Dr. Deborah Gioia-Hasick, LCSW, LCSW-C

Dr. Deborah Gioia-Hasick uses a client-centered approach at the heart of her work. She focuses on listening first and then helping people set goals they find meaningful. Her style is practical and grounded in everyday steps people can use between sessions. She brings 37 years of clinical experience to relationship and personal concerns. Early in her career she worked extensively with teens and young adults. For 18 years she supported young adults with schizophrenia and their family supports, learning how serious mental illness affects daily life and relationships. Her teaching and clinical work have emphasized skills people can practice. She has led groups that taught symptom management, communication, and cognitive skills. Those group and individual methods drew on cognitive behavioral approaches, dialectical behavior techniques, and mindfulness practices. She completed a PhD in 2000 and later taught Master’s and PhD students clinical and research courses. Her dissertation examined the meaning of work for young adults with schizophrenia, and she continues to take an interest in vocational identity and helping young adults pursue personal goals. Dr. Gioia-Hasick also trained in sexual health and sex therapy and has provided couples counseling. More recently she has studied climate-focused trauma and resiliency and is interested in helping people struggling with climate-related stress. She holds LCSW and LCSW-C credentials and works in California. Background and approach notes: she often uses motivational interviewing as a first step to clarify goals. From there she and the person choose targeted methods such as CBT, DBT, or mindfulness-based exercises to address anxiety, depression, relationship strain, trauma, grief, parenting challenges, and related concerns.

How her approaches work in online therapy

Dr. Gioia-Hasick uses client-centered methods that begin by focusing on each person’s goals and values. This approach centers the conversation on what matters most to the client and guides which tools to try next.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps people notice and change patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, panic, mood disorders, and many everyday stresses. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, teaches concrete skills for managing strong emotions, improving relationships, and reducing harmful reactions. It is often helpful for intense mood fluctuations, emotion regulation, and relationship conflicts.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to decide which methods match their goals, needs, and preferences. That decision can change over time as goals and circumstances shift.

Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make scheduling easier and help fit sessions into work, school, or family routines. It can also allow for shorter check-ins when schedules are tight or for practicing skills between commitments. Licensed professionals can adapt CBT, DBT, and client-centered work to the online setting, focusing on real-life skills and plans that carry over into daily life.