Therapists for college students near Durham, NC

Hey there! I provide virtual therapy for adults navigating OCD, ADHD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms - many of whom are unpacking intimacy, identity, and religious trauma. My approach is affirming, and grounded in empowerment. I'm LGBTQ+ friendly and deeply anti-judgment. I meet you where you are, not where you think you should be. Together, we challenge shame and rigid beliefs while building insight, autonomy, and self trust so life can feel more authentic and connected. Whether you are seeking relief from emotional distress, healing from past experiences, or finding a deeper connection with your authentic self, I am dedicated to come alongside you on your journey toward growth and well-being. Sessions are collaborative, gentle, and focused on both symptom relief and deeper insight. Clients often describe our work as calming, clarifying, and real. My goal is to offer a therapeutic space where you feel safe to show up fully, without judgment, and explore what healing looks like for you. Therapy isn’t about 'fixing' you. It’s about supporting the version of you that’s already trying to grow.

I treat clients with addiction related issues as well as loved ones of addicts.

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.

Heal. Live. Love. You can understand and heal from traumatic experiences. You can learn and develop your skills of coping. You can make positive changes in your life. My practice is primarily guided by a client centered, strength based, holistic approach with use of various treatment modalities including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) with somatic experiencing, cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, solution-focused therapy, and trauma informed care. We can work together to develop your innate resources, learn more healthy coping skills, and develop an understanding and awareness of the beautiful connection of the mind and body, while in a safe and comfortable environment. Contact for more information. Only telehealth sessions offered in North Carolina and South Carolina.

As a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner licensed in both Virginia and North Carolina, I am dedicated to providing comprehensive, evidence-based mental health care to individuals across the lifespan. My practice is grounded in a holistic, person-centered approach that emphasizes therapeutic alliance, trauma-informed care, and culturally sensitive interventions. I am committed to improving access to quality psychiatric services, particularly in underserved communities, through compassionate assessment, accurate diagnosis, and individualized treatment planning that may include psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and medication management.

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

I provide respectful, understanding therapy to support you in living your best life. Whether you’re navigating relationship struggles, communication challenges, depression, anxiety, or the weight of “overthinking,” I’m here to help. I work with couples, adolescents, adults, and LGBTQ+ clients through secure telehealth sessions, offering a flexible and confidential space for healing. My background as a PhD Developmental Psychologist, LMFT (Lic. 203700), and my experience with bipolar disorder, addiction, abuse, and crisis situations allow me to provide compassionate, evidence-based care tailored to your needs.

I help teenagers and adults who notice behaviors or tendencies about themselves that aren’t helpful. I specialize in navigating and overcoming traumas, such as wounds from childhood and/or religious experiences. Maybe you often feel out of place, like you’re a burden, or so overwhelmed that you’re starting to lose motivation. I want to help you break free from the opinions of others, from self doubt, or the fear of being “too much.” You are capable of knowing your worth and being seen and loved by the people around you. My goal as a therapist is to develop a relationship with you different from any other you’ve had in your life. My values are trust, honesty and vulnerability. What I find unique about the therapeutic relationship is that I can show up in your life unlike anyone else, free of expectations, never being mad at you, and never once judging.

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College can be one of the most exciting and overwhelming seasons of your life. You may be adjusting to being away from home, navigating new relationships, questioning your major, managing academic pressure, or quietly carrying anxiety, depression, or past trauma that hasn’t had space to heal. On the outside, it can look like everyone else is handling it just fine — but inside, you might feel stuck, exhausted, unmotivated, or unsure of who you’re becoming. If you’re in that space, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to work through it by yourself. I work with college students who are in the middle of real life transitions — identity shifts, relationship changes, academic stress, family expectations, grief, trauma, and the quiet weight of self-doubt. Depression during college often doesn’t look like “sad all the time.” It can show up as procrastination, isolation, low motivation, difficulty focusing, or feeling disconnected from the person you used to be. Trauma can show up in relationships, in trust, in sleep, or in how hard you are on yourself. Together, we slow things down. We make sense of what’s happening beneath the surface. We identify patterns that are keeping you stuck and build practical tools that help you feel more steady, confident, and grounded. My approach is collaborative and straightforward. I don’t believe in sitting back silently while you struggle to find words. We talk. We process. We challenge unhelpful thoughts. We work through emotional blocks. I integrate approaches such as CBT, trauma-informed care, and other evidence-based strategies to help you build resilience while honoring your story. My goal is not just symptom relief — it’s helping you understand yourself better so you can move forward with clarity and confidence. College is a time of growth — but growth can feel uncomfortable. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, numb, stuck, or unsure about your direction, therapy can be a space to reset and regain momentum. You deserve support as you figure out who you are and who you want to become. If you’re ready to take the next step, I invite you to Request an Initial Appointment and begin therapy. You don’t have to wait until things get worse. Let’s work together to help you regain balance, rebuild confidence, and move through this season with strength.

