Deborah 'Rachel' Friedman, LISW

Deborah 'Rachel' Friedman is an Ohio licensed independent social worker with 32 years of experience. She focuses on everyday problems like stress, anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, and issues related to LGBT identity. Rachel speaks plainly and aims to help people take the next step when life feels overwhelming.

She works from the view that each person knows their own story best. Sessions emphasize practical tools and clear goals rather than long theory. Rachel encourages people to build on existing strengths and to try small changes that add up over time.

Her approach draws from cognitive behavioral therapy, client-centered methods, and mindfulness techniques. In practice this looks like noticing unhelpful thinking patterns, practicing simple grounding or breathing exercises, and setting short-term action steps between sessions.

Rachel also has experience with trauma-focused and solution-focused work, so she can offer ways to process painful events and to map out quick, workable solutions for specific problems. She is comfortable addressing feelings of guilt, shame, isolation, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress.

Outside of clinical work, Rachel trains pet and service dogs and has a sub-specialty with psychiatric service dogs. That background can inform practical strategies for daily routines and coping skills when relevant. She offers sessions in English and accepts international clients who want to work remotely.

Approaches for online therapy and practical coping

Deborah 'Rachel' Friedman uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT sessions often include homework tasks, thought records, and step-by-step plans that target anxiety, panic, and mood problems.

She also uses client-centered therapy to create a collaborative space where the person's own perspective guides the work. That means the therapist listens, reflects, and helps the person set goals based on their values and priorities.

The therapist will work with each person to find the best mix of methods. Together they will consider needs, goals, and preferences and try approaches that fit. Finding the right approach is part of the process and can be adjusted over time.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video is useful for richer conversation and visual cues, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat and messaging are effective for brief check-ins or when writing feels more natural. These options help people fit therapy into busy schedules and differing communication styles.