If you didn't sail through high school or college on the wings of victory, welcome.

You are in the right place.

Daring to hope can become part of your recovery, whether academic or personal.

You've encountered significant challenges and worked hard to find your way. Applying to college or graduate school feels like the next right step.

And that's where my experience and ability to relate to your struggles can help you build the confidence to submit those applications.

It takes courage to honestly assess your educational ups and downs. Most of my students find new strengths in this process of self-reflection.

Reading transcripts and contacting administrators is a good start, but the real work begins when you organize and write your story.

I couldn't help you write your story if I didn't understand my own: A lot of adults gave up on me, yet there were angels who encouraged me to go to college and do what I loved: writing. On a clickety-clack typewriter, I wrote 2,000 words about "remembering myself" through the novels I read during 3.5 gap years (I think of them as the waitressing years). Finding out I got into the Columbia University School of General Studies was thrilling and terrifying. Would I even make it through my first semester? I did. And, as a creative writing and literature major, I met professors who were writers and who taught me to make sense of my past by creating meaning with words. (Thanks, Alan Ziegler!)

If you are reading this page, you are already doing the hard work. I'm here to support you. Whether we are working on a school list together or workshopping a draft, our time together will be about discovery, which will prepare you for academic challenges.

I bring my passion for the healing power of education to my work with young people, adults, and families. A graduate of Columbia University (BA, MFA), with 15 years of experience as a college admissions essay specialist and a clinical background in social work, I meet students and families where you are.

My approach is structured but flexible, always sensitive to where you are in your journey. I work closely with families, educators, and clinical providers. My students always do better than they expect and have been accepted to Ivy League universities, selective liberal arts colleges, and flagship state schools, among others.

TESTIMONIALS

“I have successfully referred clients to Debra’s practice. She effectively provides them with new tools to overcome writing blocks and helps them to identify and build on their talents. Debra’s approach is warm and friendly. She fosters an atmosphere of respect and trust that allows clients to safely move through what has been impeding their work. 

Through careful monitoring of their work, clients are supported and guided as they set and meet their writing goals and objectives. Debra also has a clear understanding of some clients’ sensitivity to criticism. She knows how to offer critiques in the spirit of an equal, rather than an authority. Her professional approach as a colleague makes her a trusted referral source and a pleasure to work with.”

-- Christine Petrik, LCSW New York City

"We will always be so thankful to you for helping our daughter navigate this period — not only because she got into her ED college, but for finding qualities in herself she didn't know she had."

— Parents, high school student, Northeastern University '30

"Debra helped me return to school after a difficult chapter in my life, giving me greater confidence, clarity, and direction during the application process. She guided me to understand and tell my story with authenticity. With her support, I was accepted into an Ivy League school and a top-choice program. I'm very grateful and highly recommend her to anyone preparing for their next step."

— Graduate student, School of the Arts, Columbia University