My name is Richard Willborn and I am a graduate student at Lamar University in Clinical Mental Health, class of 2026. My undergraduate education was at Texas Christian University (Go Frogs), where I graduated with my BS in Criminal Justice in 2006.

I am currently a police detective in the DFW area and have been a police officer for the past 18 years. In that time, I observed and experienced unimaginable tragedy and trauma, which not only took a toll on me, but I saw what it did to the people around me.  I always wanted to be there to help, but many times, due to various circumstances, the “help” I could provide was only for a fleeting moment and then I was off to the next.

My law enforcement career afforded me the opportunity to become a certified Mental Health Peace Officer, which is additional training on dealing with people who are in crisis and experiencing mental health issues. This helped me become more aware of the mental health issues that were running rampant in our society, and my interest in this has deepened over the past several years.

Although I am new in my career in mental health, I am not new to Building Harmony Counseling Services. My wife, Nevart Willborn and I started this practice in 2018 together, and I have played an active role behind the scenes in the growth of the practice. I’m excited to now be part of it’s daily operations as a therapist.

In my own mental health/mental resilience journey, I was initially skeptical but I sought out counseling services. While the various therapists I saw meant well, I felt that they could not relate to me in what I had experienced as a police officer. This got me thinking about the kind of therapist I wish I could find, which was initially why I pursued my Masters degree in counseling—to help other first responders. But as my journey in this counseling program has evolved, I realized that my interest lies in much more than just working with first responders. I am excited to work with both children and adults, to help them navigate the ups and downs and transitions that come with life.

I believe that the therapeutic relationship between a therapist and client is the most important part of the counseling process. I look forward to getting to know you and helping you towards achieving your goals and pursuing a life that gives you more meaning and fulfillment. I look forward to helping you heal from your past, deal with your present and work towards a future that you feel in control of.