Deborah Hilyard, MS, LMHC, NCC

About Deborah Hilyard

Hi. I am Deborah K. Hilyard and have been a licensed mental health counselor for over 30 years in Florida. While I have worked in different venues during that period of time and have seen a diverse group of people from all aspects of life, we all share basic wants and needs. I completed my graduate degree in counseling at the University of Memphis in 1988 and worked in the campus career counseling office during graduate school years. I later worked for the U. S. Air Force and U. S. Navy in their family centers setting up a new transitional program for service members leaving the service and then later mental health counseling for the service members and their families. Service members and their families are under some of the greatest stress with the uncertainties in their lives, along with clinical depression when feeling as if they have no control of their lives. As might be expected there are many relationship issues with the separations that families often go through. I have worked with clients through their relationship issues, anger, anxiety and depression frequently. I have also worked with many clients with parenting issues, career challenges and work discord. I have also worked in the foster care system doing comprehensive assessments on the children, their previous and current environment and their parent(s) or guardians. My experience includes working with victims of emotional, physical and sexual abuse. I also have worked with their partners. My counseling style is warm and interactive. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity and compassion and I do not believe in stigmatizing labels. My approach combines client centered, cognitively-behavioral and rational-emotive counseling, although I will tailor the dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. It takes courage to seek out for a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. If you are ready to take that s