Therapists for college students near Duke University

Hello! Searching for a counselor can be a very overwhelming task, but a good fit is so important. In my practice I use evidenced-based practices and strive to make them unique to each client. Some of us process by talking, walking, singing, creating or playing and therapy should be a place to process in a safe and familiar way. I have walked along side people who are hurting, lonely, hopeless, feeling stuck, facing big transitions and are looking for a safe place to land. If you think I would be a good fit or would like to learn more please check out my website at www.sarardore.com. Be kind to yourself, you will get through this.

By choosing to be here, you’ve taken an important step in your therapeutic journey. My goal is to provide a supportive space where you can feel heard. With two years of experience as a middle school counselor before transitioning to private practice, I specialize in working with children, adolescents, and young adults (ages 18-25). I help clients address a variety of challenges, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and behavioral issues. My approach centers on building healthy boundaries and developing coping skills to foster positive relationships with yourself and others. I am excited for you to start this journey towards a better life. Let's see if we're a good fit!

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Many of the students I work best with share a common thread: they feel overwhelmed by the transition of college life and want a safe place to sort through it all. Some are managing anxiety, stress, or burnout from balancing classes, work, and relationships. Others are navigating questions of identity, independence, or self-confidence. What they all have in common is a desire for a supportive space where they can be honest about what’s hard and learn tools to feel more grounded. My approach is down-to-earth and collaborative, so if you’re looking for someone who understands the challenges of student life and wants to walk with you through them, you might find a good fit here.

Hello! I have over nine years of experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist. I specialize in working with women's issues, life changes, relationship issues, anxiety, and self-esteem. I try to create a safe and warm space for clients to explore and heal. My style of therapy is warm, empathetic, and empowering. I see clients as the expert in their own life. I see my role as one that helps clients explore current issues and patterns while working towards learning new coping skills and ways to heal. My goal is for you to leave each session feeling heard and validated. You will also walk away with new skills to help with change and healing. I look forward to working with you!

Life is tough! I recognize and understand that sometimes life knocks us down or throws us a curve ball. Every now and then it can make it hard to get out of bed, ignoring our everyday responsibilities. Sometimes it can make us very anxious, worrying all the time if the decisions we’re making are the right ones. Making difficult transitions in life (i.e. what college to go to, what job to accept and am I in the right relationship) can be stressful. Therapy is a great opportunity to gain a new perspective, to increase self-esteem and to feel more confident in the decisions we are making, re-framing those automatic negative thoughts.

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

Have you been feeling overwhelmed, unworthy, misunderstood? Do you find yourself questioning what’s next? Perhaps it feels like something is off course or missing from your life. We all go through periods of uncertainty and doubt, and sometimes we need help finding our way through. I offer a safe place to work through mental health and life issues. While I'm an expert on mental health I view you as the expert on you. We will combine our expertise to meet your goals. I'm a mental health counselor who guilds clients towards productive thinking, effective emotion regulation, and assertive communication. This will entail more than talking. Life is about action and so is therapy! I treat the whole person, using an eclectic approach rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). I believe all dimensions of our health interconnect to form a complete picture. Whatever we do to our body affects our mind and our spirit. A similar relationship exists between our thoughts, emotions, and actions. A meaningful change in one of these areas will affect the others. This reciprocal relationship between our thoughts, emotions and actions is known as the cognitive triad. Example: Imagine you’re anxious about speaking in front of the class tomorrow. o You’re probably telling yourself all the reasons you can’t do it. That negative self-talk leads to anxiety and feelings of worthlessness. o As a result, you are actually more likely to perform poorly. o What if you talked to yourself differently? o Try encouraging yourself...listing all the reasons you can do it! o Your anxiety will likely decrease. Instead of feeling worthless, you’ll probably feel prepared and ready to present! o If you enter the classroom with the mindset that you can do it, then you’re actually more likely to succeed! I've been a counselor for over 8 years. Why did I become a counselor? Simple. I want to help people heal. I remember that feeling of helplessness as I watched people suffer throughout my childhood. I knew that when I grew up, I needed to do something to help. Accepting the call to become a counselor is the best decision I’ve ever made! As a counselor I am able to help others walk through life's challenges without feeling overcome by them. I began counseling clients of all ages in 2016. I transitioned to remote/telehealth counseling in 2020, and this year I launched my private practice. I currently counsel teens (ages 13-17), adults (18-100) and couples.

