Debbie Hayes

Compassionate, practical counseling for life transitions

LCPC Illinois

Experience: 10 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Debbie

Debbie Hayes is an Illinois-licensed counselor with a decade of experience combining roles as a caseworker and a therapist.

Background and approach

She works with people facing a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and family challenges, addiction, eating issues, parenting and career difficulties, bipolar disorder, and trauma and abuse. Her background also includes work with communication problems, codependency, attachment issues, and several personality and neurodiversity-related concerns.

Her style is warm, interactive, and nonjudgmental, emphasizing respect, sensitivity, and compassion. Debbie draws on client-centered and cognitive behavioral tools alongside acceptance and commitment, emotionally-focused, and existential perspectives to shape individualized treatment plans.

She highlights strengths-based work and adjusts therapeutic dialogue to match each person’s needs. Debbie values ongoing professional learning and has training in multicultural counseling.

She can incorporate Christian-based counseling when requested and aims to empower clients to take gradual steps toward more fulfilling lives. Her license is LCPC in Illinois, and she practices in English.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Debbie commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify unhelpful thinking patterns and develop practical skills for managing anxiety, depression, and stress. She also incorporates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on clarifying values and building psychological flexibility to respond differently to painful thoughts and feelings.

Choosing the right therapeutic approach is treated as a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each client to weigh their goals, preferences, and circumstances and then adapt techniques from these approaches to create a personalized plan that feels like a good fit.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for people balancing work, family, or mobility limitations. These options allow continuity of care and make it easier to schedule appointments while maintaining regular therapeutic momentum with a licensed professional.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?

She works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and family difficulties, addictions, eating concerns, bipolar disorder, trauma and abuse, and related challenges such as attachment and communication problems.

What is the therapist's general approach or style?

The approach is warm, interactive, and nonjudgmental, combining client-centered care with strengths-based and experiential elements to tailor therapy to each person's needs.

How much clinical experience does the therapist have?

She has 10 years of combined experience working as a caseworker and counselor, bringing that background into clinical practice.

What credentials and location are associated with this therapist?

She holds the LCPC credential and practices in Illinois. The license detail is IL LCPC 180.010923.

Which languages are available for sessions and are international clients accepted?

Sessions are offered in English, and international clients are not currently accepted.

What session formats are offered for working together?

Available formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences.

How are fees and payments handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability and therapy uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How does someone begin working with this therapist?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGrief Depression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTTrauma and abuseEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorder

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameImmigration issuesImpulsivity Isolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Smoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

10+ years

Licensed

Illinois

Languages

English