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LCSW, CSW

Heather Friend, LCSW, CSW

  • Experience8 years
  • LocationColorado
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Relationship, and Trauma and abuse
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Heather

Heather Friend is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW, CSW) based in Colorado who supports people facing stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting concerns, addictions, and a wide range of other difficulties.

Background and approach

She brings eight years of clinical experience to therapy and works with issues including depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, intimacy and body image concerns, career stress, sleep and eating difficulties, and compassion fatigue. Her practice also attends to complex life situations such as adoption and foster care, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and co-morbid conditions.

Her style is warm, collaborative, and client-centered, aiming to help clients identify strengths and build emotional clarity and confidence. Sessions are paced to the individual, emphasizing understanding, empowerment, and step-by-step progress for those feeling overwhelmed or stuck.

Heather blends established approaches such as Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, and cognitive-behavioral techniques to tailor treatment to each person’s needs. Heather offers flexible scheduling including daily, evening, and weekend availability, and clients may message for additional support between sessions.

She accepts international clients and conducts sessions through multiple online formats to make therapy accessible for varied lifestyles and schedules.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Internal Family Systems (IFS) invites clients to explore different parts of themselves and notice how those parts interact, helping people develop self-compassion and internal balance when managing trauma, anxiety, or relational patterns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying values and learning practical skills to accept difficult thoughts and feelings while committing to meaningful action, which can be useful for stress, depression, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns formed in relationships and supports building safer, more connected ways of relating to others, often helping with intimacy concerns and issues rooted in early caregiving.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Heather will work with each client to determine which methods fit their needs and goals, adapting techniques from these models to match preferences, pacing, and the specific challenges presented during online work.

Online sessions are available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for varied schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to access regular support, fit therapy into busy days, and maintain continuity of care when life circumstances change, while allowing licensed professionals to apply the same therapeutic principles used in person.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Heather commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting challenges, addictions, LGBT concerns, intimacy and family issues, mood disorders, eating and sleeping problems, anger, self-esteem, career stress, ADHD, and many related matters.
How would you describe her therapeutic approach and style?
Her work is warm, supportive, and client-centered, with an emphasis on collaboration, pacing therapy to the client, and helping people recognize strengths and build emotional clarity and confidence.
What is her professional background and experience?
She has eight years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker and has supported clients with a broad range of mental health and life concerns.
What credentials and location are listed for this clinician?
She holds LCSW and CSW credentials with IL LCSW 149026353 and CO LCSW CSW.09927984, and her practice is based in Colorado.
Can people who live outside the United States work with her?
Yes, she accepts international clients and conducts sessions with people in other countries according to applicable availability and guidelines.
What session formats are available for online work?
Sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences.
How does pricing and subscription work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy with her?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.

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

Licensed

Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, Louisiana

Languages

English