Debra Blakely

26 S. LaGrange, Suite 105

LaGrange, IL 60525

Phone Number: (708) 369-7064

Email: debra.b.blakely@sbcglobal.net

Relationships are challenging. Intimate relationships are even more challenging. Most couples experience good times and bad times. My clinical practice has been devoted to helping couples navigate the bad times in such a way that their relationship is preserved and their ability to pull together is increased. Brief therapy can often make a big difference for couples who have hit rough spot in their relationship.

Research indicates that except in cases where one partner is abusive, the majority of individuals surveyed five years after their divorce, regret not having worked harder to preserve their marriage, especially if children are involved.

My work is to assist couples in accomplishing the challenging task of honestly expressing their fears and feelings about their partner and themselves in the context of their relationship. Often this is best accomplished by meeting with each partner individually, as well as working conjointly. The good news is that couples and families can be positively influenced if only one person is willing to make informed and thoughtful choices about his or her responses to challenging situations.

I applaud the courage and vulnerability often required to seek out couples counseling. I work hard to insure that each individual is able to express himself or herself in an atmosphere of respect and emotional safety and that the unique goals and hopes of each couple are the focus of therapy.

Gender: Female

Graduate Degree: M.S. in Counseling Psychology

University: Benedictine

License: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, LCPC

License: Registered Nurse

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