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 clear feedback and steady support to address stress, anxiety, relationship strain, depression, and other challenges. Her practical focus is on teaching skills that can be used between sessions to manage setbacks.

Herard uses a compassionate, empathic style and aims to meet people where they are. She blends listening with straightforward guidance and suggests strategies tailored to each person’s situation. Sessions often involve learning coping tools and practicing new ways to respond to difficult feelings.

Originally from the northeast, she moved to Jacksonville in 2002 for college and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Jacksonville University in 2006. She completed a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University in 2011 and holds a Florida LMHC credential.

Her work history includes a variety of settings and a range of life stages, including crisis intervention and everyday concerns. Over 11 years of experience inform her approach, helping to shape interventions that are practical and usable in daily life. She emphasizes steady progress rather than quick fixes.

People who want clear strategies and a supportive, down-to-earth counselor may find her approach helpful. She aims to help clients build resilience, handle life changes, and move toward personal growth.

How her approaches shape online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to each person's experience. The therapist creates a supportive space and follows the client's lead to help clarify goals and priorities, which can be useful for relationship worries, grief, and self esteem concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect. It uses practical exercises and small experiments to reduce anxiety, manage mood symptoms, and improve coping with life changes.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss your needs and goals and recommend techniques that fit your situation. Together you can try different strategies and adjust the plan as you learn what helps most.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, like scheduling around work or caring responsibilities and avoiding travel time. Confirm the current session options before booking, since specific formats are not listed here. The therapist will explain how sessions are run and help you choose what fits your routine and communication preferences.