Therapists for college students near Durham, NC

Life can feel like a constant push toward the next achievement, leaving you stuck in self-doubt, uncertainty, or the pressure to have it all figured out. Maybe you're questioning your path, struggling with relationships, or trying to break free from old patterns that no longer serve you. If your inner critic won’t quiet down or you feel overwhelmed by anxiety and stress, you don’t have to navigate it alone. The experiences we carry from childhood shape how we navigate relationships, cope with challenges, and see ourselves. Past wounds can create patterns that feel hard to break, but change is possible. If you feel stuck in cycles of self-doubt, struggling to set boundaries, or weighed down by family expectations, therapy can support you in discovering your true self and creating healthier patterns. I offer a space to explore these challenges, challenge limiting beliefs, and develop a stronger connection to yourself. I specialize in a psychodynamic approach with an attachment lens, helping you unpack how past experiences influence your present. Using a trauma-informed and holistic framework, I address the whole person—mind, body, and emotions. I also can incorporate brainspotting, a nontraditional but powerful tool that helps process trauma and emotional distress beyond talk therapy. Additionally, I support those adjusting to life with cancer or chronic illness, helping you navigate the emotional weight of a diagnosis, changes in identity, and the uncertainty that comes with it. My style is warm, approachable, and real. Therapy should be a place where you feel safe to be yourself—whether you’re laughing, crying, or just figuring things out. Let’s work together to build confidence, clarity, and a life that feels more like yours.

I have been a practicing psychologist in Boone, NC for almost 20 years. I have worked with college students in various capacities throughout most of my career. Therapy is like taking a class on yourself. You are the expert on you. My goal is to hold a safe, comfortable space for you to feel heard and seen and to know that your feelings are valid. I believe you/we all innately have the strength and ability to endure, overcome, heal and grow. I want to help instill confidence and motivation to support your on journey. To help you feel grounded and find ways to tap into your inner strength. By gaining insight into the connection between your thoughts, feelings and behaviors you will be able to improve you mental health and reach your behavioral goals. Together we will identify goals and create a plan to achieve them. In therapy you will learn coping skills and strategies to navigate difficult situations and emotions. At times this means processing through past events, current experiences and traumas. Other times, there is a need to focus on tangible action-oriented goals. To learn concrete strategies to manage the demands of life, cope with stress and regulate mood. Perhaps this is even a time to challenge yourself as you are growing and becoming the version of yourself you hope to be. Transitioning into school as a freshman, as well as into your post graduate life, can be hard to navigate. You are faced with various demands: academic, social, financial and otherwise. I take a multi-systemic approach to treatment to ensure you are fully utilizing resources and supports (on campus and in the community) that may help you along. My areas of expertise include but are not limited to: anxiety and panic; depression, bipolar disorders and mood dysregulation; substance use and abuse; assessment, treatment and management of adult ADHD; grief; management of chronic medical conditions that are co-morbid to mental health issues; developmental transitions; college student wellness. I take an eclectic approach to therapeutic interventions built on the foundation of a strong therapeutic alliance. Using a strengths based, multi-systemic and holistic approach; I draw from interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and motivational interviewing (MI).

Are you feeling stuck in a cycle of self-critique, isolation, and frustration? Do you sometimes struggle to communicate your thoughts and emotions? Have you experienced a religious/spiritual crisis? Are you seeking to learn more about yourself and how you can build healthier relationships? Or are you still figuring out what you want your life to look like? Maybe you have experienced a major life transition and you're working on processing and adjusting to this new stage of life? Or are you navigating reshaping and discovering your identity? I can be an empathetic supporter in your journey. We can collaborate on a treatment plan to help you to reach your goals. I work from a humanistic framework, utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and eclectic skills. Let's process, grow, gain self-compassion, self-reflect, learn skills, and find more balance and peace together. Let's be curious about the source of your pain. I'd be honored to be a small part of your life's journey.

