Therapists for college students near Duke University

People often hear “just go to therapy” or “focus on healing” but not enough is said about how complex that process can feel. Healing can feel uncertain. You may know something needs to shift but not know where to start. It can feel like progress and setbacks are happening at the same time. It can also feel like wanting support but not yet having the words for it. If that sounds familiar you are not alone. As a Holistic Mental Health Therapist I support clients in reconnecting with themselves and building a sense of safety in mind body and spirit. I integrate evidence based practices with mindfulness breathwork meditation and trauma informed yoga to support nervous system regulation and emotional grounding. You do not have to figure it all out alone. There is space here for your story and your process.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 14 years of combined experience in mental health and career development services. I have served as a member of the North Carolina Society for Clinical Social Work since 2017. My direct practice experience began as an employment counselor providing support and counseling to individuals experiencing transitions in employment. Over the last four years, I’ve practiced as a licensed mental health therapist providing office based and in-home outpatient therapy to individuals and families in rural counties of North Carolina. Building rapport and understanding the needs of my clients are attributes tied closely to my professional values. I will partner with you to assist you in meeting your personal and professional goals. I will be your advocate. My ideal clients are adults ages 18 to 45. I provide both individual and couples counseling. My primary treatment modalities are Cognitive Behavioral and Solution-Focused Therapy. If you’d like to meet to determine if we are a good fit, request a virtual appointment to receive a 15-minute complimentary consultation. I look forward to hearing from you.

Hello, and welcome. I’m a licensed clinical social worker who works with adults navigating anxiety, OCD, and a history of trauma. I know how exhausting it can be when your mind keeps pulling you away from the life you actually want to live. My approach is active and collaborative. I won't just sit back and listen. I often bring humor into sessions too—it's a natural way to soften rigidity, gain perspective, and open the door to change. Together, we'll draw on evidence-based, trauma-informed methods, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and other cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based approaches, shaped around what actually works for you. Where it's helpful, we'll also bring in mindfulness and somatic techniques to build your ability to get present, even in moments that feel hard. At the center of this work is curiosity and self-compassion: learning to meet your thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them. That shift tends to be what opens things up—clearer self-understanding, more effective ways of coping, and the courage to make choices that move you toward living well.

Life is full of twist and turns; ups and downs. Learning to manage your emotions and remain mentally stable gives you the ability to endure the unexpected and unknown. Focusing on your strengths and recognizing your weaknesses provides you the opportunity and ability to move forward. Understanding the neurological impact of trauma, fear, disappointment and hurt, gives you the opportunity to adjust and manage life’s complexities. Let’s talk about moving forward.

Finding the right therapist can be overwhelming and confusing. The relationship between therapist and client is of utmost importance to therapeutic growth. My work with young adults focuses on helping them learn effective skills to manage the challenges they face as they navigate this next phase of their life, emotionally, socially, academically, and professionally. I look forward to speaking with you to help determine if my experience and approach may be a good match for you.

✨ Meet April-Autumn Sparks Therapist. Sexologist. Real Talk Enthusiast. Hey! I’m April-Autumn—founder of "establisHER+empowerHIM=embraceUS Counseling & Consulting"—and I help students like YOU figure life out while holding space for your growth, your healing, and your identity. Whether you’re managing relationship drama, figuring out who you are, recovering from life’s hard hits, or just trying to breathe between classes—I’ve got you. This isn’t your traditional therapy vibe. It’s a *you-can-bring-your-whole-self* kind of space. Whether you’re navigating emotional overload, gender expectations, culture clashes, heartbreak, or pressure to have your future figured out—I’m here for all of it. 💁🏽‍♀️ For Women & Femmes: We’ll work on **identity, purpose, self-worth, and pleasure**—yes, that too. Together we’ll explore how to get unstuck, break generational habits, reclaim your voice, and build a solid foundation of self-love that doesn't rely on outside approval. Whether you’re tired of shrinking or trying to figure out what healing actually looks like—I’m here to help you feel *more you*. 🧠 For Men & Masculine Folks: We get real about the pressures of manhood—how you were raised, what society expects, and how you show up in the world. This is a space to unpack what’s heavy, ask hard questions, and build strategies for emotional clarity, confidence, and peace. We’ll work on relationships, stress, purpose, and how to be fully human—not just strong and silent. 🔁 For Everyone: My work is all about **Establishing, Empowering, and Embracing**: 🧠 *Establish* your identity 💥 *Empower* your growth ❤️ *Embrace* your relationships—with yourself and others This is therapy, but it’s also a space to evolve, exhale, and **be your whole self without judgment**. No need to have it all figured out. Just bring your curiosity, your truth, and a willingness to grow. 🧭 Let’s Get You: * Unpacked and unstuck * Grounded in who you really are * Focused on healthy relationships * And maybe even laughing a little along the way Ready to begin? Let’s talk. Let’s heal. Let’s evolve. Because this version of you deserves support, clarity, and care. 📍Serving college students virtually in **NC, TX & FL** 📧 aprilautumnsparks@gmail.com 🔗 www.aprilautumnsparks.com 📣 IG: @AprilAutumnSparks

Do you feel you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and worry about how to handle the responsibilities in your life? Have you been feeling blue or had thoughts you are not good enough? Do you want to feel understood? Are you having trouble communicating your point of view/handling conflict? Anything you are experiencing; you do not have to discover the solutions on your own. With a fresh perspective, you will find your inner power, gain self-confidence, and know you are somebody who is enough. I have a passion to help those who desire a different perspective or want to see their lives through a different set of lenses.

