Therapists for college students near Durham, NC

As a Therapist, I help people who want to find their voice, feel understood, and gain insight about themselves but who may also fear change, being seen, losing themselves, or maybe have difficulty letting go of instilled habits and beliefs. Who do I help? My clinical experience includes working with clients who present or experience anxiety, depression, negative body acceptance/image, low self-esteem, disordered eating, intuitive eating challenges, trauma (sexual, emotional, physical), codependency, chronic illness, autoimmune diseases, adjustment challenges, confusion during identity exploration and development, sensory issues, racial tension, those wanting to recover from narcissistic and psychopathic abuse, and those wanting to increase their overall physical and mental well-being. I am neurodiversity-affirming, LGBTQIA-affirming, and culturally competent and sensitive. Sound like you? Let me help! - Lisa A. Barella, MS, LCMHCA, NCC

My passion is to help you learn about mental health and how to better manage any mental health symptoms. I am proficient at helping you manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, adjustment, relationship issues, time management, public speaking, etc. I am honored to be the one you choose to improve your mental health. Let's get to work!

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Welcome! We help people help themselves to live a more full and whole life, void of medicating and suffering in isolation. We meet our clients where they are and invite them to learn and create what recovery means to them. We do this be holding up a mirror and walking with our clients rather than telling them what they should do. We also help clients connect. Isolation is such a painful symptom of anxiety, depression and medicating. 'Together we can do what we could never do alone' is what we practice at the Relationship Enrichment Center. Reach out, and let us support you.

In one moment life can be joyous, the next it can be an arduous battle. Are you looking to learn how to cope and find mental peace through any situation? My clients are looking to be heard and to learn how to live life the way they want to. Talking with a counselor has numerous benefits, such as discovering the healing needed to be the best version of yourself. If you need an passionate counselor, who will support you through it, I'm the counselor for you! If you feel stuck, challenged by daily stressors, trying to be untethered by past triggers, feel free to contact me and set up a consultation. I am a Licensed Counselor, along with being a Licensed Addictions Professional. I offer you the space to show up authentically and share your story. Talking coupled with personalized coping skills allow my clients to heal from their past, remain in the present, and have goals for their future. We are not meant to do life alone. It's okay to need some help along the way. Working together, I can support you to recognize that we may not know what life brings us, but we can have the tools to unlearn outdated cognitions and replace them with helpful, adaptive thinking which will aid you in living a life full of mental peace.

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A lot of the students I work with are used to being the “put together” one. The responsible one. The one who pushes through. But behind the scenes, they’re exhausted. Many are dealing with complicated relationships with food, body image, or perfectionism while also navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, or chronic illness. From the outside it might look like they’re managing fine, but internally it can feel like a constant battle with their own mind or body. A lot of my clients are thoughtful and self-aware, but tired of feeling stuck in the same patterns or feeling like they’re constantly fighting themselves. In therapy with me, the goal isn’t to shame or rush you into change. Instead, we slow things down and get curious about what your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are actually trying to communicate. From there, we work on building coping tools, creating more flexibility in patterns that feel rigid or overwhelming, and rebuilding trust with your body. You don’t have to come in with everything figured out. Many of my clients start therapy feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or even skeptical — and that’s completely okay. Therapy is just a space where you can show up honestly and start making sense of things at your own pace.

Do you find yourself struggling in your day-to-day life, whether it be with anxiety, depression, life stressors, interpersonal issues, etc? Are you looking for someone who will provide empathy and non-judgement to help you process these difficulties and collaborate with you on creating tools for change? I would love the opportunity to work with you! As a therapist I strive to work with you to discover your strengths, develop and maintain effective coping strategies and skills to facilitate change, and provide support for the difficulties you may be going through. I enjoy working with adolescents and adults and have a particular passion for working with young adults/college students. I have an eclectic approach to therapy and pull from a wide range of interventions, including CBT activities, DBT skill-building, mindfulness and strengths-based exercises, and talk therapy. Everybody experiences difficulties and challenges at some point in their lives. Some of these challenges can impact how we function and cope. I am here to provide support so that you do not feel you have to struggle through these challenges on your own!

College can bring pressure from every direction—academics, relationships, family expectations, finances, identity, and uncertainty about what comes next. You may be doing everything expected of you while privately feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of yourself. I work well with students who want to understand the patterns shaping their lives, strengthen their boundaries, improve their relationships, and make decisions with greater confidence. I also support students navigating cultural identity, major life transitions, family conflict, burnout, grief, and the challenges of living or studying away from home. My approach is collaborative, culturally responsive, and practical. We will look at your experiences within the context of your relationships, history, culture, responsibilities, and current environment. Sessions provide space to explore what is happening beneath the surface while developing tools you can use in your everyday life. My goal is to help you build greater clarity, self-trust, and a stronger sense of direction.

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.