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Are you struggling to meet impossible standards? Do you constantly feel like a failure? Do you feel alone and like you just can’t find a place to belong? Do you find yourself thinking that’s it’s all just too much and you’re overwhelmed? Bayleigh Griffith at Dwell Ministry can help you see yourself, others, and the world around you through a lens of hope and strength. The college experience is different for everyone - but whether you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, pressured, heavy, confused, or a combination of all of these, she can help you sort through and make sense of it. Her goal is to help you find healing, joy, and success through it all. It’s possible for you - no doubt - and there’s no shame in asking for help.

Here at Thrivister Academic Coaching we can help you to rewrite your academic story. If you are overwhelmed, defeated and anxiety ridden we can help you to increase your skills, and awareness and take action. We work with our clients by ADHD, executive function and academic coaching to improve their executive function skills to find new successes and increase their confidence. Learning to take action and experience success creates confidence and provides a whole new perspective of hope and strength. Coaching is through live video session that vary from twice per week or four times per week. Private coach and student messaging take place between sessions to address questions, provide accountability check-ins and send resources. Our clients are paired with a coach based on their needs and preference to make a good connection and match. Our coaches use personalization, trust and empathy to help you on your journey and are part of our core values.

As a Dialectical Behavior Therapist, my goal is to help you uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. While we can’t change difficult situations of the past, we can work together to better understand and resolve challenges in your life. By applying complementary therapy approaches and techniques, we will develop skills to manage your emotional dysregulation that may be holding you back from experiencing a more fulfilling and meaningful life. If you’re looking for extra support and guidance through a challenging situation or you’re just ready to move in a new direction in your life, I look forward to working with you to achieve your goals.

Making that first call to a therapist takes real courage, but you are worth it. I would be honored to be the one to support you in meeting your goals. My intention is to help you feel more in control of your life by cultivating self-awareness, processing emotions, problem-solving, and replacing unsupportive coping skills with healthier strategies. Together we explore and identify the underlying thoughts and emotions that drive these behaviors while working at your pace. Let me help guide you to find your strengths, embrace your innate resiliency, and reach your best you. Making that first call to a therapist takes real courage, but you are worth it. I would be honored to be the one to support you in meeting your goals. My intention is to help you feel more in control of your life by cultivating self-awareness, processing emotions, problem-solving, and replacing unsupportive coping skills with healthier strategies. Together we explore and identify the underlying thoughts and emotions that drive these behaviors while working at your pace. Let me help guide you to find your strengths, embrace your innate resiliency, and reach your best you. I work well with young adults and adults who feel ready to make changes in their lives. Concerns and goals I am ready to work with you together on: veteran/military concerns, trauma/PTSD, anxiety, depression, postpartum concerns, and life changes. During our first appointment, we will get to know one another, discussing expectations for our work together, and setting long-term goals to support your construction of a healthier and more joyful life. I have a warm, empathetic, compassionate, and eclectic approach.

Therapy is all about growth for an individual. Growth can sometimes be a scary thing. Oftentimes, growth feels like staring into the darkness with the expectation of walking forward without falling. Whether you struggle with mental illness or you just need extra support in life, I can help you walk through the darkness of the unknown. The beautiful thing that therapy offers is this: you can create your own light. As we walk through the darkness, you will begin to see more and more light. Gradually, the path will become more clear and YOU can choose the next direction. I am an expert in the field of clinical mental health and I have worked with all ages. I specialize in treating anxiety, depression, corporate stress, and relationship issues. We can walk through the dark unknown together as you begin to create you own light and path for your life! All you have to do is take that first step. Currently licensed and taking clients in both NC and SC.

Are you struggling with where you are headed and where you want to be in life? Are the pressures of performing in and out of the classroom or gym weighing heavily on you? Is your past and present life and relational trauma making you feel stuck? Tides of Change PLLC is here to help. Brittany is the owner and therapist of Tides of Change PLLC. Brittany has over 8 years of experience working with adolescents and young adults who are seeking help for anxiety, career and life transitions, and trauma. She uses a person centered, trauma informed approach and is also trained in attachment focused EMDR. Brittany was also a Division 1 college athlete and understands the performance pressures associated with being a student-athlete inside and outside of the classroom. Brittany is looking forward to working with you during this transitional phase of your life. Hope to see you soon.

