About

Debra L. Kaplan, MA, MBA, LPC, CMAT, CSAT-S specializes in helping clients overcome addictions, issues related to sex and love, relationship struggles and unresolved traumatic stress. Debra (she her, hers) is committed to providing compassionate, expert and culturally sensitive care for all clients across diverse sexual orientation, gender, and race. Debra’s expertise in working with sexual compulsivity or sex addiction includes working with couples and spouses’ sexual health impacted by internet and pornography addiction, emotional / sexual affairs, and financial infidelity. Financial infidelity (also referred to as financial betrayal) is an often overlooked and misunderstood dynamic in committed relationships and marriages, and potentially sustains the most injury to the individuals involved. 

In addition to her financial intensives (for those who wish to work on money and work disorders or issues related to sex, money and power in relationship), in 2020, Debra began offering her Financial Disorders training for licensed clinicians based on her prepared curriculum and authored books. 

From Wall Street to psychology

After earning her MBA in 1985, Debra’s career landed her in the commodity markets of New York. Time spent on Wall Street and on the commodity trading floor offered an unforeseen study in and passion for human behavior. Those years became the foundation for Debra’s studies in counseling psychology. A life change brought Debra to Arizona in 1995. Given her passion for psychology and personal growth in recovery, Debra went on to complete a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology thus merging her academic and life experiences.

Training

In an effort to remain current in her areas of expertise, Debra trains (and has trained) with noted clinicians in the field of trauma and addiction including, Patrick Carnes, PhD., Stan Tatkin, PsyD, Pia Mellody, and Drs. John and Julie Gottman.

Debra is a faculty member for the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP), founded by Dr. Patrick Carnes, a recognized leader and expert in the field of sex addiction treatment and provides Certified Sex Addiction training (CSAT). The institute promotes a highly effective, task-centered approach to treating intimacy/sex addiction, trauma, chemical dependency, and financial disorders which Debra utilizes and integrates into her work with clients. She incorporates her depth of knowledge in fields of trauma, neurobiology and addiction treatment.

Ms. Kaplan received additional training at The Meadows in Wickenburg, Arizona and studied under Pia Mellody, who is known for her groundbreaking work for the effects of childhood trauma on emotional development. Debra utilizes Pia’s Post Induction Training in her approach to address trauma and emotional development.

Debra incorporates the work of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. Dr. van der Kolk is one of the world’s foremost authorities in complex post-traumatic stress (complex PTSD). Since the 1970s, Dr. van der Kolk and his collaborators have published extensively on the impact of trauma on development. Their work has become the therapeutic standard for understanding and healing complex PTSD. Read more about treatment for complex PTSD.

At the cutting edge of addiction and trauma treatment

As a professional, Debra is committed to providing her clients with the best treatment available. To this end, Debra stays current on developments in the field of addiction and trauma, including recent theoretical findings and new practice methodologies. Ms. Kaplan is a Certified EMDR Therapist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), Certified Sex Addiction Therapist Supervisor (CSAT-S), and Certified Multiple Addictions Therapist (CMAT). Read more about sex addiction treatment.

Debra utilizes proven modalities to help her clients overcome the negative effects of trauma. In utilizing EMDR to resolve trauma, Debra is certified in EMDR and incorporates advanced EMDR techniques for resolving complex trauma, addictions, and dissociative disorders. Debra also incorporates EFT, experiential therapy, and family of origin work.

Ms. Kaplan is a member of EMDRIA, SASH, and IITAP; organizations dedicated to the treatment of trauma and the advancement of sexual health.