On the outside it looks like you have it all together, but inside you're engaged in a constant struggle for control. Your anxiety, OCD, and/or eating disorder has taken over your life. You find yourself in a constant loop of feeling worried, nervous, stressed and at times not good enough, thin enough, or smart enough. You’re stuck and unable to find the relief that you crave, so you try temporary fixes. Sometimes you disconnect and avoid people and your responsibilities, sometimes you binge, sometimes you purge, and sometimes you try to use anything that will distract your mind. You find, however, that your mind just wont turn off. You desperately want to know what it would feel like to not be consumed with the thoughts that cause you to constantly worry about issues like food, your body, or all of the what if's in your life. You’re tired of being consumed by fear. Imagine you could learn the techniques to heal and be free from panic attacks, OCD, binging, restricting and purging food. As a specialist in eating disorders, body image issues OCD, Intrusive thoughts, phobias such as agoraphobia, BFRB's, anxiety and gender identity issues/dysphoria, I provide tools to not be consumed with thoughts that cause constant worries about issues like food, your body, or scary intrusive thoughts. In addition to my specialties, I have extensive experience treating PTSD, and Autism/neurodiversity. I am trained in ERP, I-CBT, and ACT for OCD. For eating disorders I am trained in CBT-E, or CBT-AR, along with FBT, and ERP. For disorders such as trichotillomania, and Skin picking I utilize CBT along with Habit Reversal Training (HRT), ACT, and the (ComB) model. I often also incorporate IFS (parts work therapy) into my sessions. I am licensed in both FL and NC. Call, email, or visit malloriepotaznick.com for a free 20 min phone consultation today.

Welcome! I am a warm, sensitive, compassionate and positive person, which is the foundation for the work I do as a therapist. I connect well and welcome diversity in my clients, and I have a unique ability to be supportive and give positive feedback, while also encouraging you to challenge yourself and push ahead towards your goals. In my practice, I provide an accepting, non-judgmental environment which helps facilitate a trusting, caring relationship with my clients. My approach is client-centered and solution-focused. I also incorporate strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Living with anxiety, depression, or unresolved trauma can make even simple tasks feel exhausting and leave you feeling disconnected from yourself. In therapy, we’ll gently explore the root of your struggles, identify patterns that keep you stuck, and build healthy coping strategies. My goal is to help you feel grounded, empowered, and free to create a life that feels meaningful and truly your own. I blend CBT to challenge unhelpful thoughts, person-centered therapy to create a safe, validating space, and narrative therapy to help clients rewrite the stories shaped by anxiety, depression, and trauma—empowering them to reclaim control, build resilience, and move toward healing with clarity and confidence. I understand no two individuals are the same, and tailor our sessions together to address challenges unique to you. We will work together to understand the root cause of your struggles and address them with strategies, helping you get closer to the life you’ve always wanted. Step Into Your Greatness

Let me ask you a few questions. Let me know if any of this applies to you. Do you often find yourself feeling tired, stressed out, overwhelmed at work, unable to focus, or constantly feeling you need a break? How about this, when you finally take a break or vacation you notice that you don't enjoy the time away because there is a laundry list of things  you feel you should be doing or need to get done before you can relax? Have you found that you have a hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep because you are thinking or worrying about any and everything when you just need to get some rest? IF any of this is you, when would you like to get started working with me?

Welcome to Global Counseling Solutions, your trusted provider of counseling services in North Carolina. We are a team of dedicated professionals with a mission to help individuals overcome behavioral health challenges and achieve a healthier quality of life. We build therapeutic relationships with our clients, focusing on their unique needs and goals. Our clinicians create customized treatment interventions to address specific concerns while promoting personal and professional growth. At Global Counseling Solutions, we genuinely care about the success of the people we serve and are committed to helping you become the best version of yourself. If you are in North Carolina and seeking assistance in managing a personal concern, we invite you to explore our services and join us in your healing journey.

