Deborah Sammon, ACA

Deborah Sammon is an ACA counsellor with 28 years of experience. She helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, or changes in life. Her approach treats the person, not just the problem, and she encourages people to notice their strengths as they work through hard times.

Deborah works in a straightforward, compassionate way. She listens first, then helps clients map practical steps they can try between sessions. Conversations focus on what feels manageable now, and how small changes can build confidence and motivation.

Many people come to her for help with self‑esteem, attachment concerns, guilt and shame, or the fallout from separation and loss. She also supports those coping with workplace issues, midlife questions, and the long‑term strain of caregiving. Deborah aims to make complex feelings easier to name and understand.

Her style blends curiosity with practical problem solving. She respects each person as the expert on their life and works alongside them to test what helps. This is a gentle but purposeful way to work when someone needs direction and realistic tools.

Taking the first step can feel daunting. Deborah encourages people to acknowledge that courage and to use it as the start of change. She offers steady support while clients try out new ways of coping and relating to themselves.

How evidence-based approaches translate to online therapy

Many clients respond well to evidence-based techniques that focus on practical change and understanding feelings. One common approach helps people gently revisit and make sense of painful memories so those memories cause less distress and interfere less with daily life. Another approach teaches skills for managing anxiety and stress, such as breathing and grounding strategies, stepwise exposure to feared situations, and problem-solving for everyday challenges. These techniques help with trauma, anxiety, workplace stress and caregiving strain.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist works with each person to decide which techniques match their goals, preferences and what feels doable. Together they check progress and adjust methods as needed, so therapy stays useful and relevant.

For practical matters, confirm the available session options before booking since formats were not specified in the profile. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins during a work break, or avoid needing to be on camera when that helps. Talk with the therapist about what will work best for scheduling, communication style and the kind of tasks to try between sessions.