Deborah Ross is a Certified Journal Therapist who retired from private practice psychotherapy to focus on teaching journaling and expressive writing. She offers private instruction, workshops, courses, and in 2025 is bringing back the retreat format. Most offerings are available on Zoom.
Deborah’s students range from those who have never journaled to those who have written many pages. As well as those who have picked up the pen or typed multiple times but struggle to create a satisfying writing habit.
Co-author with Kathleen Adams of the book, “Your Brain on Ink, Neuroplasticity and the Journal Ladder,” Deborah is excited by the integration of journaling and the latest neuroscience research. In very user-friendly language she offers relevant findings so that students develop the skills to match their topic with any of the fifteen common writing techniques whether in service of healing, insight, wellbeing, creativity or simply embarking on the path of the self-authored life.
Deborah is a core faculty member of the Center for Journal Therapy’s Therapeutic Writing Institute. She also teaches for the INOVA Health Care System’s Life With Cancer program as well as for Brain Injury Services and she developed the journaling curriculum for the year long program “Bringing Mindfulness to Life,” that was offered through the Insight Meditation Community of Washington.
Certified to teach the flagship toolbox workshop, “Journal to the Self,” Deborah is also certified to teach“Writing Through Transitions,” the curriculum created by transitions expert Leia Francisco as well as the Legacy Writing protocol developed by Rachael Freed.
For those in the mental health field who wish to use journaling for self-supervision, practice development and progressional growth, Deborah can offer private instruction or a workshop geared for a practice group. She was a contributor to the book, “Journal Therapy for Overcoming Burnout.”
Deborah continues to be a featured presenter in the Expressive Writing track at the Expressive Arts Summit in NYC and develops workshops for groups and organizations who would like a customized approach to their writing needs.
Coming in 2025 is a new workshop created for those who are in a caregiving role and want to take advantage of having an affordable, available, accessible tool to hold and help them through the journey.