our ability to function. Additionally, some can have specific anxieties (social anxiety, gym anxiety, work anxiety, etc..). I have worked with numerous clients over the years who struggle with anxiety and have found that my approach has been helpful in adding them to learn how to better manage it.

Depression is the number one issue that many of my clients struggle with. I have worked with clients of all ages suffering with different types of depression. Their depression may be caused by the weather, major life events, relationship issues, college, work, etc... Additionally, some of the clients I work with suffer from ongoing depression (Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD, etc...). Utilizing CBT, DBT, and psychodynamic therapy I have been able to help my clients.

As someone who used to work on a college campus with young adults, I have found that a lot of them suffered from self-esteem issues. However, in my recent years there have been older adults also suffering from it and seeking help to build/rebuild their self-esteem. I enjoy working with clients struggling with low self-esteem as I can help them discover their strengths, build their confidence, and gradually change over time.