Her Story
About Debra
Debra Ellis is a psychotherapist and medical social worker based in Arlington, Texas, where she has lived for 40 years. She owns Ellis Counseling Agency, which she started in 2016 after transitioning from hospital-based work to full-time private practice in psychotherapy. Ellis began her career in 1980 as a medical social worker in hospice, working eight years at Hospice Care Inc. and later at VTOS Innovative Hospice Care, followed by roles in long-term care, nursing facilities, and hospital discharge planning. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work, a Master's of Counseling specializing in psychotherapy, and is working on her PsyD. Her credentials include LPC-S as a licensed professional counselor supervisor for Texas, LBSW, and ACBSW from the Academy of Certified Bachelor's Social Work. Ellis specializes in psychotherapy, LPC-S student supervision, and geriatrics, drawing from her undergraduate studies in that area. She received the Emmy Philhauer Social Work Award in 1995, a national honor from VITAS Hospice, for her work helping clients complete their living process. Ellis volunteers with gardening projects across North Texas, Alzheimer's Association walks, Pancreatic Society walks, and St. John church ministries including nursing home and jail outreach. She attributes her success to her upbringing as a country girl from Northeast Texas on her grandfather's 100-acre cattle farm, where she learned the healing power of love, hope, and care from her family.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Debra
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attributed my success to literally, being a country girl from Northeast Texas. the most loving country parents, my granddad's 100-acre cattle farm, and being able to replicate Charlotte of Charlotte's Web. Literally. Having trauma, In that same mixture of that, my grandfather's farm was my escape and my safety net. And so, being able to name every animal that was on that farm, and having that piece. And learning how to take seeing my mom and grandmother take care of the neighbors and the neighbors' kids, it just instilled to me that it was important that those who didn't have need it, and it also showed me that love and hope and care actually does heal.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
All your heart, because, you know, people will tell you, hey, you're in social work, and you gotta toughen up. No. I've seen people that do those work, and I've Seeing how they treat people, and I have my, My social work teacher, I was leaving, getting ready to graduate my undergrad, and she told me, you are she, she was disabled. Hispanic. He said, I'm gonna tell you something. Very bright, and you have a really big heart. you gotta follow your heart, but you have to remember we're triple minorities. ... So she said, you're graduating, and Some of those things will change, and some of those things will never change, like the color of your skin. So you're gonna always have to the passion that you have in your heart You're gonna have to always remember, don't let no one take that away from you. Keep leading with your heart. And I've never stopped doing that.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would definitely advise them to not Not to be a follower. So, so many of us, look for cook What I'm finding is, with the newer generations, most look for cookie-cutter ways. And especially, maybe because I'm older. I see so much, like, on Instagram and TikTok, but Find their look within themselves. Have their own goals, and their own value, and Be kind. And have integrity. And make that the center of whatever platform that they build. Integrity and kindness. Never lose those things, regardless.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The most challenges is our is just Manicure. And the dictation of, The cutbacks, and trying to be politically correct in how I say this, but just managed care and how where cutbacks are being cut where that are affecting people's lives greatly, then, you know. Veterans and people with mental illness. be displaced from homes, and like, for me, having lived in Arlington for 40 years, and being a social worker, I advocated for the first 20 years of living there for a homeless shelter.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Wow. The value that's most important. I think Just honesty, the integrity, transparency Bruce, are the most important.
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