Areas of Expertise I help adults facing anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, substance use, life transitions, and relationship struggles. My approach combines CBT, ACT, DBT, and Self-Compassion Therapy, tailored to each client's goals. My Approach Clients often tell me they appreciate my direct yet compassionate style. I challenge people in a kind, honest way to face what's not working and take real steps toward growth, healing, or acceptance. How I Can Help As a recovering perfectionist, I’ve learned that fulfillment doesn’t come from doing everything “right,” but from living in alignment with what truly matters. I help clients clarify their values, build self-awareness, and take meaningful steps toward lives that feel authentic and sustainable, not just what’s expected. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply ready for change, I’m here to support you.

I see you as a whole person—not a problem to fix. In our work together, I honor your identity and abilities while also acknowledging the very real barriers, exhaustion, and inequities you may encounter every day. My goal is to support you in navigating a world that isn’t always built with you in mind—without asking you to erase or override who you are. I am committed to providing Neuro- and LGBTQ+ affirming therapy on your terms and to meet you where you are. Whether you struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, focus and concentration, relationships, life transitions, or just being a human in the world today, you are welcome here--all of you. Let down the mask and lets figure out how to feel better together!

Melissa Sisco, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with 18 years of clinical experience. She is best known for her expertise in trauma recovery, aggression management, healthy sexuality, and systems of identity. She has a special interest in providing services for first responders and people with exposure to systems of aggression (sexual oppression, domestic violence, war, civil unrest) as well as communities of control (gangs, cults, unhealthy families). Clinically, Dr. Sisco operates primarily from a cognitive behavioral framework; however, she may shift strategies if an alternate modality is identified by clinical trials as the more effective treatment corresponding to a given diagnosis. Primary skillsets include: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Mindfulness-based Interventions, Guided Self-Hypnosis Training, Systematic Desensitization Therapy, Harm Reduction, and Brief Strategic Family Systems Therapy (BSFT), Insight-Oriented Therapy, and Reality Therapy. She has also engaged in mentorship/coaching, positive psychology, play therapy, and animal assisted therapeutic services. When working with Dr. Sisco, you will always be greeted with a sincere warmth and concern for your well-being. She “shoots from the hip” in a nonjudgmental way to help embrace personal truths and build the glory after the challenge. You will also notice that she can switch gears to hear you in the moment when a quiet presence is needed and help guide you towards answers when the time is right to address the problems. She will honor and respect your time schedule and your definition of clinical goals. She will accept you as you are and help you see the wonder in yourself while learning to navigate the struggles that we all face. Dr. Sisco’s experience and training has led her to four fundamental beliefs about all individuals: (1) We all have basic human drives, private desires, insecurities, ascribed identity, and an ongoing personal narrative that drive our interaction with the world. (2) Seemingly unimportant decisions lead to habits which cascade into life-changing results. (3) We all experience jilting traumas that alter us in some fashion. (4) We can all be well, whole people who love, are loved, and add value to the world. Specialties Dr. Sisco provides individual, couples, family, and group therapy, as well as clinical supervision. Throughout her career, she has worked with a variety of clinical populations, such as: first responders, healthcare workers, those in forensic settings, trauma survivors, sexual and violent offenders, those in substance abuse recovery, individuals experiencing severe mental illness, adults and children on the Autism Spectrum, adults and children diagnosed with Intellectual Developmental Disorders (IDD), parents of troubled children and teens, refugees, military Veterans, individuals with gang involvement, survivors of war crimes, and marginalized communities. Dr. Sisco’s skillset includes: assessment, report writing, case management, therapeutic sessions, administration, supervision, program development and evaluation, empirical standardization and manual development and implementation, crisis response, and community repair. She specializes in treating