Therapists for college students near Durham, NC

I specialize in women’s mental health and provide virtual therapy for young adult women navigating anxiety, academic stress, life transitions, executive functioning challenges, relationship concerns, and self-esteem.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

We believe that while pain is unavoidable in life, suffering is not. Everyone suffers in different ways and for different reasons. Suffering that comes as a result of trauma or mental illnesses can be changed. There is relief. We can help you find that relief. We have extensive experience working with individuals struggling with a wide range of disorders including depression, anxiety, psychosis, PTSD, and personality disorders. Our experience also includes work with high-risk behaviors, including substance abuse, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.

I have current availability and will respond to inquiries within one business day. We all struggle at times to cope with the difficulties of life. Distress is a natural response to unsustainable pressures in our lives. Whether your symptoms are mental (racing thoughts, excessive self-judgement), physical (racing heart, headaches, stomach tied in knots), or a mix of both, our work together can help you to understand the source of your struggles and discover strategies to work toward a life of peaceful enjoyment. Together we can create a toolbox of strategies for coping with life’s stressors. As a counselor, I strive to affirm all identities and incorporate an awareness of social and cultural factors that may impact your lived experience. In addition to traditional talk therapy, I offer expressive arts therapy, which allows for processing, experiencing, and integrating therapeutic work on a deeper level. In our work together, I aim to create a safe space where you can feel truly heard and supported in your goals. I am passionate about helping people lead a healthier, more fulfilling life. I invite you to reach out to schedule a free 15-minute initial consultation to help in deciding whether we will be a good fit for your needs.

I specialize in the treatment of OCD and Anxiety Disorders. Please see my website for additional information about my experience and treatment approach.

Hi, I’m Elaina, a bilingual (Spanish/English), trauma-informed therapist who works virtually with college students navigating anxiety, family stress, cultural identity, and past trauma. I’m here for students who may feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck trying to manage school, relationships, and expectations, especially first-gen students, students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, and those who carry the weight of childhood or generational trauma. You don’t have to sort through it all alone. My approach is gentle, supportive, and empowering. We’ll go at your pace and focus on what matters most to you, whether that’s setting boundaries, healing from the past, or finding your voice. Therapy with me is a space where all parts of you are welcome.

It is my goal to provide a space where you feel heard, appreciated and inspired. I specialize in assisting those who are experiencing anxiety, depression, isolation, frustration and various life challenges; dysfunction related to family/friends/work/romantic relationships; challenges with relationship building; and individuals with a history of foster care/adoption who want to explore related emotions. What you can expect is an experience tailored to you. I am encouraging, supportive and compassionate.

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.

Beginning the work of therapy can bring up many emotions, and I am here to be with you through all of them. I approach therapy with reverence for your lived experience, nervous system, and desires for the future. I specialize in working with teenagers through adults to address concerns related to anxiety, depression, life transitions big or small, religion and identity, and family of origin issues. I’m passionate about working with parents to explore their own histories and ties to the present, as well as individuals seeking to understand their experience of neurodivergence or that of a loved one. I utilize a psychodynamic approach and draw from relational-cultural theory, polyvagal theory, and internal family systems. This means we will wonder together about the ways past experiences and relationships impact you in the present emotionally, mentally, and physically. I'm deeply committed to maintaining an anti-racist, neurodiversity-affirming, and queer-affirming practice, considering clients and their challenges in the context of oppressive systems. I know how challenging it can be to find a therapist who feels like a good fit, and I'd love to connect with you if anything in my approach resonates with your experiences.

I want counseling to be a positive and collaborative experience for everyone who steps through my door. I primarily work with adults and young adults to address a variety of symptoms, including ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, intellectual disabilities, OCD, substance use, and more. Together, we will work toward embracing your differences and using your strengths to help accomplish your goals. I use an eclectic approach to counseling, meaning that I use methods from a variety of disciplines based on what will benefit each unique person. Some of the disciplines that I often draw from include CBT, DBT, ACT, and Motivational Interviewing. You are the expert in your own life, I am here to help you reach your full potential and achieve your goals. My ultimate goal is to make you feel safe, comfortable, and free from judgement during our sessions. Creating a space where you can be your true, authentic self is one of my top priorities. I believe that sessions should be a collaborative space full of honesty, genuineness, and even some humor at times.

I’ve found that the most effective counseling takes a team approach: I am knowledgeable about mental health treatment, but you are the expert on you. We’ll explore your concern together and find a solution you are comfortable with. I do virtual sessions only. Check out more on my website! https://www.michaelburroughsllc.com/

If you've found your way here, something in you is already reaching toward healing. That takes courage. And I don't take that lightly. Maybe you're the one everyone else leans on. The one who keeps it together at work, at home, in every room that needs you while quietly wondering when someone is going to show up for you. Maybe you've been carrying the weight of trauma, navigating anxiety or depression, or simply running on empty for so long that you can't quite remember what full felt like. You don't have to keep doing it alone. I'm Alexandria "Alex" Cooke, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, and I created this space specifically for high achieving women, women of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, caregivers, and teens 16+ who are ready to stop surviving and start living. I know this world firsthand and I built this practice because I believe the people who spend their lives holding space for others deserve a space of their own. Here, you are not too much. You are not broken. You are not behind. You are a whole person who has been through real things and healing is not only possible for you, it is something you are already moving toward just by being here. No judgment. No pressure. No timeline that isn't yours. You belong here. Let's begin.

