Dr. Debra DeFour-Pierce, LMHC

Dr. Debra DeFour-Pierce is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in New York with 22 years of experience, along with a doctorate in clinical-school psychology. She is also a certified school psychologist and has experience providing formal and informal psychological assessment. She earned her doctorate from Pace University and holds a certificate in Crisis Management from Long Island University.

Her work has included supporting children, adolescents, adults, and families in school-based settings, with a consistent focus on helping people understand how thoughts, emotions, and long-held beliefs can shape day-to-day challenges and relationships. Dr. DeFour-Pierce takes an eclectic, culturally sensitive approach and partners with clients to build practical coping strategies that fit their lives and values.

In therapy, she draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness-based practices, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic therapy, and interpersonal approaches. She has worked with concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, parenting challenges, family conflict, relationship and intimacy-related issues, anger, ADHD, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. As the therapeutic relationship develops, her style is described as direct, respectful, empathetic, and at times humorous, while staying focused on helping clients identify options, strengthen self-awareness, and move through current stressors with greater clarity and support.