DT 
Deborah Thoennes
Experienced Wisconsin LPC guiding practical change
LPC Wisconsin
- Experience
- 15 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Deborah
Deborah Thoennes brings 15 years of professional experience as an LPC in Wisconsin and focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, self-esteem, motivation, and related concerns.
Background and approach
She approaches each person with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, shaping conversations and treatment plans around an individual’s specific needs and goals. Deborah emphasizes practical progress while honoring the courage it takes to seek change.
Her practice integrates evidence-informed methods to address a wide range of challenges, including relationship and family issues, grief, eating and body image concerns, parenting and career stress, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and compassion fatigue. She also attends to complex areas such as abandonment, attachment issues, chronic illness and pain, caregiver stress, and co-morbid conditions.
Deborah aims to create a collaborative space where clients can explore meanings, build coping skills, and work toward greater emotional balance and resilience.
Approaches that guide online work and how they help
Deborah draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, which can be particularly useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the client’s perspectives and goals shape the pace and focus of sessions. When appropriate, emotionally-focused ideas are incorporated to explore attachment and relational patterns and to strengthen emotional awareness and connection.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Deborah partners with each client to assess needs, experiment with different techniques, and adjust strategies over time so the work aligns with the client’s goals and preferences. She emphasizes practical skill-building alongside reflective exploration to support lasting change.
Online therapy offers flexible options including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule or to access care from home. These formats allow therapists and clients to maintain continuity of care, adapt session styles to what feels most effective, and stay engaged in ongoing treatment despite geographic or time constraints.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Deborah commonly address?
She works with a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, self-esteem, and motivation, along with areas such as relationship issues, grief, eating and body image, parenting, bipolar disorder, and ADHD.
What is her therapeutic style and approach?
Her approach blends client-centered dialogue with evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, emotionally-focused techniques, existential reflection, and mindfulness practices to tailor treatment to each person.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Deborah has 15 years of professional work experience in the field and draws on that background when helping clients navigate a range of mental health and life challenges.
What credentials and location information should I know?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Wisconsin; the license is listed as WI LPC 5260-125.
Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English only and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Therapy can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different preferences and needs.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling sessions according to the therapist's availability.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy
Experience
15+ years
Licensed
Wisconsin
Languages
English