Jackie Quartuccio, LCSWA is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate in North Carolina. She graduated with her Masters in Social Work from Rutgers University in New Jersey. Before receiving her graduate degree, Jackie spent time working for a non-profit alongside single mothers seeking family preservation services and studying psychology for her undergraduate degree. Jackie believes so passionately that counseling can be a helpful and healing process for those who seek such help. When Jackie was a teenager, she sought counseling herself and was able to identify her feelings and process them in a healthy way. This positive therapeutic experience drove her decision to go into the counseling field and sparked her passion to help those who find themselves in with similar negative thought patterns. Jackie strives to use various counseling modes to allow space for healing, growth, and freedom. True change can influence your physical, emotional, and relational health. She will work with you and/or your family to create a counseling plan focused on decreasing symptoms and improving quality of life. She enjoys building relationships with children, adults and couples.

Throughout my life, I have found people to be fascinating as each person has unique stories, values, and beliefs that guide their life. This curiosity of people combined with the belief that each person has intrinsic value and worth led me to the field of counseling. Through using collaborative, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approaches, I hope to facilitate a healing space where clients can learn how to care for themselves holistically, pursue personal goals, and address mental health concerns, all while feeling accepted for who they are as a person. I completed my clinical internship experience at Appalachian State University’s counseling center during 2023 - 2024 academic year. During this time I developed skills for working with clients facing life transitions, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, depression, spiritual/ religious concerns, emotional dysregulation, interpersonal relationship concerns, low self-confidence, grief and academic distress. My main theoretical approach is person-centered therapy while also using creative, culturally-aware and trauma-informed methods. I have a passion for working with clients who are working through anxiety, depression, academic stress, neurodivergence and life-transitions. Please reach out to set up an appointment today!

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Are you looking to repair your self-worth, esteem, and confidence, that was damaged by life experiences whether it be from childhood trauma, a toxic work environment, racism, and a number of other horrible experiences? I help clients that have internalized those experiences believing that something is wrong with them. I'll help you change your negative and distorted view of self and regain your power. We will disrupt your thinking patterns that are impacting your ability to function and are causing distress such as depression, anxiety, and poor relationships. My ideal client is those ready to put in the healing work.

I am a licensed psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of anxiety and childhood trauma. I have clinical experience across crisis intervention, substance use treatment, and outpatient therapy settings, working with individuals experiencing acute distress as well as ongoing mental health concerns. My approach is grounded in the belief that unresolved trauma can significantly influence emotional regulation, self-concept, and interpersonal functioning. Clients often seek treatment when they feel “stuck,” overwhelmed, or notice persistent patterns related to past experiences that interfere with daily functioning, relationships, or goal attainment. I provide a supportive, structured therapeutic environment where clients can explore these concerns, develop insight, and work toward sustainable change. I utilize evidence-based modalities including Psychodynamic Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Treatment focuses on increasing self-awareness, processing traumatic experiences, addressing maladaptive thought and behavior patterns, and strengthening coping skills. Therapy is collaborative and tailored to each client’s clinical needs and treatment goals. I welcome individuals seeking to engage in therapy to address anxiety, trauma-related concerns, and personal growth.

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.

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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.

Welcome to Beautifully Woven Counseling, where we specialize in guiding clients towards harmonizing the intricate interplay of MIND, BODY, and SPIRIT. Our approach is rooted in faith/spirituality, employing solutions-focused, strengths-based, and integrative interventions through a holistic lens. Recognizing that the body, mind, emotions, and spirit are integral facets in shaping a new reality and future, we seamlessly blend humanistic, psychodynamic, "family" systems, and transpersonal techniques. At Beautifully Woven Counseling, we forge a collaborative partnership with our clients, empowering them to craft more fulfilling and rewarding lives. Our therapeutic process is designed to intricately weave together the diverse threads of their experiences, ultimately creating a tapestry of resilience and self-discovery. Join us on the journey to become Beautifully Woven.

Hello! Welcome to True Mental Wellness Counseling & Consulting. I am here to assist you through the best yet most uncalculated time of your life. Life can sometime challenge you in ways you may have never imagined. This is the phase you worked so hard to get to yet but most days it feels like you're incapable of maneuvering. Believe it or not, we all have been there! I am here to assist you and together we can get through the anger, disappointment, fear and roll coaster ride of emotions that the college life brings.