Therapist Heather Friend Photo

Heather Friend, LCSW, LMSW

Stress, Anxiety Relationships Trauma, Abuse Grief Parenting issues
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About me

Hello, and so glad you have come in for support! My name is Heather Friend and I am a licensed mental health therapist with years of experience working with people of all ages and all types of needs. If you have been struggling and not only need someone to talk to but also need guidance on how to move forward for healing, you have come to the right place. I specialize in working with clients experiencing significant stress, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, parenting issues and more. It is my belief that everyone is able to work through what they need to, they may just need a safe and accepting space to be able to do that. We will work together to help you create this space and also to help you gain insight about your needs so that you can work to feel fulfilled and whole again.

If you are new to therapy, know that feeling nervous about all of this is natural and it is part of my job to help you feel safe and grounded in therapy. So please reach out if you have questions and looking forward to meeting with you.

Professional experience

9 yrs in practice
Stress, Anxiety Relationships Trauma, Abuse Grief Parenting issues

Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Family conflicts, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Coping with life changes, Coaching, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Adoption and foster care, Aging and geriatric issues, Antisocial personality, Attachment issues, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Avoidant personality, BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture, Blended family issues, Body image, Cancer, Caregiver issues and stress, Chronic pain, illness, and disability, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with natural or human-caused disaster, Dependent personality, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Dissociation, Divorce and separation, Domestic violence, Drug and alcohol addiction, Eating and food-related issues, Emptiness, Family of origin issues, Family problems, Fatherhood issues, Fertility issues, First responder issues, Forgiveness, Gender dysphoria, Guilt and shame, Hearing impaired, HIV / AIDS, Hoarding, Hospice and end-of-life counseling, Immigration issues, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Intellectual disability, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Men's issues, Midlife crisis, Veteran and Armed Forces Issues, Money and financial issues, Mood disorders, Multicultural concerns, Narcissism, Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Paranoia, Personality disorders, Phobias, Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and discrimination, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-harm, Self-love, Sex addiction, Sexual assault and abuse, Sexual dysfunction, Sexuality, Smoking / vaping cessation, Social anxiety and phobia, Somatization, Traumatic brain injury, Trichotillomania, Visually impaired, Women's issues, Workplace issues, Young adult issues

Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Jungian Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems

Services offered

Live Chat
Messaging

License information

IL LCSW 149026353

CO LCSW CSW.09927984

MI LMSW 6801117005

Reviews

These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Heather Friend. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.

Heather really is just an amazing person. I love her approach and the way she treats me. I wouls have no problem recommend her to anyone.

Written on Nov 13, 2025 after therapy with Heather for 3 months

Heather has been great to talk to. She listens to my needs and meets me where I'm at mentally. She is very understanding. She has great tools to help me through things and shares a lot of knowledge with me.

Written on Oct 20, 2025 after therapy with Heather for 4 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, lgbt, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, self esteem, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, and adhd

Heather remains a solid, steady, and encouraging source of support in my therapy journey.

Written on Sep 14, 2025 after therapy with Heather for 1 year and 9 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, lgbt, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, eating disorders, parenting issues, self esteem, and compassion fatigue

Heather if a very caring individual. She takes time to listen and offer assistance

Written on Aug 13, 2025 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, grief, and coping with life changes

My therapist gives me suggestions and worksheets and helpful learning tools and tips. I appreciate the materials and advice she shares.

Written on Jul 01, 2025 after therapy with Heather for 2 months on issues concerning relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, and self esteem

Heather has provided excellent, comforting and helpful advice. I really appreciate our sessions.

Written on Jun 09, 2025 after therapy with Heather for 9 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, grief, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, anger management, coping with life changes, and adhd