Dr. Naharia Heard , LPC

Dr. Naharia Heard is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Virginia who brings more than ten years of clinical experience to her work. She holds a Doctorate in Mental Health Counseling, a doctoral-level degree focused on advanced clinical training, and is also a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, reflecting specialized training in treating addiction-related challenges. As an Army veteran and a mother, she combines life experience with professional expertise to support individuals and families facing a wide range of concerns.

Her practice emphasizes helping people manage stress and anxiety, strengthen relationships, and cope with depression. She has considerable experience addressing trauma and abuse, including sexual trauma and combat-related stress, and she works with those navigating substance use, grief, parenting challenges, intimacy-related issues, and career or identity concerns. Her areas of focus also include anger, self-esteem, compassion fatigue, LGBT-related issues, and family- and couple-based problems.

Dr. Heard uses evidence-informed methods such as client-centered approaches, cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical skills, emotionally focused strategies, and motivational interviewing to tailor care to each person. She offers therapy for individuals, couples, and families, integrating clinical skill with a practical, strengths-based perspective to help clients build coping skills and pursue meaningful change.

Approaches Used in Online Therapy and What They Help With

Dr. Naharia Heard commonly integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) into her online practice. Client-centered therapy focuses on creating a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the client’s goals and perspectives guide the work - it can be helpful for building self-awareness, improving relationships, and navigating life transitions.

CBT is a structured approach that helps people identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, making it useful for anxiety, depression, stress management, and many day-to-day coping challenges. DBT emphasizes skills for regulating intense emotions, managing distress, and improving interpersonal effectiveness, which can be especially relevant for anger, relationship difficulties, and emotional dysregulation.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Dr. Naharia Heard works collaboratively with clients to assess needs, goals, and preferences, and she adapts methods so the treatment aligns with each person’s circumstances.

Online therapy via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging offers flexibility for busy schedules and for people who find in-person visits difficult. These options allow licensed professionals to provide consistent, ongoing care across a range of formats, making it easier to maintain progress while fitting therapy into everyday life.