Heather Friend

Compassionate, practical support for life's challenges

LCSW, CSW Colorado

Experience: 8 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Heather

Heather Friend is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW, CSW) based in Colorado who focuses on helping people navigate stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting challenges, addictions, and a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns.

Background and approach

She brings eight years of clinical experience to her practice and centers her work on supporting clients to recognize their strengths, build emotional clarity, and increase confidence. Her style is warm, accepting, and nonjudgmental, aimed at creating a respectful environment where clients can explore what matters most to them.

Therapy with Heather is collaborative and paced to suit individual needs, with an emphasis on practical skills and thoughtful reflection.

She integrates approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to address issues like mood disorders, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, ADHD, and intimacy-related concerns.

Heather offers flexible scheduling including daily, evening, and weekend appointments, and clients may message her between sessions for added support. Prospective clients complete a brief matching questionnaire and schedule according to her availability.

Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life

Heather draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as part of her online practice. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns to ease symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, while ACT emphasizes values-based actions and mindfulness to help people accept difficult thoughts and move toward meaningful goals.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Heather works with clients to explore which methods align with their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as therapy progresses to make sure it remains useful and relevant to each person’s situation.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, provide additional ways to check in between sessions, and allow people in different locations to access a licensed professional in Colorado. Heather’s practice includes evening, weekend, and daily availability to support varied routines and life demands.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Heather commonly address?

Heather works with a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting, addictions, LGBT matters, eating and sleeping problems, self-esteem, and mood disorders such as depression and bipolar.

How would you describe her therapeutic approach?

Her approach is warm, accepting, and collaborative, combining practical skill building with compassionate reflection so clients can feel understood and gain emotional clarity.

What is her clinical background and experience?

She is a licensed clinician with eight years of experience working with diverse emotional and behavioral concerns, offering individualized care that emphasizes strengths and pacing that fits each person.

Where is she licensed and based?

Heather practices in Colorado and holds the credentials LCSW and CSW with licensing details IL LCSW 149026353 and CO LCSW CSW.09927984.

Does she work with people who live outside the United States?

She accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English for those located outside her state of practice.

What session formats are available?

Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different needs and preferences.

How are fees and payment handled?

Cost varies by location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What are the first steps to begin working together?

To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on Heather's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuse GriefParenting issues

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepression Coping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended 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)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHearing impairedHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTraumatic brain injuryTrichotillomaniaVisually impairedWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

8+ years

Licensed

Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, Louisiana

Languages

English