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My Therapeutic Approach

I began my private practice in 1990 after four years of family service agency work. My casual, comfortable style allows both adults and children to quickly engage in the therapeutic process. I believe that every person deserves to feel happy and fulfilled, and I will work with you through every step of the process. I pull from short-term, solution focused, psychodynamic, family systems, CBT, DBT and mindfulness theories to create a blended approach to help all clients find understanding, relief, self-confidence, happiness, and a renewed energy for life. I also lecture to various organizations and groups on parenting, positive behavior management strategies, couples work, and school issues such as bullying. I received my Master's Degrees in Social Work and Human Resources and Family Studies from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. I continue to visit the university annually and teach students about application of classroom learning in the real world and rewards of working with children and families with special needs. 

I am passionate about helping couples with communication and intimacy issues as well as assisting individuals with depression,​ anxiety, job issues, aging, illness and loss. I am an active participant in your treatment, and many clients quickly find they not only have a better understanding of what their issues are and how to deal with them, but also feel symptom relief and have tools to manage their lives. In the past few years, I have developed my own mindfulness practice and have incorporated it into counseling sessions to assist clients on managing stress and anxiety as well as being present and enjoying each moment in life.


I also love to work with families and have specialized in counseling families whose children have ADD/ADHD, Autism and Social Communication Disorders, anxiety, and sensory issues. Through games, books, traditional counseling, social stories, and more, children quickly find that counseling builds self-esteem and helps them develop a toolbox of strategies to cope with whatever life sends their way. I also have quite a large collection of penguins in my office, and a great story about noticing the positives in people to go with it!

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What clients are saying

I t has been a true privilege and pleasure to know and work with Mrs. ​ Debbie Gross as our son's social worker. Mrs. Gross has made such a difference in our family's life during the last three years. It is also a great comfort to know that this lady is always on our side, making sure that he will succeed in every aspect of his teenage life. 


We are consistently impressed by her attitude and commitment to her profession and a unique way to connect with anybody. Our son is always looking forward to his meetings; he was never reluctant to discuss any topic or concern. We know that his best interest is at Debbie's heart. Mrs. Gross is always available to talk to all of us between the scheduled sessions and has been continuously encouraging us to do so. Mrs. Gross shares with us her enormous knowledge and experience. Her enthusiasm, energy and good spirit are just exceptional. 


We are very grateful that we got to meet and work with Debbie and to use an old cliche, - she is truly one in a million!


The W Family

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