Deborah Schaeffer, LMSW, MA, MST

Hi! I’m Deborah, and before becoming a therapist, I spent seventeen years teaching at alternative high schools, working with young people who had overcome challenges most adults never have to face. Each and every day in those classrooms taught me something textbooks never could about survival, resilience and the importance of building relationships. Over time, understanding my students and what they’d been through became more important to me than the curriculum itself, and I felt called to leave the classroom to study psychology and clinical social work. I went on to earn my MSW from the Silberman School at Hunter College, training in cognitive behavioral therapy, relational psychoanalysis and trauma-informed practice.

Now an LMSW licensed in New York State, I work with clients of all ages navigating trauma, anxiety, stress, and relationship issues. I have a particular connection with teenagers and young adults, and also feel a deep affinity for LGBTQIA+ clients and anyone whose gender, sexuality, or relationship style falls outside of what society considers the norm. As a queer, sex-positive therapist, I want to affirm, celebrate, and encourage the full expression of who you are. Your identity and sexuality aren’t side topics – they are the real work for a lot of people, and deserve a therapist who brings sensitivity and awareness to those conversations.

I became a therapist because I believe every person deserves a space where their needs and growth take center stage.

A client once told me I was one of the few mental health professionals they fully trusted because they could tell my care came from the heart. I show up authentically in order to build that trust with you, one session at a time. It won’t always be comfortable and I will challenge you, but you will always feel genuinely cared for and seen without judgment, knowing that you will be met with openness and curiosity every time you walk in my door.

Personal growth doesn’t have a finish line and I don’t pretend to have arrived somewhere my clients haven’t. I still see my own therapist, so I know what it feels like to sit in the chair you’re sitting in and do the difficult work of looking at yourself honestly every single week. I’m still doing that work because I believe you can’t hold space for someone else’s growth if you’ve stopped doing your own. Joseph Campbell said, “Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.” I’d love to help you find yours.