Debbie Hayes , LCPC

Debbie Hayes is a licensed counselor in Illinois with a decade of experience working both as a caseworker and as a practicing counselor. She has supported people facing a wide range of concerns, including grief, depression, anxiety, anger, relationship challenges, parenting difficulties, career stress, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, 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.

Her therapeutic style is warm, interactive, and nonjudgmental, grounded in respect, sensitivity, and compassion. She blends client-centered and strengths-based perspectives with existential and cognitive-behavioral ideas, tailoring conversations and treatment plans to meet each person’s individual needs. She is also willing to incorporate Christian-based counseling for clients who prefer that approach, and will include that perspective when requested.

Debbie holds the credential LCPC, which denotes a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and brings practical experience and ongoing professional development to her work. Seeking help takes courage, and she aims to support and empower people as they take steps toward greater well-being, working collaboratively and at a pace that fits each person’s life. She is not currently accepting new clients.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, and focuses on taking actions that align with personal values - it can be useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. Client-Centered Therapy places the person at the center of the process, with the therapist offering empathy and support to help clients explore goals and strengths; this approach often benefits relationship, self-esteem, and grief work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches practical strategies to identify and change unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors, commonly used for anxiety, depression, OCD, and mood challenges.

Finding the right combination of approaches is part of the process, and Debbie works collaboratively with each person to determine what fits their needs, goals, and preferences. Together they adjust techniques and tools as therapy progresses to ensure the approach stays aligned with the client’s priorities.

Online therapy offers flexible options for connecting with licensed professionals and therapists through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These formats make it easier to schedule sessions around work, caregiving, or mobility limitations, and allow people to receive consistent support from wherever they are located within the service area.