Group therapy can be even more powerful than individual counseling for learning intimacy skills and learning to receive support from people who struggle with similar life challenges. Therapy groups are a great addition to individual counseling and sometimes a more appropriate way to work on relationship challenges.

I often recommend group therapy to those who cannot afford to do individual counseling yet want to develop the skills and tools to achieve their goals for healing and wholeness.

I am a nationally certified group psychotherapist and have had 25 years of experience in facilitating groups.

Supervision and Consultation Group for MFT and LCSW Interns and Newly Licensed Therapists:

An ongoing group for MFT Interns, LCSW Interns, and newly licensed MFTs and LCSWs takes place on Thursdays from noon until 2 pm at my downtwon Davis office. The group provides a supportive, confidential way for interns to receive BBS supervision hours towards licensure. The group offers case consultation, working through counter-transference, review of legal and ethical issues, and information for creating a successful private practice without needing to take insurance. Cost is $25 per session.

I offer clients three different psychotherapy groups and one free of charge spiritual support group. See group descriptions, below.

Relationship Skills Group:

This group is an ongoing, weekly therapy group for adult men and women who wish to experience deeper and more fulfilling relationships. Group members explore new ways of authentically relating from their heart as they deepen their capacity for trust and intimacy with others. I help group members explore within the group how to effectively relate from their hearts and not end up feeling abandoned or not good enough. I offer this group at each of my offices in Davis and Sacramento.

Consider joining this group if you want to be yourself  in relationships but you find this difficult because of one or more of the following: (1) you aren't sure who you are when you are "authentic"; (2) you are afraid that if you really open up and expose your full self, others will abandon or reject you; (3) you find that you tend to share too much about yourself too soon; (4) you aren't clear about when to hold back and when to share more deeply with your partner or with friends; (5) you want to learn and practice clear communication and self-expression; (6) you find that you make inaccurate assumptions about others at first that later prove false.

Loving Our Bodies Group:

This therapy group is for women who binge or overeat but do not purge or restrict their food intake. It is also for women who have come to understand that dieting doesn't usually offer a lasting solution.

The group provides a safe forum to explore and progress in: authentic relating with self and others, incorporating regular exercise without resistance, eating mindfully and nutritionally, working through resistance to difficult emotions, finding or reclaiming joy and passion in life, and greater body acceptance.

I have facilitated eating disorder groups for the past 15 years.

Self Discovery Group:

This group is for adult men and women who are interested in exploring unconscious motivations (the "shadow" self), and ways in which the ego maintains its hold on us. We use dreamwork, group energy therapy techniques, the Enneagram (a tool to understand the personality self), Byron Katie's "the Work," and other techniques to help clear mental and emotional patterning. We explore teachings about manifestation and teachings about how we project (make false assumptions about) our issues onto others and onto the world. Group members give and receive support as they work together to deepen their self-understanding and to connect with their soul-wisdom and inner guidance.

Free Awakening to Spirit Group:

This is a free spiritual exploration group that meets in Sacramento the first Saturday morning of each month. A new group will begin in Davis in Septembe on the third Saturday of the month. If you are interested in exploring the teachings of Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Louise Hay, Adyashanti, Gangaji, and other leading-edge spiritual teachers, the group will likely be a fit for you. The main spiritual teacher whose teachings we explore is Leslie Temple Thurston.  Group members learn her tools and techniques for "transcending" the ego. By "transcending" I mean to become non-attached from your ego as well as being able to witness the ego neutrally and without judgment.  (Another way of saying this is to move beyond the limitations of your life's "story.")

The group sessions include support for your spiritual practice, group meditation, the use of tools that alleviate suffering and provide inner peace, and practices for connecting with the "neutral witness."

New 6-Week Pre-Marital Counseling Group

Catherine Zanzi, MFT Intern, is offering a pre-marital counseling group beginning this fall.  The group will provide low-cost counseling ($200 for all 6 sessions) for couples wanting to work on communication skills and learn from each others' experiences.  Catherine will provide lots of support and education to meet each couples' needs and expectations. Catherine can be reached at czanzi@frontiernet.net

Deborah's Workshops:

I offer periodic weekend workshops and retreats on the topics of "Finding your Life's Purpose", "Dream Work for the Soul", Self Hypnosis for Chronic Pain," and on "Eating Disorders Recovery."

I also offer talks and trainings at conferences and workshops.