debra mandel Ph.D.

debra mandel Quick Facts

About “Dr. Debra”

            “Dr. Debra” Mandel, Ph.D., is a recognized and respected psychologist, author, columnist, speaker, and media expert with over twenty years experience as a relationship expert. She treats pre-teens through geriatrics who suffer from anxiety, stress, childhood mistreatment, eating disorders, addictions, workplace/career issues, and general life concerns.

Dr. Debra is the author of four books, Don’t Call Me a Drama Queen: A Guide for the Overly Sensitive and Their Significant Others Who Need to Learn to Lighten Up and Go With the Flow (Alyson Books, 2008), Dump That Chump: From Doormat to Diva in Only Nine Steps—A Guide to Getting Over Mr. Wrong (Harper Collins, 2007), Your Boss is Not Your Mother: Eight Steps to Eliminating Office Drama and Creating Positive Relationships at Work (Agate, 2006) and Healing the Sensitive Heart: How to Stop Getting Hurt, Build Your Inner Strength, and Find the Love You Deserve (Adams Media, 2003, and Airleaf Publishing, 2005). She also has two CDs: The Abuser-Friendly Syndrome and Creating Healthy Boundaries in the Workplace. Please visit my website for product information and purchase at www.drdebraonline.com.

            Dr. Debra is heavily sought out by the media having appeared on numerous national and local television shows addressing a range of topics including relationships, infidelity, parenting, voyeurism, sex, body image, boundaries and many others. Some of her many television credits include: Tyra Banks, The Today Show, The O’Reilly Factor, CNN Headline News, The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, Inside Edition, The Early Show, The Learning Channel’s The 750 Pound Man, FX’s 30 Days, NBC’s Starting Over, and VH1’s Britney’s Secret Childhood. She was also highlighted as the sex therapist/psychologist on Fox Television’s hit My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé. She appears frequently on Fox News Live as a relationship expert. And she was also regularly featured as a guest expert on the nationally syndicated The Larry Elder Show (TelePictures), where she gave numerous couples advice on how to improve their relationship or end it. Dr. Debra regularly books auditions for various reality shows seeking relationship experts. She is frequently approached by various other large production companies to develop pilots for future shows. Dr. Debra will soon be hosting her own webcast show called Coming In And Out where she’s highlighted as both the host and the therapist helping gays and lesbians come out to their friends and family and bridge the gap, creating acceptance and understanding.Dr. Debra has hosted her own popular weekly radio program in Los Angeles and on the web, called Shrink Rap for almost two years. She has also been a featured guest expert on over 400 national and local radio programs and has been known as the “resident shrink” in several radio markets.

           Dr. Debra has been featured in the printed media as a columnist and as an expert.  In a compassionate voice differing in tone from her competition in the marketplace, her advice in “Dear Dr. Debra” (appearing in the Tolucan [California] Times) centers on personal and professional relationship issues. Without dishing out dictums, she offers readers choices and then helps them claim responsibility for what they choose.              

          Dr. Debra is regularly interviewed and quoted in articles for many national magazines such as Glamour, Fitness, More, Cosmopolitan, Lifetime, In Touch, Time, First for Women, Fit, Teen, All About Me, Men’s Health and Pregnancy on a range of topics She’s frequently solicited for her advice from contributing writers for Cosmopolitan, Time, the New York Times and USA Today.           

          No stranger to the lecture platform, Dr. Debra has addressed colleagues, hospital professionals, and college and general audiences on many topics primarily centered on the topics of her books.

          A member of the American Psychological Association and the Los Angeles County Psychological Association, Dr. Debra graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Northridge, in just three years, and then received her Master’s in psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in 1984. She earned her doctorate degree in clinical psychology in 1987 and was licensed to practice in California in 1989. In addition to advanced training in Gestalt therapy, she has also received specialized training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), a therapy approach particularly beneficial to trauma patients.Dr. Debra’s clinical experience has included time at local hospitals where she treated individuals and facilitated groups for adult patients with addictions (sex, food, drugs), dissociative identity disorders, and histories of severe abuse. She has also worked extensively with severely emotionally disturbed adolescents in a number of clinic and hospital settings.                      Throughout her years of practice, Dr. Debra has primarily focused her work on individuals and couples who suffer relationship and intimacy problems and on helping people take full control of their lives so they can thrive! She’s successfully helped countless people of all ages become happier and more fulfilled in everything they choose to do.