Patrick Balsley is a North Carolina Addiction Specialists Professional Practice Board Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Structured Family Recovery® Counselor who has dedicated his life to serving individuals and families struggling with addiction.

The Kellin Foundation’s mission is to strengthen resilience among children, families, adults and communities through trauma-informed behavioral health services focused on prevention, treatment, and healing. We provide free services that help clients break cycles of trauma that contribute to mental health and substance use challenges. Our team of highly-trained professionals helps people process what has happened to them, to practice new skills that contribute to healing, and to gain confidence that they can chart a different course for themselves and their families. To achieve our mission, we provide evidence-based, trauma-responsive counseling, peer support, advocacy, and case coordination services. In addition, we provide training and facilitate teams working together to build a stronger Guilford County.

Connection to self and others is my priority. If you feel past events in relationships with family, friends, or partners have created fear and insecurity in your current relationships, or you notice that you don't feel like yourself due to anxiety or depression that may be connected to difficult events in your life, we can explore ways to move through these events and feel ready to grow and develop your personal resilience as well as strengthen your ability to trust and connect with others.

I serve a diverse range of clients with mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, and relational issues. I also actively practice LGBTQIA+ affirmative therapy and am currently receiving training to become a WPATH Certified Gender Specialist to better serve the transgender, non-binary, and gender queer communities. I tend to meet my clients where they are based on their past personal, cultural, and societal experiences. The client and I work on cultivating mutual empathy and respect through the counselor-client relationship, developing resiliency, and acknowledging and validating cultural and societal challenges. I am here to help anyone who is struggling with current challenges in their lives, no matter how big or small they may seem. Although our past tends to dictate where we currently are in the present, we can work together in order to change the outcome of the future.

You might look like you have it all together on the outside, but feel overwhelmed, stuck, or constantly in your own head. Maybe you overthink everything or second guess yourself more than you'd like to admit. Does that sound familiar? Therapy with me is a place to be real, sort through what's going on, and start making meaningful changes (at a pace that actually feels manageable). We'll work towards a clearer understanding of yourself, more confidence in your decisions, and a greater sense of balance moving forward. It doesn't have to feel heavy all the time - we can bring honesty and even a little humor into the process. I specialize in anxiety, life transitions, and self-esteem using a CBT and trauma-informed approach. My work focuses on helping you understand patterns, build practical coping skills, navigate challenges more effectively, and create meaningful, lasting change. Therapy with me is supportive, collaborative, and real. Starting therapy can feel intimidating, and you don't have to have it all figured out (no one really does - not even me). If you are feeling overwhelmed or stuck, you're not alone. You don't need the "perfect" reason to start therapy - just showing up is enough. I'd love to connect and offer a space where you can be open and feel heard.

Sanctuary is a non-profit counseling center with the mission to walk with all clients in order to bring healing to their minds, hearts, and souls. There are specialist within our group that work specifically with university students to help them address the unique issues they face in today's chaotic spaces. This is a place with no judgement. A place that affords each individual the opportunity to explore the places in their lives that cause unhealthy coping mechanisms. At Sanctuary we walk with you, regardless of the path you are on so that you are never alone. We can help with a variety of issues and concerns. Together we explore together ways to help you change the cycles that keep you from being the person you want to be. Our goal is to make you feel accepted and safe. We want you to find a warmth that allows you to prosper and grow. Our clients come from all walks of life and struggle with a variety of issues from anxiety to depression to trauma to relationship concerns. Check out our website or call us to find a therapist that is right for you.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Whether you are going through grief, healing from trauma, struggling with relationship issues or need assistance navigating life’s challenges and changes, I am here to help you achieve the clarity, confidence, and momentum necessary to get from where you are to where you want to be. Together, we will work to identify and address the issues and obstacles keeping you from moving forward and getting what you want out of your life. Our sessions will help you cope more effectively with challenging situations and adjust more capably to changing circumstances using practical strategies that improve your symptoms and well-being. I work with adults and young adults from diverse backgrounds experiencing a wide variety of presenting concerns including: trauma, depression, anxiety, grief/loss, OCD, ADHD, military/veterans issues, and change of life events. I also have extensive experience coaching clients to reach professional, financial, educational and athletic performance goals. My goal is to guide and support you towards empowerment, growth, and healing. My approach to therapy is tailored to each individual client. I often incorporate cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, solution-focused therapy and narrative therapy into sessions. I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional with specialized training in EMDR, an evidence-based approach that helps people process unresolved trauma in more adaptive ways. EMDR can be used to treat a multitude of presenting issues, including trauma, anxiety, depression, and phobias.

