Vanessa Heim, LPCC, LPC

Vanessa Heim, LPCC and LPC (LPCC - Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor; LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor), brings 25 years of clinical experience to her work with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar conditions, trauma and abuse, and challenges with self-esteem. Licensed in both New Mexico and Virginia, she combines evidence-based cognitive therapies with a mind-body focus and mindfulness practices to help clients build practical coping strategies and greater emotional balance.

She has specialized training in cognitive approaches for trauma, including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for post-traumatic stress, and many years of experience teaching Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills to support emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. Vanessa also works with obsessions, compulsions, thought disorder symptoms, and paranoia, tailoring interventions to each person’s unique needs.

Vanessa emphasizes a collaborative, client-centered style that creates an open, nonjudgmental space where thoughts and feelings can be explored safely. She views seeking help as a courageous first step and focuses on empowering clients to pursue a more fulfilling, resilient life through practical skills, mindfulness, and compassionate therapeutic support.

Integrating Therapeutic Approaches with Online Care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, and then take actions that align with their values. This approach is useful for people coping with anxiety, stress, and depression who want practical ways to move forward despite emotional discomfort.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on teaching concrete skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. Vanessa uses DBT skills to help clients manage intense emotions, reduce reactivity, and improve relationships through practiced techniques.

Vanessa approaches treatment collaboratively, recognizing that finding the right therapeutic method is part of the process. She will work with each client to explore which combination of ACT, DBT, cognitive strategies, or client-centered techniques best fits their needs, goals, and personal preferences.

Online therapy offers flexible access to care through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, maintain continuity when life is unpredictable, and practice skills between meetings with support from licensed professionals and therapists.