Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Johnson City, TN covered by Aetna

Many people walk through life saying, “I’m fine. Everything is fine.” But often, fine is just a placeholder — a way to avoid feelings that feel too big, too inconvenient, or too overwhelming. FINE stands for Feelings In Need of Expression.

My work centers on helping clients safely express the emotions they’ve been holding in. One of my strengths is actively listening and creating a grounded, compassionate space where those unspoken feelings can finally come forward. We’re taught to suppress our emotions and push through, but those feelings don’t disappear. They settle into the body, they leak out in our interactions, and eventually they build — like pressure inside a volcano — until they erupt.

In therapy, you don’t have to hold it all together. You don’t have to pretend you’re fine. You get room to breathe, to feel, and to release what’s been stuck for far too long. My goal is to help you understand your emotional landscape, express what needs to be expressed, and move toward a life that feels more honest, grounded, and connected.

I support individuals seeking healing, clarity, and empowerment as they navigate life’s most challenging moments. I work with young first‐time mothers, survivors of intimate partner abuse and sex trauma, first responders, veterans, caretakers, and professionals carrying heavy emotional loads. My approach is nurturing and strength‐based, blending therapeutic support with life‐coaching strategies that help you rebuild confidence, manage stress, and reclaim your sense of self. You deserve a safe, compassionate space to grow, and I’m here to help you move forward with purpose and resilience.

Hi, I'm Dr. Deborah DeFrieze, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 15 years of experience helping people work through anxiety, stress, trauma, grief, depression, and life's hardest transitions. If anxiety or overwhelm has been running the show lately, I'm here to help you take the reins back — with a warm, honest, and practical approach.

My path to this work has been a rich one. Alongside my social work career, I spent 33 years in public education — as a teacher in both regular and special education, an assistant principal, a principal, and an assistant professor — and I served as a missionary in Africa for 18 months. Those experiences taught me to meet people where they are, across every walk of life and stage of change. I hold a Master of Social Work from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a doctorate in education from the University of Georgia, and I'm also a Licensed Massage Therapist, which deepens my appreciation for the mind-body connection in healing.

I draw on evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, tailoring our work to what will help you most.

Sharmen Rutherford is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Mental Health Service Provider, Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and a Ketamine Integration Therapist. She is currently accruing hours to earn her Certified Eating Disorder Specialist credential through the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals and has completed Vital’s Psychedelics Assisted Psychotherapy and Ketamine Integration Therapy Program.

With more than 17 years of professional clinical experience in the counseling field, Sharmen has helped clients facing addiction and substance use disorders, anxiety, co-occurring disorders, depression, eating disorders, trauma, PTSD, self-harm, school pressures, relationship issues, loss and grief. It is her passion to provide college students, young adults, women, and men with the tools and resources that they need to cope and make a better life for themselves.

Sharmen holds a Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling from Liberty University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Alabama. She has provided mental health services to adolescents and adults for numerous local mental health organizations, including an alternative school, the Alabama Department of Mental Health at Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility, two residential substance abuse treatment facilities, and a halfway house.

Sharmen is a former Advisory Board member and a Board of Directors member for 3 years for the Alabama School of Alcohol and other Drug Studies. She is also a former Board of Directors Hospitality Chair and Secretary of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals for the Alabama Chapter.

Launched in June 2018, Sharmen is also the founder of All Things New Counseling Services, LLC located in Johnson City, Tennessee.

I tend to work well with people whose lives or mental health do not fit neatly into one box. Many of the people I work with are dealing with anxiety, trauma, ADHD, emotional dysregulation, substance use, relationship stress, or family conflict, and they often understand the pattern but still feel stuck in it. If you feel overwhelmed, reactive, burned out, or frustrated that insight alone has not created change, I want therapy to be a place where you can slow down, feel understood, and start making sense of what is happening beneath the surface.

I work best with driven people experiencing a big change. Perhaps, despite your best efforts, things aren’t working out as you’d hoped. Or perhaps you’ve gotten all you wanted and it doesn’t satisfy. I work often with D1 athletes & pros (as well as their family members). I love supporting the romantic partners of people in the public eye. Though I often work with athletes I am not a Sports Psych. In fact, I don’t even follow sports! I’m here for the rest of your life and identity.

Great to meet you. Reaching out for support can feel overwhelming, especially when you're carrying emotional pain, relationship challenges, or life circumstances that have left you feeling stuck or disconnected. I work with adults and adolescents experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, relationship issues, family conflict, trauma, grief and loss, identity concerns, and major life transitions. I understand that every person's story is different, and I believe healing begins by creating a space where you feel heard, understood, and supported. Whether you're struggling with overwhelming emotions, navigating changes within your family, coping with loss, or trying to better understand yourself, therapy can provide an opportunity to gain insight, build healthier coping skills, and reconnect with what matters most to you. My goal is to help you move toward greater balance, emotional wellness, and a more fulfilling life.

If you’re carrying trauma, anxiety, or depression, you’ve found a warm and steady place to start. I’m a seasoned Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and mindfulness has been a deeply important part of my own life and my work for nearly 30 years. Over the years, I’ve completed intensive meditation training in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the United States, experiences that have profoundly shaped how I understand healing, presence, and the connection between mind and body. I’d be honored to bring all of that to you.

Are you feeling stuck in patterns that are hard to break—whether it’s addiction, codependency, or depression? You may feel overwhelmed, drained, or constantly putting others first while losing yourself in the process. I work with teens and adults across Tennessee who are navigating addiction, relationship patterns, and depression. Together, we create a supportive space where you can understand what’s driving these patterns and begin building a healthier, more balanced life.

You might look like you have everything together on the outside, but inside you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or mentally exhausted from carrying so much for so long. When you’re used to being the strong one, it can be hard to slow down or ask for help. You don’t have to do this alone. I provide a supportive space where you can understand your emotions, reduce stress, and begin moving toward feeling more balanced, confident, and in control.