Heather Hershey-Tompkins

Heather Hershey-Tompkins is a licensed social worker with 20 years of experience. She practices in Ohio and helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and life changes. She affirms each person as the expert of their own story. Heather focuses on practical steps people can use to feel more confident and motivated.

In sessions she listens closely and works from a client-centered perspective. That means conversations start with what matters to the person and build on existing strengths. She combines that approach with techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness to help manage upsetting thoughts and strong emotions.

Heather also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ideas to help people clarify values and take small, meaningful actions. Emotionally-Focused Therapy tools are used when relationship and intimacy concerns are part of the work. She tailors methods to the problem at hand rather than using a single fixed style.

Clients come to her for help with communication problems, isolation and loneliness, social anxiety, and self-esteem struggles. She also supports people coping with bipolar mood shifts, compassion fatigue, and career stress. Therapy includes short practical exercises, reflective conversation, and goal-focused planning.

Heather invites those ready to try counseling to take a first step. She helps people map clear next steps and build on small successes. Sessions aim to make everyday life feel more manageable and purposeful.

Therapeutic approaches and working online

Heather combines Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy with practical tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. ACT focuses on clarifying values and taking small steps toward a meaningful life while learning to live with difficult feelings. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening, empathy, and building on the persons existing strengths. CBT offers concrete strategies for spotting and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce anxiety and low mood.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels most useful. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as needed so the work stays relevant and realistic.

Session format options are not listed in the biography, so confirm current session options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy routine, shorten travel time, and allow for quick check-ins between appointments. It also lets people choose a setting that helps them focus, such as a quiet room or a shorter phone conversation when video is not needed. Licensed professionals can adapt ACT, CBT, and client-centered techniques to online work so that progress feels steady and practical.