When I interviewed Deborah, I immediately picked up on her liveliness, her enthusiasm and her zest for learning. She is excited about becoming a member of our community as she has enjoyed attending ICP+P conferences and events for many years. She finds the quality of our events to be stimulating and that our contemporary theories of self and relational psychotherapy resonate well with her approach to psychotherapy. She has a private practice in Bethesda and sees adolescents and adults in individual, couples and family therapy, especially for people getting divorce without a lawyer. She is interested in making ICP+P her professional home, where she can form ongoing relationships with like-minded clinicians. She is looking forward to collaborating and brainstorming about clinical interventions and ideas.
I found it inspiring to hear about Deborah’s rich and extensive professional career. She has always had a passion for improving the lives of others, both through social advocacy and clinical practice. Being a psychotherapist is a second career for her. In her first career working as a lobbyist, policy analyst and consultant, Deborah spent more than 20 years championing women’s rights. She has worked on local, state and national policies affecting woman, their families and children. She has consulted for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Virginia Beach, VA, the Family Violence Prevention Fund, the National Sexual Assault Resource Center, and The Center for Disease Control. She has authored numerous articles addressing violence against women and violence prevention.
Deborah turned to clinical practice because she has always been interested in studying what motivates people and what makes people tick. This interest started in adolescence when she became involved with theater. Her love of studying people’s characters, along with her desire to help others, motivated her in midlife to pursue an MSW degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She further enhanced her clinical skills by completing the Washington School of Psychiatry Clinical Program on Psychotherapy Practice in 2011. Currently, in her private practice, she treats adolescents and adults with mood disorders, trauma, life transitions (divorce/separation, new baby, empty nest, and work place changes) and relationship issues.
In her free time, Deborah enjoys theater, movies, gardening, traveling and reading. She looks forward to spending time with her husband and with her adult twin daughters, who live in the area. Deborah is currently consulting with organizations to address sexual assault and harassment prevention and response. She is also involved in helping friends who are running for elected office.
Please join me in welcoming Deborah to ICP+P. She can be reached by email at dlhoran@mac.com.
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