Dr. Naharia Heard , LPC

Dr. Naharia Heard is a Virginia-based licensed professional counselor with more than 10 years of clinical experience supporting individuals and families through life transitions and mental health challenges. A mother and Army veteran, she pairs lived experience with formal training to address the daily stresses of relationships, work demands and mood concerns. She holds a Doctorate in Mental Health Counseling, a doctoral-level degree focused on advanced assessment and treatment, and she is a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, reflecting specific training in treating substance use issues. As an LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor - she works with clients facing anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, intimacy-related issues, parenting and family concerns, career and self-esteem challenges, and compassion fatigue.

Dr. Heard provides therapy for individuals, couples and families and draws on a range of evidence-informed approaches to tailor care to each situation. Her practice integrates client-centered work, cognitive behavioral strategies and skills from dialectical methods, along with motivational interviewing and emotionally-focused techniques as needed. Emphasis is placed on practical coping skills, relational repair and building resilience after trauma, including sexual and combat-related experiences. She also offers coaching for career-related matters and supports LGBT clients and those managing dual diagnosis or complex stressors. Grounded in a strengths-based, multicultural orientation, Dr. Heard seeks collaborative pathways that respect each person’s goals and cultural context.

Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Care

Dr. Heard commonly uses client-centered therapy, which emphasizes listening and partnership so clients can explore their values and goals at their own pace. This approach is especially helpful for building trust, improving self-esteem and working through relational or life-transition concerns.

She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a structured approach that helps people identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT is often effective for anxiety, depression and stress management because it focuses on practical skills and measurable progress.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills are incorporated when emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance are priorities. DBT offers concrete tools for managing intense emotions and improving relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the process, and Dr. Heard works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals and preferences. She tailors interventions over time as progress and priorities evolve.

Online therapy with Dr. Heard is offered through flexible formats - video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging - allowing clients to choose what fits their schedule and comfort. These options make it easier to maintain consistent care while balancing work, family and other commitments, and they support continuity of treatment when in-person visits are not possible.