Heather K.
State Certified Peer Supporter · Swansea, IL
Hi! I’m so glad you’re here. I know how isolating anxiety, panic, and agoraphobia can feel, and my hope is to offer a safe, judgment-free space where you can talk openly, feel understood, and know you don’t have to navigate the hard days alone.
average from 10 reviews
group meetings hosted
one-on-one sessions
supporting peers on HeyPeers since
Support groups
Upcoming meetings with Heather
Uncomfortable, Not Unsafe. Breaking the Fear Cycle of Panic Disorder
Beyond Avoidance: Taking Your Life Back From Agoraphobia
Work with Heather
One-on-one support, at your pace
Private sessions with a peer who's been where you are.
Women's Mental Health Coaching
A judgment-free space for women to feel heard, supported, and empowered while navigating mental health and everyday life.
Details
Agoraphobia Peer Support
Support from someone who’s lived it—face fears, expand your world, and take small steps toward a life no longer ruled by agoraphobia.
Details
OCD peer support
Real support from someone who gets OCD—less shame, more understanding, and practical steps toward living beyond the cycle.
Details
Panic Disorder Peer Support
Peer support from someone who’s been there—real conversations, practical tools, and hope for life beyond panic and agoraphobia.
DetailsAbout Heather
If you’re reading this while feeling like anxiety, panic, OCD, or agoraphobia has taken over your life, I want you to know that I understand what it’s like to have your world become incredibly small. My story with mental health started long before I ever had words for what I was experiencing. I’ve lived with OCD since I was a child, and anxiety and panic attacks became part of my life in my 20s. I’m now in my 40s, which means I’ve spent more than two decades learning what it’s like to live with a brain that can make ordinary situations feel anything but ordinary. At my worst, panic and agoraphobia completely changed my life. There was a period when I didn't leave my house for an entire year. During an especially difficult time, I barely left my closet for almost six weeks. It had become the place where I felt safest when the rest of the world—and sometimes even the rest of my own home—felt overwhelming. I know what it's like to be afraid of driving because you're convinced you might panic or pass out. I know what it's like to stand in a store or restaurant secretly calculating how quickly you could get outside. I've feared traffic lights, standing in line, stairs, heat, crowded places, being too far from home, and situations where I felt like I couldn't easily escape. And I know what it's like to look around at the life you're living and wonder, “How did my world get this small?” For a long time, I thought recovery meant figuring out how to never feel anxious again. I searched for ways to stop the sensations, prevent panic attacks, and make myself feel safe before I did anything uncomfortable. Eventually, I began learning something very different: recovery wasn't about waiting until I wasn't afraid. It was about learning that I could be afraid and still move forward. I've now been in recovery for almost three years. My life today looks very different from the one I was living when leaving my house felt impossible. That doesn't mean I've become a person who never experiences anxiety. It means anxiety no longer gets to make all of my decisions for me. That's also why peer support means so much to me. I'm not here to diagnose you, provide therapy, or pretend that what worked for me will automatically work for everyone. I'm here as someone with lived experience who understands how isolating these conditions can feel—and how powerful it can be to finally talk to someone who doesn't need you to explain why something as ordinary as standing in line, driving down the road, or sitting in a restaurant can feel monumental. In our sessions, we can talk openly about what you're experiencing, the fears and patterns that may be keeping your world small, the things you're working toward, and the small victories that other people may not understand are actually huge victories. I'll share the perspectives, practical tools, and lessons that helped me during my own recovery while supporting you as you figure out what moving forward looks like for you. Most importantly, I want this to be a space where you don't have to pretend you're okay. I've been the person who couldn't leave the house. I've been the person sitting somewhere desperately wishing I could escape. I've been the person wondering whether life would ever feel normal again. And now I get to be the person who can say: Your world can get bigger again
My Recovery Story
My recovery from panic disorder and agoraphobia has been a gradual process of learning to understand my anxiety instead of constantly fighting or avoiding it. There was a time when my world became incredibly small and even ordinary activities felt overwhelming. Through education, exposure, changing my relationship with anxiety, and consistently doing things that once scared me, I slowly began rebuilding my life. Today, my quality of life is dramatically different. I drive, go places, make plans, work, create, and participate in life in ways that once felt impossible. I still experience anxiety and occasional moments of panic, but they no longer control my decisions or determine what kind of day—or life—I’m allowed to have. Recovery, for me, hasn’t meant never feeling anxiety again; it has meant getting my freedom back.
My Motivation To Help
My motivation to help others comes from knowing what it feels like to desperately want someone to understand what you’re going through. During some of the hardest years of my life with panic disorder and agoraphobia, I often felt isolated, misunderstood, and unsure whether I would ever feel like myself again. As I found my way forward, I realized how valuable it can be to hear from someone who has actually lived it and come out on the other side. If sharing my experience, listening without judgment, and simply reminding someone that they aren’t alone can make their journey feel a little less frightening, then everything I went through can have a greater purpose.
State Certification on file
Verified by HeyPeers · View
Ready to connect?
Create a free account to message Heather or request 1-on-1 peer support.
Sign up to connectPeer voices
What peers say about Heather
based on 10 ratings
"I enjoyed the group so far. I understand that Heather wants us to try to overcome our fears by leaving our cameras on. But for some, this might feel uncomfortable. I would suggest doing both. If a person is feeling a little more anxious, then they can turn their camera off. Then turn back on when feeling better :)"
Melissa M.
Living Beyond Fear: Panic & Agoraphobia Peer Support · October 2026
"Empathetic, patient, knowledgeable, and outgoing! Felt very safe in the group to share, and the flow of the conversations was great. Well done. I would definitely join again :)"
Abigail C.
Living Beyond Fear: Panic & Agoraphobia Peer Support · October 2026
"One of the best meetings I have attended thanks to a great group leader"
Gail L.
Living Beyond Fear: Panic & Agoraphobia Peer Support · October 2026
You don't have to do this alone
Create a free account to connect with Heather, join meetings and chatrooms, and take the first step at your own pace.
