Deborah Brewer, LCSW – Clinic Director

Deborah Brewer, LCSW

Clinic Director | Licensed Clinical Social Worker (California & New York)

About Deborah

As Clinic Director, Deborah leads the clinical team at Palo Alto Therapy, helping maintain high clinical standards, supporting therapist development, and ensuring clients receive thoughtful, evidence-based care.

Deborah believes therapy should be collaborative, individualized, and grounded in approaches supported by research. Her professional focus is helping individuals and families better understand the challenges they face while developing practical skills that lead to meaningful, lasting change.

In addition to her leadership role, Deborah is passionate about educating the community through Palo Alto Therapy’s Clinical Insights library, where she writes articles designed to make evidence-based mental health information practical, approachable, and useful for everyday life.

Clinical Leadership

As Clinic Director, Deborah leads the clinical operations of Palo Alto Therapy’s three Bay Area locations. She works closely with the clinical team to support professional development, maintain consistent standards of evidence-based care, and foster a collaborative environment focused on excellent client outcomes.

In addition to overseeing day-to-day clinical operations, Deborah plays a key role in therapist recruitment, training, quality improvement, and helping ensure clients are thoughtfully matched with the clinician best suited to their needs. She is committed to building a practice where both clients and clinicians can thrive.

Areas of Expertise

Deborah’s professional interests include:

• ADHD
• Executive Functioning
• Anxiety Disorders
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Parent Coaching
• SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions)
• Failure to Launch
• Young Adults and Life Transitions

Treatment Approaches

Deborah has advanced training in several evidence-based approaches, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
• SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions)
• Parent Coaching
• Feedback-Informed Treatment

Her work emphasizes practical strategies, measurable progress, and helping clients build confidence while moving toward the lives they want to live.

Professional Training & Certifications

Deborah is:

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York
• ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP)
• Certified SPACE Provider
• BTTI Certified through the International OCD Foundation

She is committed to ongoing professional development and regularly participates in advanced training to ensure the care provided at Palo Alto Therapy reflects current evidence-based practice.

Deborah’s Philosophy

Deborah believes that effective therapy is about more than reducing symptoms. It is about helping people build resilience, strengthen relationships, develop practical coping skills, and move toward the life they want to live.

She is passionate about creating a practice where every client feels heard, respected, and supported, and where therapy remains collaborative, goal-oriented, and grounded in research.

Clinical Insights by Deborah Brewer

Deborah regularly writes for Palo Alto Therapy’s Clinical Insights library, creating evidence-based articles on ADHD, anxiety, OCD, parenting, executive functioning, and other topics to help individuals and families better understand mental health and effective treatment.

Her writing focuses on topics including:

• ADHD and Executive Functioning
• Failure to Launch
• Parent Coaching
• Anxiety
• SPACE
• Therapy and Evidence-Based Care

Looking for the Right Therapist?

Choosing a therapist is an important decision. If you’re looking for support for yourself, your child, or your family, our team will take the time to understand your needs and thoughtfully recommend the clinician whose experience and approach best fit your goals. Schedule a free consultation today.