Debra Kurs She/Her

With over 40 years of professional experience, I began my career as an arts graduate, focusing on arts development to support communities. In the late 1980s, I earned a postgraduate qualification in Youth and Community Studies, which led me to work with young people and young adults in underserved communities. Throughout my career, I have worked with thousands of young people and witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by children growing up in poverty.

While managing a North Liverpool Youth Centre, I also spent several years lecturing Dip H.E. Youth Work students. In 2006 I accepted a three-year secondment offer and started working for the Liverpool Youth Offending Service during this time. I worked here in collaboration with a wide range of professionals and supported young people involved in the criminal justice system. By 2019, I had moved into education, working as a cover supervisor and supporting children and teens in a range of Merseyside-based schools. Post-COVID-19, I decided to reflect and explore alternative career options. In 2021, I decided to retrain as a hypnotherapist and counsellor. 

Recognising that therapy is not accessible for all socio-economic groups, I offer my voluntary services to a local women's organisation through the Listening Ear initiative.

My extensive experience has given me a profound understanding of the impact of negative childhood experiences, such as neglect, poverty, abuse, and family dysfunction, and how these may affect individuals later in life. Having personally experienced the powerful positive effects of inner child therapy, I have used this approach with many clients and have witnessed their remarkable transformations.