Can I do the same thing with my creditors as debt relief company can

A lot of debt reduction companies are scams. You have to do a lot of research before you contract with one of them.

And, yes, if you are organized you may very well do as good or a better job than a company can do - and a creditor does NOT have to deal with a company working on your behalf. A company does not work if 80% of the creditors are willing to work out an arrangement and the other 20% are not.

One thing you may also do is to "Re-age" your credit cards. Most companies don't make this well known but call and ask them. Usually 3 or 4 months of just over minimum payments and they will consider the debt to be in good standing and up-to-date.