Debbie Hayes , LCPC

Debbie Hayes is a counselor licensed in Illinois with more than 10 years of combined experience working as both a caseworker and a therapist. She has supported people facing a wide range of concerns, including grief, depression, anxiety, anger, relationship difficulties, parenting challenges, career transitions, OCD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Her training included multicultural counseling, and she continues to pursue additional trainings to stay current with research and best practices so she can provide the most effective support possible.

Her style is warm, interactive, and grounded in respect, sensitivity, and compassion. She avoids judgment and seeks to build a collaborative relationship that draws on clients' strengths. Debbie tailors conversations and treatment plans to each person, integrating client-centered, strengths-based, existential, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and psychodynamic ideas as appropriate. She is also open to incorporating Christian-based counseling when that aligns with a client’s values and goals, and she invites clients to indicate that preference so it can be woven into sessions.

Debbie holds the LCPC credential, which stands for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois, and brings a practical, empathic approach to helping people take steps toward a more fulfilling life. She emphasizes small, manageable changes and supportive guidance as clients work toward their goals.

Approaches That Guide Online Sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, often called ACT, helps people clarify their values and take committed steps toward a meaningful life even when difficult thoughts and feelings arise. It is useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and situations where avoidance gets in the way of goals.

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the client leads the conversation and the therapist reflects and supports self-discovery. This approach helps with relationship concerns, self-esteem, and life transitions by fostering insight and personal growth.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, offers practical tools to identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. CBT is commonly used for anxiety, mood concerns, and coping with daily challenges by teaching skills that can be applied between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Debbie will collaborate with each person to determine which methods or combination of methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, and licensed professionals often adjust the plan over time as progress and priorities evolve.

Online therapy with Debbie is available by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, maintain continuity of care, and access support from home or elsewhere when in-person sessions are not possible.