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Heather Friend

Therapist · Colorado

Heather Friend, LCSW, CSW

Compassionate, practical therapy for life challenges

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  • Warm collaborative style
  • Practical skills focus
  • Supports health challenges

About Heather

Heather Friend, LCSW, CSW, welcomes people seeking help for stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship concerns, parenting strains, and challenges tied to health and chronic illness. She aims to make the first steps easier and meets each person with a warm, open attitude. Her style is steady and collaborative so people can move at a pace that feels right.

Heather keeps sessions focused on practical ways to feel more grounded in daily life. She helps people notice strengths, build confidence, and clear emotional clutter. Sessions include gentle reflection, skill practice, and planning that fits ordinary routines.

Her approach is adaptable. She uses methods such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address distressing thoughts and unwanted patterns. Attachment-based ideas inform how she looks at relationship and intimacy concerns. Dialectical behavior strategies and client-centered listening are used when emotion regulation and validation are needed.

Heather has eight years of experience offering therapy in Colorado. She offers a mix of scheduling options, including daytime, evenings, and weekends, and allows messaging between sessions for extra support. Live sessions last 45 minutes and are arranged through her calendar.

People who turn to Heather often want help coping with life changes, managing mood conditions, or living with pain and medical challenges. She encourages step-by-step progress and works to help each person feel more capable and clear about next steps.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseGriefParenting issues

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

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 OCDPanic 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

Credentials

Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, Louisiana

Languages

English

How therapeutic approaches shape online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice unhelpful thoughts and commit to actions that match their values. It is often used when someone wants to live more intentionally despite pain, illness, or strong emotions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches skills to change patterns that cause distress. It can help with anxiety, depression, sleep, and mood conditions. Attachment-Based Therapy pays attention to how early and current relationships shape emotional responses and can be useful for intimacy, relationship, and attachment concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Heather will collaborate with each person to choose or combine methods based on goals, needs, and preferences. That choice can shift over time as issues evolve and progress is made.

Heather offers live 45-minute sessions arranged through her calendar and provides messaging between sessions for additional support. If you plan to work online, confirm the current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time so people can attend from wherever they are located.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Heather help with?

She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, parenting strains, relationship and intimacy issues, addictions, ADHD, chronic illness and related caregiver stress, and other life changes.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is warm, open-minded, and collaborative. She moves at a pace set by the client and blends listening with practical skill building.

How much clinical experience does she have?

Heather has eight years of experience providing psychotherapy and related supports.

What credentials and location are listed for this clinician?

She holds LCSW and CSW credentials and practices out of Colorado.

Which languages are supported and can international clients connect?

Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients.

What session formats are available?

Live sessions are 45 minutes and are scheduled through her calendar; she also offers messaging between sessions. Confirm current session options before booking.

How does payment and cost work?

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

How do I begin working with her?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to the therapist's calendar.

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Heather FriendReview online therapy options on BetterHelp.

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