Mood Disorders (Depressive Disorders, Bipolar Disorder), Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI), trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety Disorders, Panic Disorder and Specific Phobias, anger and aggression, relationship problems, issues related to sexuality, gender transition and identity, addictions, stress and adjustment, personality disorders, weight loss, and smoking cessation, evaluation for bariatric surgery, and transplant preparation. Education and Training Dr. Sisco graduated in 2011 with a joint PhD in Clinical Psychology and Psychology, Policy, and Law with a minor specialty in Program Evaluation and Research Methodology from the University of Arizona. During this time, she participated in teaching, grant writing, providing research and statistical support, engaging in case review of civil and criminal cases regarding undue influence, working in clinical settings and supervising others in clinical settings. In addition, she aided in designing and implementing the first restorative justice program in the US, addressing date rapes on campus with Dr. Mary P. Koss of the R.E.S.T.O.R.E. project. She designed modified treatment curriculums for special populations of sex offenders (brain injured and developmentally delayed as well as female sex offenders) that were implemented in the Arizona Department of Corrections in 2013. She was also an integral part of building one of the first therapeutic mentorship programs designed to service foster-care youth with behavioral challenges with Dr. Julie Feldman. She worked most closely with her major advisor, Dr. Judith Becker, best known for her work on the Jeffrey Dahmer and Green River Killer cases. In her spare time, Dr. Sisco delighted in rehabilitating aggressive animals, predominantly horses and dogs, to provide hope for their rehoming. Dr. Sisco was selected for predoctoral internship at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center, Trauma-Specific Track. During her internship, she specialized in trauma-response care in emergency medical settings, outreach to high-risk, marginalized urban youth and their families during and after violence exposure, and identifying susceptibility to recruitment in terroristic and gang-related organizations due to community trauma. During her off time, she began training as a boxer and fell back into her roots of youth mentorship due to the engagement she experienced while training. She built a mentorship program for youth in crisis, BoutIt Mentorship program, specifically designed and implemented for youth housed in a crisis shelter. Participants in the program learned how to cope effectively with intensive trauma, aggression, and mental health diagnoses. In her work as a clinical consultant, Dr. Sisco provided education to the International Court of Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the psychology of serial sexual assault during wartime. Dr. Sisco served as a professor at Roosevelt University for many years, as well as a forensic adjunct at the Chicago Professional School of Psychology. It was at this point that she incorporated Animal Assisted Therapy into her services; she delighted in seeing her clients and students find peace and release from being in the presence of her therapy dog. In 2017, Dr. Sisco returned to North Carolina, where she worked as a senior psychologist at Broughton State Hospital in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. While there, she worked with people who suffered with severe, debilitating mental illness and aided in a state shift to positive psychology and universal acknowledgements of strengths as opposed to illness. Dr. Sisco has published predominantly regarding systems of intimacy and violence. She has worked with many different populations including: persons struggling with addictions, veterans, inmates, international tribunals of war, psychiatric inpatients, families with marital and/or parenting concerns, sexual and domestic violence aggressors and victims, at risk youth, gangs, homeless, refugees, exonerees from capital cases, youth on the autism spectrum, people with severely and profound developmental delay, people with serious mental illness, people classified as serious violent predators, First Responders, police de-escalation teams, survivors of homicide/suicide of a loved one, and, of course, students and community members struggling with daily stressors. Additional Trainings Dr. Sisco has extensive training in Applied Behavioral Analysis, Multicultural Sensitivity, and Crisis Intervention Training. She is also well-versed in a variety of neuropsychological assessment batteries and engages in report writing for forensic and clinical purposes. Professional Membership American Psychological Association North Carolina Psychological Association National Register of Health Service Psychologists

