Debbie Fan, AMFT
She/Her | Burbank, CA | In-Person and Virtual Therapy
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) for AAPI women ready to stop being their own worst critic and start showing up for themselves
You've probably spent a lot of time making sure everyone around you is okay. You know how to hold it together, how to keep the peace, how to show up for other people — even when you're quietly running on empty.
My name is Debbie Fan, an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) in Burbank, CA. I work with women who are ready to turn some of that care and attention inward — to understand where their patterns come from, quiet that relentless inner voice, and start building a life that actually feels like theirs.
Whether you've been in therapy before or you're just beginning, what matters most is that you're ready for something to genuinely change.
Why Work With Me
I came to this work through my own healing — inspired by a therapist who helped me access shifts I hadn't been able to reach through talking alone. I know what it feels like to do a lot of work on yourself and still carry that low hum of not enoughness. I also know it doesn't have to stay that way.
As an AAPI therapist, I understand how much it matters to sit across from someone who gets it — not just your history, but the specific experience of searching for a therapist you can actually see yourself in. I'm deeply committed to creating that kind of space, particularly for women of color and others who haven't always felt safe being fully themselves in the therapy room.
My clients come to me because they want more than to just talk about their problems. They want to move through them.
My Approach to Therapy
I work with the whole person — not just what's happening in your mind, but what your body has been quietly holding onto. Insight matters, but it's rarely enough on its own. That's why I draw on Brainspotting, somatic therapy, mindfulness, psychodynamic work, and experiential approaches like Gestalt and EFIT (Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy) to help clients create real, lasting change.
Sessions with me are warm and exploratory. I'll create space for the parts of you that don't always get to show up, ask questions that open things rather than close them, and help you notice the changes you're making — because those often go unseen.
Some of my most meaningful moments in the therapy room happen when a client moves through something they expected to be swallowed by, and comes out the other side.
Why Brainspotting?
My first Brainspotting session in 2020 was one of the most significant experiences of my life. I'd done years of meaningful work on myself, and yet a persistent sense of "not enoughness" remained. Brainspotting reached something that other approaches hadn't. I trained in it because I wanted to be able to offer that same possibility to my clients.
Common Struggles I Help With
You might feel stuck — in the same patterns, the same relationships, the same quiet sense that something needs to shift but you're not sure where to start.
Therapy can be a place to get curious about all of it: where these patterns began, what they've been protecting you from, and what becomes possible when you're not carrying them alone.
Many of my clients are navigating:
Anxiety that shows up as constant worry, overthinking, or a body that won't settle
A deep sense of not being good enough, no matter how much they achieve
People-pleasing and difficulty speaking up — at work, in relationships, or both
Patterns in relationships that keep repeating, even when they recognize them
Worry about the future: connection, belonging, whether things can really be different
Histories of complex or ongoing trauma that show up in how they see themselves
Spiritual and existential questions that haven't felt safe to explore elsewhere
Life transitions — menopause, aging parents, shifting identity and purpose
Grief and loss, including the loss of a beloved pet
Get to Know Me Outside Therapy
I've been volunteering with animal rescue for over 20 years — and I currently serve on the board of a dog rescue that rehomes animals and provides veterinary services to people who wouldn't otherwise have access to care. I share my home with three dogs and understand, deeply, the bond between people and their pets. Pet loss is something I hold with real tenderness, whether someone is dreading what's ahead or already grieving.
Outside of that, you'll find me running, gardening, or meditating. I believe the more I do my own work — in and out of the therapy room — the better I'm able to show up for the people I work with.
Let’s Work Together
If something here resonates, I'd love to hear from you. Reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consultation and we'll see if we might be a good fit. There's no pressure — just a conversation.
Qualifications and Experience
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) 163077
Supervised by Lauren Worley, LCSW CA 68178
Master's in Clinical Psychology — Antioch University (2026)
Certifications:
Brainspotting Phase 1 & 2 (certification in progress)
Complex Trauma Certification Training — Dr. Janina Fischer (in progress)
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Pet Loss Bereavement Specialist Certification
Ongoing training in somatic therapy, parts-based work, and working with couples
Find the Right Therapist for Your Needs
Foothills Psychotherapy offers online therapy across California and in-person counseling in Burbank. Schedule your free 15-minute consultation to get matched with a therapist and start your path toward deeper healing.