I am passionate about helping other people improve their health and have dedicated my nursing career toward continually achieving this goal. I am honored to have been a registered nurse for 17 years, with most of that time spent in a major metropolitan hospital responding to medical emergencies as part of the facility’s Rapid Response Team. After gaining a wealth of experience performing rapid assessments and thus improving the physiological and mental health needs of patients in crisis, it made sense for me to evolve and find a niche that focused solely on psychiatric-mental health nursing. I approach new clients with the belief that they should be encouraged to speak freely, which is a fundamentally important step towards establishing clear goals and objectives. Furthermore, I would like my clients to feel comfortable being an active participant and engaged in improving their mental well-being. The goal of our time together is quite simply to help you start to feel better and improve the quality of your life. I would like you to feel comfortable enough to share the issues that are most challenging and burdensome so that we may work towards addressing them head on. Our initial encounter will include learning your history, how you’ve been feeling, any past successes and/or failures with medications, and then collaborating towards a plan to achieving the goal of feeling better and improving your mental health.

The Journey Center welcomes college students into a space of healing, reflection, and growth. College can bring excitement, pressure, and uncertainty all at once. You don’t have to have it all figured out. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, homesickness, relationship stress, or the weight of expectations, we’re here to help you slow down, breathe, and reconnect with yourself. Together, we’ll explore the challenges and changes that come with this season of life, helping you build resilience, confidence, and emotional balance. At The Journey Center, therapy is more than support; it’s a safe space to rediscover who you are, strengthen your inner peace, and thrive on your journey forward.

Do you feel guilty if you say no to someone or ask for help with something? Do you feel like you're too much or too emotional? Do you want to stop dysfunctional family patterns and break generational trauma? Do you want to stop using coping skills that hurt you or your loved ones? If you answered yes to any of these, then you've come to the right spot. Together, we can discover the root causes behind your struggles with anger, anxiety, guilt, shame, depression, codependency, disorganized eating or low-self esteem. It only takes one person to break a cycle and together we can get you to where you want to be in your healing journey. I empower women, men and teenagers by giving them tools to find their voice and advocate for what they need. My goal is to work myself out of a job and give you the tools that you need to be successful. I bring a trauma-informed approach to my sessions that focuses on mindfulness, relaxation, self compassion and advocating for what your needs are.

My specialty areas include relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, identity & sexual orientation issues, & all of the psychological issues that arise in adulthood. I have particular expertise in the area of the psychological needs of couples and families including a special focus on young adults and all the issues they face. Psychotherapy is sometimes the most effective way to begin to blossom. The slow and comfortable establishment of mutual trust will come first as we work to fully understand your unique personality and situation. Together we will explore the the source(s) of pain or struggle in your life & identify practical, workable solutions. You & I will work as a team to ensure you have the support you need as you begin to feel better about yourself and your life. I am Licensed Psychologist and National Register Health Service Psychologist licensed in several states: North Carolina #PP5378 New York #014934-1 Florida #PY10042 Hawaii #PSY1720. I practice in Charlotte, NC but I also provide telehealth, which means that in most cases my services are also available online. Let me know whether you'd prefer to meet in the office or online. I have a fully encrypted and private online office at https://doxy.me/dramyhecht. Whatever your life situation, I look forward to joining you on your journey into healing.