Hi, I’m glad you’re here. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just trying to get through the day, I want you to know you’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. I work with people navigating all kinds of life transitions and stressors, and I have a special place in my heart for LGBTQIA+ folks, military families, and college students. Maybe you’re carrying expectations that don’t match who you are, in a shifting relationship, or juggling school, work, and identity exploration all at once. Whether you’re dealing with frequent moves, dorm life, or just the daily task of trying to stay afloat, you deserve support that actually gets it. Whatever brings you here, I’m not interested in “fixing” you, because you’re not broken. Therapy with me is a space to slow down, explore what’s beneath the surface, and find new ways of showing up for yourself and the people you care about. I show up as a real person in the room and I believe healing happens in genuine, respectful connection. My style is collaborative, down-to-earth, and trauma-informed. I use research-backed approaches, but I also trust the power of humor, storytelling, and being witnessed just as you are. I honor the identities, histories, and communities you bring with you, especially if you’ve been told those things are “too much,” “too complicated,” or “too political.” You’re safe to bring all of that here. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSW-A), trained at Pittsburg State University (BSW) and The University of Kansas (MSW). That academic foundation matters, but what matters more to me is meeting you with honesty, care, and respect for your lived experience. If this sounds like a space you’d like to explore, I’d be honored to walk alongside you.

Welcome! While starting therapy may seem intimidating, you are not in this alone! If you are seeking a comfortable and safe environment, embedded with authenticity, you will find that here.Together, we will focus on addressing life’s stressors through a sustainable approach. Many of my clients use therapy to help them navigate trauma, relational issues, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and difficult life transitions. My approach is warm and collaborative, and I make sure your values guide the work we do together. I provide a safe and supportive space where we can explore your experiences and challenges at your pace. I believe that everyone has a unique story, and finding meaning in that story is an important step toward living a more fulfilling life. Life is not easy, but it should not always be a struggle. If you feel ready to make positive changes or if you feel like you would like some support, let me help you on your journey. I find it important to get to know a person deeply throughout sessions and even before. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns!

I am a cancer survivor, an active duty military spouse, and a child of grief after losing my father at a young age to addiction. Building resilience and fostering hope is not just something that I practice professionally, I have lived it. These experiences combined with my clinical background have given me a unique perspective on healing. I value the realness of showing up as yourself in and out of the therapy room. When I am not wearing my therapist “hat” you can find me at the movies, cuddled up on the couch with my two fur babies, or in the kitchen. I am a serious foodie, dog mama, bookworm, Bravo-binge-watcher, coffee fiend, and yes….I am a millennial. I love to paint, listen to 90s country, decorate for the holidays, and travel (when I can!).

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A Place to Start has been in practice since 2017. We provide a menu of services for mental health, addiction, adjustment disorders, grief, relationship issues, and more. The staff includes one full time and one part time PMHNP who prescribe medication. We have a full time LISW CP-S, ADC, one LPC, and 2 LMSWs. Therapists treat most mental disorders.

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.

Ed Cochard is a licensed psychological associate who has provided individual in inpatient psychiatric, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient settings. He has also worked in community mental health and private practice outpatient clinics. He has experience treating both mental health and substance abuse issues with a broad range of clients from college aged to to older adults. His areas of clinical focus include treatment of anxiety and mood disorders, anger management, behavioral disorders, and substance use disorders. Ed utilizes a blend of cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, reality therapy, and motivational interviewing in his treatment approach. He earned a BS in Psychology and Human Services Counseling from Old Dominion University in 1991. He continued on at Old Dominion University to earn his Master’s degree in Psychology in 1993.

My practice model is all about helping clients explore themselves and their place in the world. As a licensed psychologist with experience working in a variety of care settings, I have expertise in treating depression, anxiety, lifestyle stress, trauma, addiction, and spiritual/existential distress. My therapy takes a nonjudgmental, compassion oriented focus. Through guiding my clients to approach themselves in more open and honest ways, I help them uncover their core needs so that they may lead lives that feel vibrant and fulfilling. I view health as a balance between mind, body, spirit, and environment. As such, my therapy style is holistic. I regularly guide my clients in mindfulness-based practices and offer an approach that blends Internal Family Systems therapy with somatic work and cognitive-behavioral exploration. In a culture where consciousness altering drug use is on the rise, I also work with clients to gain optimal wellness following challenging, disorienting, or invigorating psychedelic experiences. My passion for the Enneagram heavily informs my therapeutic lens, and I happily teach this tool to clients interested in evolving their understanding of self. I work to bolster my clients’ strengths while developing new skills and fresh insights. With sensitivity to the health impact of both personal and cultural forces, I strive to create a safe, welcoming space for my clients to explore all facets of their identities.

Are you feeling stuck in unhelpful patterns- perhaps comparing yourself to others, lashing out at loved ones, feeling unmotivated or unfocused at work? Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are messengers, offering us information on areas that might need addressing. Therapy is a great place to begin that process. Whether you're unsure of what is behind these patterns, or you've been struggling with anxiety, ADHD, grief, or big life changes, I offer a collaborative space where we can tackle these challenges in a way that feels authentic to you. I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all therapy or “quick fixes.” Instead, I offer a thoughtful, steady space for self-understanding, self-compassion, and sustainable change. I pull from several modalities to best suit your needs- whether that's exploring how your past is influencing you now or practicing new tools to help you navigate today's stressors. If my approach speaks to you, I invite you to reach out for a free 10 min phone consultation where I can answer any questions and we can determine if we're a good fit to work together!

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.