Therapy for Moms Navigating the Distance and Loss of Kids Leaving Home
In Oregon and California
Feel connected again — to your kid, yourself, and your partner.
Do you even know who you are beyond
motherhood?
I help moms whose kids are finishing high school or already off to college reconnect with their child, rediscover who they are outside of motherhood, and rebuild closeness with their partner.
Virtual therapy for moms in Oregon and California.
Hellllooo! 👋 I’m Deborah and I’m a mom too. I’m a licensed professional counselor in Oregon, and California and I’ve been helping moms in the empty nest transition in my private practice since January 2018.
Are you feeling the weight of your kids growing up and leaving?
When the Kids Leave, Everything Changes—Including You.
Maybe your kid used to tell you everything, and now conversations feel short, guarded, or far apart. Maybe they're about to leave for college, or already have — and the house feels different in a way you weren't quite prepared for.
You're proud of who they're becoming. But underneath that pride, there's a quieter feeling: Am I losing them? Will we ever be as close as we used to be?
And it's not just about your kid. You might be noticing that you don't quite know who you are outside of being "mom." Or that your relationship with your partner has drifted — you've been so focused on raising kids together that you've lost some of the closeness you used to have as a couple.
You don't need to have this all figured out before you come to therapy. That's what this space is for.
Who this is for:
This work is for moms who:
Have a kid finishing up high school, or a kid who's already left for college
Feel their child pulling away, and worry the distance is permanent
Are realizing they don't quite know what they want for themselves anymore
Feel like their marriage or partnership has quietly drifted
Want a dedicated space to process this transition — not just muscle through it alone
What we'll work on:
Reconnecting with your kid — even as they grow more independent, in a way that respects who they're becoming
Reconnecting with yourself — figuring out what you want, outside of the role you've played for so long
Reconnecting with your partner — rebuilding closeness that may have quietly faded over the years of parenting together
I understand this transition deeply.
Not just the logistics of life after kids leave home—but the emotional shift, the identity change, and the quiet questions that come with it.
And more importantly…
I know how to help you move through it, and therapy can help.
We are redefining motherhood- not as a role to perfect, but as a journey to own.
Keep up to date with the latest happenings as we explore what it means to be a bold and authentic mom.
Do you feel lost in the quiet of your empty nest?
You deserve to feel at peace and confident as your role in motherhood changes
You deserve to go about everyday knowing you are enough. Even as everything around you is shifting.
Everyday. All day.
No matter what.
This stage of life can feel unpredictable in a different way.
The structure you once relied on is changing, and with it, your sense of identity.
But anxiety doesn’t have to be your default.
Therapy is a Process…
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Reach Out Today.
We’ll schedule a free consultation. I will answer any questions you have and you can be sure we’re a good fit.
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Get the support you need.
Join me for regularly scheduled sessions where you will be met with warmth and respectful challenge. Together, we will develop the tools and strategies you need to move from anxiety to peace.
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Feel confident and at ease as your role in motherhood evolves.
You’ll learn how to navigate change, manage the emotional ups and downs, and embrace both the beautiful and challenging parts of this next phase—with more clarity, self-trust, and balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Mostly! My practice is focused on high-functioning women navigating the empty nest transition and the identity shift that comes with it. This means you won't spend your sessions explaining the basics of this experience to someone who hasn't worked with it before. The work begins where most therapists' understanding ends.
I am also highly trained and experienced in working with women in the postpartum period, specifically postpartum anxiety.
If you are interested in working together in any case, reach out!
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Yes -- all sessions are virtual, so I work with women anywhere in Oregon or California, regardless of where you're located. You need a private space and a reliable internet connection. That's it.
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I am private pay only and do not bill insurance directly. This keeps your care confidential, your treatment undiluted by insurer requirements, and your sessions focused entirely on what you actually need. Upon request, I can provide a superbill you may submit for potential out-of-network reimbursement -- ask about this during your consultation.
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Empty nest therapy with me is specifically focused on the identity disruption, grief, and forward reorientation this transition requires -- not symptom management or general life stress. If you've seen a therapist before and felt like they never quite named what you were going through, that's often because the empty nest transition is under-addressed as its own clinical territory. That gap is exactly what my practice is built to fill.