Sun Counseling and Wellness is a consortium of providers that have many years of experience working with individuals, couples, families, and groups. We are passionate about treating the WHOLE person and helping you achieve a balanced and fulfilling life. We use modern and evidence-based therapeutic techniques and are individualized and creative in our work with clients. My counseling philosophy puts the client in the driver's seat. I firmly believe you are the expert on your own concerns. I believe in the power of a person-centered approach. I believe in collaborating with my clients in order to assist them with understanding their underlying concerns while identifying and utilizing their strengths in order to accomplish their goals. Together, we'll work as a team to clarify your vision for your ideal life. Though you'll be doing the work in your own life, you can feel safe knowing you have a trusted collaborator along the way. My counseling style is warm, creative, and interactive. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I consider myself an eclectic therapist, drawing from a number of different approaches, based on the presenting concern of the client "in front of me." I borrow heavily from Cognitive Behavioral Theory, which teaches individuals to challenge and change unhelpful cognitive distortions (e.g. thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes) and behaviors, which can leas to improved emotional regulation along with the development of effective and helpful coping strategies to address concerns and whole life wellness. I grew up here in North Carolina, hailing from Fayetteville. I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Queens University of Charlotte in 2012 where I started out working with at-risk youth in community based mental health. I now have over five years post-grad experience providing individual and group therapy. I continued providing a full range of services that helped individuals of various ages and families overcome addiction and mental health concerns along the way. Since graduating with my Masters of Social Work in 2016 from UNC Charlotte, I have worked primarily with college aged students within university counseling centers. I also enjoy supporting future generations in our mental health field by serving as an adjunct professor at UNC Charlotte since 2021. I enjoy working with tweens (12 and up), teens, young adults (18-24) to adults 24+. I celebrate you for taking the first step in this journey towards change - be it big or small. I will be here to support and empower you along the way! I look forward to working with you. Talk soon!

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Do you find yourself walking through a tough time? Do you feel as though you are facing more than you can handle? Do you feel alone with nowhere to turn? It would be my honor to walk alongside you as you face trials, pain, change or isolation. To help you navigate through life with meaning and regain a sense of hope. To see you step into freedom from worry, unhealthy thoughts, shame, or self-doubt. Wherever you find yourself, I’d like to meet you there. As a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, I provide virtual therapy to residents across NC using a secure video platform that is both HIPAA-compliant and convenient. This format allows you to schedule appointments that fit your schedule, such as, in between classes.

I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist. I have over 10 years of experience from working as an Associate Professional in Community Support, a Qualified Professional, Intensive In-Home Counselor, a Team Lead, Intensive In-Home Counselor, and an Outpatient Counselor. I earned my BA from the North Carolina State University and my Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. I work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families who are dealing with a wide range of challenges including depression, anxiety, relationship problems, trauma, grief/loss and substance abuse. I tend to integrate multiple theoretical perspectives in the therapeutic process to best suit the individual. Counseling approaches that may be used include cognitive-behavioral therapy, family systems, person-centered, strengths based and motivational interviewing. I am also a rostered clinician in Trauma Focused – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and trained in EMDR. My goal is to empower clients to make positive changes towards their identified goals.

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I help clients get to know themselves closely. Early adulthood, coming off the chaos of adolescence, is a tough time, exacerbated by this extraordinarily tough time in the world. Working with me means sitting together and listening very carefully to you. As we listen together on a journey to discern your true self, we will hear many voices. Memories will surface. Feelings will come up. By exploring yourself in our treatment relationship, you can come to relate to yourself in a new way and gain clarity, confidence, and peace that you can handle what life brings. I specialize in psychodynamic treatment.

You may be feeling stuck—restless, lost, or weighed down by things you don’t fully understand. Maybe it’s unfinished business from childhood, the pressure to always have it together, or just a nagging sense that something is missing. I get it. Life can be overwhelming, and it’s easy to feel lost in the noise. During my time in the military, I saw how deeply these struggles run, and I’ve spent my career helping people work through them. I will offer you non-judgmental space where you can sort through it all. Therapy isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about real conversations, self-discovery, and building the life you actually want. My mission as your therapist is to collaborate with you in discovering your higher self. I practice from a Person-Centered lens that blends aspects of Gestalt Therapy, CBT, ACT, and Motivational Interviewing. I am also trained in Natural Flow EMDR & Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. I will treat you like a human, not a science project. I pride myself on my laidback, casual style and in this approach I hope to show you that therapy is not as intimidating or mysterious as it may seem. I urge you to come exactly as you are, bringing your whole self. I appreciate you and I look forward to meeting you very soon.