Scott Heise , LCPC

Scott Heise is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) based in Freeport, Illinois, with 14 years of experience working in community mental health settings. He earned a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois in 2009 and has since supported people facing a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, mood and personality disorders, obsessive compulsive symptoms, grief, and stress related to life changes.

He approaches care with empathy, clear goals, and a client-centered focus, combining evidence-based methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy with solution-focused strategies and motivational techniques. Scott has experience helping clients navigate relationship and family issues, career challenges, sleep problems, anger and self-esteem struggles, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and the stresses of caregiving and chronic illness.

When appropriate, he offers counseling from a Christian perspective and may incorporate prayer and spiritual reflection alongside therapeutic techniques. He strives to create a warm, nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard and empowered to set and reach meaningful goals, using humor and practical tools to foster progress and resilience.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Scott Heise

Scott Heise integrates Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to tailor care around each person's needs. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, active listening, and respect for the client’s perspective to build trust and clarify goals, which is helpful for relationship issues, grief, and self-esteem concerns. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, with practical strategies clients can use between sessions.

He also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills to help people manage intense emotions, improve interpersonal effectiveness, and develop stronger coping strategies when stress or impulsive behaviors are present. Choosing the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process - Scott works with each client to assess needs, set goals, and adjust methods as progress unfolds, ensuring the plan reflects personal values and preferences.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit counseling into busy schedules or to access care from different locations. These options support consistent engagement and make it more convenient to practice skills and maintain momentum between appointments.