LIVE YOUR LIFE
TO THE FULLEST
My Philosophy
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I truly believe that everyone deserves a chance at a happy and fulfilling life. With a genuine love for people, I am passionate about my work as a therapist.
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I work collaboratively with my clients to build on their strengths to improve their quality of life and guide them towards their fullest potential.
Using a highly personalized approach, I tailor treatment to each of my client's needs, and give them the coping skills to attain their personal goals.
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Sometimes my clients need referrals to psychiatrists, speech pathologists, learning disability assessment​s, and in-patient facilities. To assist them, I have built a network of professional referrals called my Treatment Team. This team approach shows my full commitment to helping my clients in many different ways.
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As a dedicated advocate for all children and teenagers, I believe everyone deserves a loving and stable person in their life who can help them grow. I am not their parent or teacher, but rather a sounding board who will listen to them, connect with them, and seek to understand what they’re going through. This allows me to be a kind and effective champion for their wellness.
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With extensive experience with teenagers who are dealing with self-injury and divorce, I work with them individually as well as in group therapy. This way, my clients can connect with others and see that they are not alone.
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I particularly love helping families become connected. I empower my clients to identify the roles they play in their family dynamics so that they can make the necessary changes to bring their family together.
Credentials
Tel: (661) 977-6422
SELF-INJURY
Cutting is a form of self-injury that releases endorphins into our bloodstreams and enables a pleasurable sensation. Like a drug addiction, the "high" provides fast-acting relief for emotional and other stressors and can become a familiar way to cope with internal pain. Read more in my blog.
I know that it is difficult for parents to ask their children about self-harm just as it’s challenging for children to reason about their actions, so I develop specific coping skills for each client with the focus on the underlying problems rather than just the injury. I have found that handouts and homework are an important piece of my client’s treatment plan so that they have the necessary tools to help them in their everyday lives.
DIVORCE
For children, divorce can be especially stressful, sad, and confusing. At any age, children may feel shocked, uncertain, or angry at the prospect of their parents splitting up. They may even feel guilty, blaming themselves for the problems at home. It is so important for children to know that the divorce was not their fault although many times they get caught in the middle. While it’s normal for a child to grieve the breakup of the family, as a parent there is plenty you can do to make the process less painful for your children. Part of my treatment is working with divorced parents to help them work on issues that will benefit the children, even if the family is no longer together.
PANIC ATTACKS/ANXIETY
LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESSES
Another area of my focus is working with clients dealing with panic attacks and anxiety. People dealing with panic disorder may feel overwhelmed with the fear and anticipation of having a panic attack. My approach includes using the application of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which helps clients focus on negative thought patterns and behavior and learn new coping skills to deal with any future attacks. I use specific handouts as well as homework so that clients can be empowered with tools that will help them beyond their therapy session.
As a cancer survivor, I understand all aspects of being a patient. I have deep empathy for those experiencing the fear and stress of a life-threatening illness and understand how it affects the entire family, including the caregivers. This issue is so close to my heart, my graduate school dissertation was Helping Clients Cope with Grief and Loss When Dealing with a Life-Threatening Illness. I understand firsthand the many aspects of dealing with a life-threatening illness, and with compassion and insight, I implement a personalized treatment plan.
GET IN TOUCH
Encino Location:
16200 Ventura Blvd., Suite 403
Encino, CA 91436
Ventura Location:
260 Maple Court, Suite 130
Ventura, CA 93003
Email and Telephone:
DEBBY NEWMAN
License #LMFT97612
Debby Newman is originally from South Africa and has an innate ability to connect with people from different cultures. She is committed to providing a safe and trusting environment, which is the core foundation of her work with clients.
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She works with all family members, with a special focus on teenagers who are dealing with self-injury, divorce, grief, hopelessness, anxiety, depression, and other behavioral issues. She also works with people experiencing panic attacks/anxiety using the application of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
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As a cancer survivor, Debby understands all aspects of being a patient. This informs her work with clients/caregivers as she helps them cope with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
In addition to running her private practices in Encino and Ventura, Debby has worked as the Clinical Director at A Home Within, an organization that connects foster children with therapists in private practice. Their motto: "One child, one therapist, for as long as it takes." She also worked at Safe Harbor, an Intensive Outpatient and Dual Diagnosis Facility where she worked with families and individuals and guided weekly teenage groups for self-harm.
Additional experience includes working with individual, couples, and families at Phillips Graduate University Counseling Center as well as Winnetka Elementary School.
She completed her traineeship at Hillview Mental Health, an outpatient facility for clients representing a full spectrum of mental illnesses. She ran groups and worked with clients individually.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Northridge and her Masters in Psychology from Phillips Graduate University.
"When you touch one thing with deep awareness,
you touch everything."
- Lao Tzu
