DEBRA J. KOOPMANN & ASSOCIATES, LLC

NAPERVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Woman of the Month, May 2018

I had the honor of being nominated for this wonderful recognition through my participation in the Women In Business committee. Below is the article feature on the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Website.

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Debra Koopmann is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is the owner and lead counselor at Debra J. Koopmann and Associates, LLC. Most of the clients she serves are adolescents and women. Throughout the years, her practice has evolved to support those struggling with anxiety, depression and other mood disorders. These difficult cases are often the result of major life transitions, when redefinition and clarity are most needed.

“Everyone has the fear of inadequacy. Become aware of how you’re thinking and then allow yourself to change it.” – Debra Koopmann

In an ever-increasing digital age, we see a lot of access, but not a lot of connectivity. Allowing the wrong individuals access provides an avenue for negativity; whether that negativity is self-inflicted by “fear of missing out” or it’s directed by the other user in the form of criticism, it’s a passageway to internal sabotage. Debra encourages, “Filter-out who you follow. You self-sabotage when you allow too much access.” Debra’s main therapeutic modality is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, in which you help the client recognize and change dysfunctional patterns of thinking. She explains that “bad beliefs dirty your filter” and therefore impact how you perceive the world around you. If you truly believe you’re missing out or receive a harsh comment from someone you’d barely call an acquaintance, then you suddenly allow yourself to fall into a downward spiral. The first step to stop the cycle is to become aware of how your thinking is contributing to your current situation.

“My mission is to help people live an authentic life with integrity.” – Debra Koopmann

An authentic life begins with developing intention. There must be an intention to every activity;
ultimately, those good habits will support goal fulfillment. If you find you’re not where you want to be or you have trouble accomplishing goals, it may be from a misalignment of your intention. A
derailment that often occurs is the feeling of guilt. Often times, individuals experience guilt when they focus on their personal pursuits and intentions. To these individuals, Debra says, “If you don’t make time to fuel yourself up, you’re not going to be helpful to anyone! Make yourself a priority and pursue your goals with some regularity.”

“When you are having internal conflict, you have to follow your heart. The more you resist it, the more it persists.” – Debra Koopmann

Developing a sense of awareness is a crucial element to the establishment of intentionality,
boundary-setting, goal accomplishment, and – ultimately – fulfilment. Become aware of who you are, what you want, where you’re heading, and whether you’re getting in your own way. Many times, our worst obstacles are ourselves. Debra helps individuals acknowledge their excuses and then move forward anyways. She explains that excuses are just another way to self-sabotage.
Actively seek to extinguish self-sabotaging behaviors. Discover within yourself what your passion is. Once you’ve done that, pursue it relentlessly while monitoring who has access to you. Life is short!

Make every step count!

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