Desarae Herard, LMHC

Desarae Herard is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) who focuses on helping people regain a sense of control in their lives. She offers straightforward feedback and steady support to address stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship concerns. Her approach aims to teach practical skills that people can use between sessions.

She works from a compassionate, empathic stance and meets people where they are. Sessions concentrate on strategies and tools tailored to each person's situation. The goal is to reduce immediate distress and build coping habits that last.

Herard earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Jacksonville University in 2006 and a Master’s degree in mental health counseling from Capella University in 2011. She has been practicing for 11 years and holds her Florida LMHC credential.

She has experience across different settings and with a range of life circumstances. That includes support for trauma and abuse, grief, addiction concerns, parenting stress, intimacy-related issues, and coping with life changes. She also works with mood concerns such as bipolar disorder and depression.

In sessions she uses client-centered techniques alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice patterns and try new ways of responding. Her aim is to help clients learn skills, manage setbacks, and pursue personal growth. Practical exercises and clear feedback are common parts of her work.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Desarae uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered techniques to guide online work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings, and behavior and helps people try new responses to stress, anxiety, and mood issues. Client-centered therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship where the therapist listens and helps the person find their own solutions and strengths.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. She will talk with each client about goals and preferences and then try methods that fit those needs. That collaborative process means approaches can be adjusted over time based on what helps most.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care flexible. Video calls are useful when seeing facial cues helps the conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when internet bandwidth is limited or for quick check-ins. Live chat and text allow shorter, more frequent check-ins and can fit into a busy day without needing to be on camera. These options help people fit therapy into work, school, or family routines while using the therapeutic approaches described above.