Sometimes things happen that affect the way we see the world, the way we treat people, and the way we think about ourselves. This can happen to anyone. Sometimes, when life knocks you down, it can be tough getting back up. I help people get up. I currently specialize in relationship counseling not limited to intimate partner relationships, but also everyday interactions i.e., working, organizational, non-traditional, casual, mutually beneficial, and structural. I commonly assist with communication which is a major underlying issue found within relationship dysfunction. My preferred methodologies for treatment are Gestalt therapy, Autogenic Training, CBT, Existential Therapy, and grief counseling. My strengths lie in understanding, compassion, mutual respect, and experience. I am able to channel levels of comprehension in the following areas: Abandonment, depression, low self-esteem, jealousy, forgiveness, lack of trust, relationship strain, and everyday challenges. Other areas of proficiency include coping with life changes, communication problems, divorce and separation, emptiness, and intimacy-related issues.

As a counselor, my professional identity is one of authenticity, curiosity, and empathy. I care deeply about helping my clients improve their lives. I believe that starts with the two of us forming a genuine connection so that I can best understand your personality, your worldview, and the problems you are facing – the world can be a tough place and we all have times when we could use someone to listen and understand us. I will repeatedly check in with you to assess your goals for therapy and make sure that we are making progress towards meeting those goals. In our sessions, I will use techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you identify and reduce the types of thinking that can lead to negative emotions. I will also incorporate other techniques such as mindfulness meditation that many clients find useful. Together, we will work as a team to confront the issues that are troubling you. I received my BS in Biology from Duke University and my MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of the Cumberlands. I've also been a research assistant in Princeton University's departments of social psychology and neuroscience. I try to stay up to date with current research and use only empirically validated modalities with my clients.

I’m Robert G. Engle, LMHC, a virtual therapist specializing in EMDR therapy with student-athletes, college students, and high-performing individuals. I help clients work through performance anxiety, trauma, injury-related stress, fear of failure, burnout, perfectionism, ADHD-related stress, and identity strain. Many of the people I work with are used to performing well on the outside while feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or under constant pressure internally. My approach is thoughtful, direct, and collaborative. I help clients better understand what is happening beneath the surface while building regulation, resilience, confidence, and clarity under pressure. I am licensed to provide virtual therapy in both North Carolina and Florida, which makes this a strong fit for student-athletes and high-performing students in either state.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

You are sitting in therapy watching your therapist's lips move while she tells you for the fourth time that her cousin is gay and just got a “very butch” haircut. You can’t help thinking, “She just doesn’t get it.” He misgenders you, or forgets your partner’s pronouns, she pulls out Food and Mood, and he talks about how apple cider vinegar might be the solution to all your problems. She hasn't lived in a fat body. He hasn’t experienced homophobia or heterosexism from the inside. What initially seemed like a small hill to climb in your relationship has started to feel like a mountain. Maybe she tells you your black top is so slimming. Maybe once he referred to queer people as ‘homosexuals.’ Maybe, when you report your experiences of oppression, she tells you that the other party probably meant well and just wanted you to be healthier or have it easier in the world. You don’t trust him with your whole self, how can you? You’ve tried so many therapists in the past and she’s not that bad, is she? You continue to hope that therapy with a therapist who doesn’t quite get it will be enough to meet your needs. It’s not enough. You deserve a therapist who understands your lived experiences. You deserve a therapist who knows what it’s like to have your doctor prescribe weight loss to treat arthritis in your wrists, and who can truly hear it when you tell them about your experience with your homophobic aunt at Thanksgiving. You deserve a therapist who approaches the world with a solid intersectional anti-oppression framework that sees society, rather than some flaw in you, as the central piece of your problem. I can be that therapist. I’m fat, I’m queer, I have an intersectional lens, and I want to dismantle systems of oppression one client session at a time.

I'm a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) and Registered Art Therapist (ATR) with 20 years of experience across inpatient, oncology, eating disorder, college counseling, drug and alcohol counseling, and outpatient settings. My work focuses on integrating creative + talk therapy integration—especially for adolescents & families—helping clients access emotion, develop insight, and build practical coping skills. I offer individual, family, couples, group therapy with a focus on DBT-informed skills and trauma-informed expressive approaches.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Are you the person that everyone else comes to for help, but you don’t quite know how to help yourself? Do you struggle with burnout at school or work, even though it's something you love? Is your loved one in the middle of a crisis, but you're not sure how to best support them while also protecting your peace? If any of these ring true, know that you've already taken the first step to help yourself by seeking therapy. Through our work together, we will develop a comprehensive plan that allows you to move towards what you want, rather than away from what you fear. I offer individual therapy that incorporates a range of therapeutic perspectives, tailored to your needs. Our sessions might include mindfulness, breath work, or other exercises that enhance the mind-body connection. I view therapy as one tool among many that you can use to help yourself, after spending so many years of your life helping others. Whether this is your first time starting therapy, or you're returning after some time away, I am honored that you're considering me. Our work together could be for a brief time (6-8 sessions) or longer term; it just depends on what works best for you!