Heather Lykas , LMHC

Heather Lykas is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with more than 15 years of experience working with adults, children, and families in Rhode Island. She has supported people facing a wide range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, parenting challenges, addiction, grief, bipolar disorder, anger, self-esteem issues, and recovery from physical trauma or emotional abuse.

As an LMHC - a licensed professional trained to provide mental health counseling - Heather brings an empathic, down-to-earth, and strength-based style to her work. She emphasizes meeting clients where they are and building on the unique skills each person already possesses. Her clinical approach blends cognitive-behavioral techniques with dialectical behavior therapy to address patterns of thinking, emotional regulation, and practical coping skills.

Heather tailors sessions and treatment plans to the specific needs and goals of each client, helping them identify steps toward greater well-being and daily functioning. She frames therapy as a collaborative process that draws on the client’s strengths while providing guidance and tools for change. Seeking help can take courage, and Heather aims to support and empower individuals and families as they pursue a more fulfilling life.

She looks forward to supporting those who are ready to take the first steps toward change.

Approaches and Online Care with Heather Lykas

Heather uses Client-Centered Therapy to create a supportive environment where the therapist follows the client's lead, values the client's perspectives, and helps people build on their own strengths and resources. This approach is helpful for improving self-understanding, building confidence, and navigating life transitions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another core approach Heather uses; it focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and developing practical skills to change behavior and manage symptoms. CBT is commonly used for anxiety, depression, stress, and many everyday challenges.

Motivational Interviewing is incorporated when clients are considering change but feel uncertain or ambivalent. It uses collaborative conversation to clarify goals and increase motivation for steps like behavioral change, treatment engagement, or habit adjustments.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Heather works with clients to assess needs, goals, and preferences, and she adapts methods over time so treatment fits each person. Licensed professionals and therapists can deliver these approaches effectively through online formats.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video call or phone, as well as live chat and text-based messaging - making it easier to fit consistent support into a busy life and access help from home or work.