Dr. Richard Highland

Dr. Richard Highland is a licensed professional counselor with 27 years of experience. He practices in Tennessee and focuses on helping people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, anger, and depression. He emphasizes the client's strengths and supports people as they take steps toward change.

He approaches work with a practical mindset. He listens to each person’s story and helps them notice what already works. Sessions are aimed at identifying small, manageable steps that build toward larger change. This can include learning new coping skills and clearer communication habits.

Dr. Highland uses methods drawn from cognitive behavioral approaches and mindfulness. He also draws on motivational interviewing and solution-focused techniques to help people find motivation and set concrete goals. These approaches are used to address issues like substance use, relationship strain, and emotional overwhelm.

He encourages people to see themselves as the expert on their life. His role is to support, empower, and offer tools that fit the person’s goals. That means practical strategies for dealing with anger, reducing anxiety, and improving mood.

People who come to him often want straightforward, skills-based help and a steady, respectful presence. If someone is unsure whether this is the right fit, they can try an initial session and talk through goals and preferences before committing to a plan.

How chosen approaches translate to online work

Mindfulness Therapy helps people build awareness of thoughts and bodily reactions. It uses simple attention exercises that reduce reactivity and help with anger and anxiety. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them against real-life evidence. CBT teaches practical skills to change patterns that feed depression and stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences. Together they decide which methods make the most sense and adjust the plan as progress is made.

Confirm which session formats are offered before booking, since specific online or in-person options are not listed in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, for example by removing travel time or allowing a session during a break at work. Some approaches lend themselves to short, focused check-ins while others use longer skill-building exercises, and the therapist can recommend what fits a person's schedule and goals.