As a dedicated clinician specializing in anxiety, depression, and obsessive thinking, I offer compassionate support and evidence-based practices to guide individuals toward reaching their full potential. With a deep commitment to fostering a safe and empathetic environment, I aim to empower clients as they navigate life and discover inner resilience. My therapeutic approach is rooted in the belief that each person's journey is unique, and I tailor treatment to meet the specific needs and goals of my clients. Through a blend of cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, and various other therapeutic approaches, I work with individuals to explore underlying issues, thought patterns, and work to uncover the strengths and resources within you to promote lasting change and emotional resilience. In sessions, you can expect a space where your experiences are honored, and your voice is heard. Whether you are seeking short-term support for a life event or a deeper exploration of your emotional landscape, I am committed to providing support every step of the way. I welcome you to reach out and schedule a consultation.

With a background in school counseling, I have developed a passion for supporting children, adolescents, and young adults. Through this experience, I provided short- and long-term individual counseling services, career counseling, crisis intervention, and group psychotherapy. I am particularly equipped to help clients navigate challenges such as anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, academic and social stress, career exploration, adjustment issues, self-esteem, and emotional regulation, among other general mental health concerns. Drawing on a strengths-based approach, I integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) to guide clients in identifying their strengths, setting goals, building resilience, and developing adaptive coping strategies. I am committed to integrating therapeutic approaches and techniques that best fit each client’s needs. I believe in cultivating a therapeutic relationship through a warm, non-judgmental, collaborative environment. I strive to have clients feel heard, understood, and empowered to create meaningful change in their lives toward their growth and well-being. I am committed to continuous learning and professional development to better serve my clients.

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.

Everyone can benefit from therapy. How often in your day to day do you have an hour where you’re fully seen, heard, and encouraged? That’s what therapy should provide. Too often therapy is misrepresented and clients stigmatized as weak or ill when, in fact, the strongest thing you can do is seek help. Let me help you through your darkest of times or your day to day concerns. There is no issue too big or too small to conquer. I believe everyone has the capacity for self-healing and change and that my role as a counselor is to support clients on their journey towards healing. I'm passionate about helping others through the daily challenges of life and trauma. With special consideration of how power, oppression, and the collective unconscious affect our individual well-being. As a black queer Liberian-American woman I draw from my personal cultural background to encourage clients to embrace and reconcile their own identities and experiences as they heal.

Grief, relationships, trauma, health concerns, life transitions, family dynamics, depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, Bipolar and persistent mental illness. I offer support to individuals to become and maintain the best version of themselves. I strive to achieve this by creating a safe, supportive and empowering environment for all clients. As a counselor, I work from a person-centered approach to therapy, partnering with you to meet you where you are, leverage individual strengths and identify areas of growth and resilience. Therapy is a process of growth and self-discovery. In our sessions. I aim to create a healthy rapport with clients, free of bias and judgement. During this journey, I will encourage you to be open, honest and passionate in order to explore your true self. I welcome your experiences and the story your life has to tell. I look forward to working with you.

NEW CLIENTS WELCOME -- Your anxiety has gotten out of control, and your trauma is calling the shots. You’re mentally reliving your lowest moments over & over, unsettling heartache creeping up when you least expect it. Your relationships or career have begun falling apart as a result of the fear & lack of control you’ve been feeling. You want to come up for air, but the waves keep pushing you back under and you just don’t know how much longer you can tread water... But you’ve found a safe harbor here. I offer a variety of specialized interventions, such as EMDR, CBT, and traditional talk therapy, to calm the storm. Our work together will focus on actually healing the brain and getting you relief quickly by going beyond, “How do you feel about that?” while feeling low-key, comfortable, and authentic. If you are someone who is seeking to improve your quality of life, career, and relationships, you’ve come to the right place.

I love working with college students and young adults who are encountering obstacles in their search for happiness and success. My goal is to provide each client with the most effective, short-term, evidence-based psychotherapy to maximize results without maximizing your time. I have 25 years of experience working with trauma survivors and people who struggle with anxiety, ADHD, and Depression.

I believe in meeting you exactly where you are. Guided by a commitment to collaboration, I seek to walk beside clients as they forge and discover their own path towards healing. My goal in therapy is to be fully present with clients as we explore their emotions, experiences, truths, hopes, challenges, and strengths, with the aim of helping folks build a life they truly desire. I seek to hold intentional space for processing intersecting experiences of oppression and privilege that impact clients’ lives. Whether facing challenges at school, in family or elsewhere in community, I work with clients to weave, unweave, and reweave the ways they hold their past, create presence in their present, and construct achievable goals for the future. It is my delight and priority to support clients in reconnecting with joy, strength, internal and communal power, as well as their role in individual and joint liberation. Some approaches to therapy that we could use together include but are not limited to: Anti-Oppression & Liberation Frameworks, Creative Arts & Play-Based Therapies, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness & Somatic Based Therapies, Narrative Therapy, Parts Work (influenced by elements of Internal Family Systems and Trauma-Informed Stabilization Therapy), and Person-Centered & Strengths-Based approaches. Some areas in which I have experience supporting individuals includes but is not limited to Neurodivergence (ADHD, Autism, etc.), Complex Trauma, and Identity.