Debra Steele

LMFT Therapist She/Her/Hers
Contact Debra Phone: (708) 317-9056 E-mail: dsteele@wearehelpful.com
Debra Headshot

Insurance Taken:

  • Aetna

  • AMITA Health HMO (site # 197, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500)

  • Anthem

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO or Blue Choice

  • Cigna, Cigna EAP, Evernorth

  • Fox Valley Medicine HMO (site # 199)

  • Meritain Health

  • NU-SHIP

  • Ravenswood Physician Associates HMO

  • Resurrection Physicians Provider Group HMO

  • United Healthcare, Optum, UMR, United EAP

Specialties:

  • Anxiety/OCD

  • Caregiver Support

  • Depression

  • Difficulty Regulating Emotions

  • General Life Stressors / Transitions

  • Grief

  • Identify Related Stressors

  • No specific reason, just want to feel better

  • Relationship Stressors

  • Self Esteem / Self Doubt

  • Trauma Work

Therapeutic Approach

I am a passionate therapist with a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwestern who worked at the Studio For Change for six years and ran a private practice for ten years. I use client strengths, humor, parts therapy, and goal setting to resolve problems and work with individuals, couples and families from diverse backgrounds. I take a holistic approach to all my cases combining elements of mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional wellness to bring healing into client's lives. I am a level 1 graduate of Internal Family Systems therapy, and a "Prepare-Enrich" premarital counselor

Specializations & Interests

My specialties include working with couples, families and individual clients of all ages and backgrounds. More specifically I help individuals in life transitions, trauma responses, with grief and loss issues, symptoms of anxiety, and depression, and using the parts therapy approach. I work with couples in all phases of their relationship: dating, engaged, married, multicultural & LGBTQIA+. Also, I help families in change through separation or divorce, family of origin issues, forgiving betrayals, goal setting, and healing traumas. Additionally, I incorporate elements of meditation, humor and focus on my client's strengths to resolve issues.

Biography

Outside of being a therapist I enjoy being a mom of two children, volunteering in my community, listening to true-crime podcasts, staying active in my Christian faith, spending time with my Minnesota family of origin, binge watching all the shows (love a good recommendation!), and shopping at Aldi.