From Adversity to Advocacy: How Debee Gold Found Her Calling
In this episode of the Lift and Make Lighter podcast, Tom Telford sits down with Debee Gold, founder of Gold Counseling, to talk about resilience, therapy, relationships, and what it really means to build a meaningful life.
Raised in a nontraditional village by young parents and loving grandparents, Debee’s early years were marked by both hardship and support. By 19, she had overcome addiction and was already on a journey to help others do the same. Today, she leads one of Utah’s most respected mental health organizations, supporting clients and mentoring dozens of therapists across the state.
Real Talk, Real Connection: Debee’s Approach to Therapy
For Debee, therapy is not just about coping, it’s about connecting, moving forward, and finding joy. She doesn’t shy away from hard truths, but she meets clients with compassion and candor.
She believes that if someone has made the hardest call to come to therapy, her job is to help them get somewhere better.
Whether she’s helping someone navigate anxiety or rebuilding trust in a broken marriage, her approach is deeply human and grounded in the belief that every person deserves joy, even in the midst of struggle.
Marriage, Connection & the Power of Listening
Debee treats the relationship as the client in couples therapy. She guides partners to move beyond blame and resentment, helping them rediscover friendship and shared purpose.
- 69% of couple issues are perpetual—they don’t need solving, just managing with empathy.
- Friendship and trust are often more important than romance for long-term connection.
- Straight talk and soft landings are her trademarks: clarity without judgment.
She’s seen couples come back from infidelity, disconnection, and resentment, not by pretending nothing happened, but by building something new together: She calls it Marriage 2.0.
Grounding and Joy: Mental Health Tools That Actually Work
Debee believes in grounding. Not just as a practice, but as a way of life. Whether it’s touching grass, walking outside, or sitting with your emotions, grounding helps you pause, breathe, and reset.
Joy doesn’t mean life is perfect. It means you learn how to carry both the good and the hard with intention.
She encourages clients to:
- Identify what brings them joy
- Practice real-world grounding (nature, movement, mindfulness)
- Be honest about their mental health without letting it define them
Mental Health in Utah and Beyond
Through Gold Counseling, Debee leads a team of over 40 professionals serving clients from ages 4 to 100 (almost). Offices are located in Kaysville, St. George, Riverdale, and Draper, with new expansion plans underway in Syracuse and licensing in Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona.
Her goal is to make mental health care accessible, respected, and sustainable. Not just for clients, but also for the therapists who serve them.
Conclusion: Start with One Step
Whether you’re facing burnout, struggling in your marriage, or feeling disconnected from yourself, Debee’s message is simple:
“Take the first step. Then take the next. You don’t have to stay where you are.”
At Gold Counseling and through her leadership, Debee Gold reminds us that healing doesn’t come from pretending everything is fine, but rather from being brave enough to ask for more.
Watch the Episode
Experience the full conversation and wisdom from Debee Gold:
Watch it on YouTube here.