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Heather Dest
About
Hi! My name is Heather Dest. I have been fully licensed as an LCSW in North Carolina since 2011. I have worked with a wide range of clients in an array of settings from Private Practice, Hospitals, Public Schools, College, Prison and Community Agencies. In these settings, I worked with clients facing depression, anxiety, guilt, fear, regret, relationship issues, identity development, neurodivergence, parenting problems, career challenges, life transitions, interpersonal conflict, decision paralysis and more. I believe the success of therapy is primarily based on rapport with the therapist and the experience, education and knowledge coming in secondary. This may sound surprising but if you have ever been matched with someone you didn't vibe with you know this is true. The skills, exercises and modalities of therapy mean nothing if you don't trust the person teaching them.
Making a decision to begin therapy means you are ready for change but it also means you will have to be vulnerable. It means you are looking to allow someone else access to your strengths and your challenges in order to grow stronger and wiser. It is an important decision. I would love to work with you if you feel like my experience and approach may be a good fit for you.
I sought out Prosper as a direct result of their mission to serve individuals in the autistic/neurodivergent community. I have always been drawn to this community not only as a member, but due to the beauty of a brain built differently. I love to spend time with clients helping them understand themselves extensively and then creating pathways to success using their own pieces, not the path others have declared right for them. Together I hope to decrease distress, increase feelings of being understood and the confidence to move forward.
I like to approach each client with a great deal of curiosity. I spend a large amount of time asking questions that perhaps, no one has ever asked you before. I believe that each one of us is uniquely made and are also the sum of all the experiences we have gone through before and because of this, you are the expert and you hold the keys to healing and success within. My goal is to never transform you to meet society's preconceived notions or expectations but to work with you and for you to find peace, balance, harmony and confidence in how you move through the world. This approach also lends itself to meaningful couples work as while we cannot avoid all conflict and gridlock, we can have healthier communication and compassion if we understand ourselves and our partners on a deeper level. I employ a mixture of CBT, DBT, Solution Focused and Motivational Interviewing modalities as we move through the goals of therapy. I also bring a great deal of acceptance and genuine understanding of diversity as a queer woman, with a wife, ADHD and raising children in a chaotic and sometimes cruel world. I invite you to authentically step into the therapeutic room and trust that you will be meeting with the authentic version of myself as well.
