Therapists in Durham, NC

We are all journeying through life. At times the path you are traveling becomes unclear and may require action to move the debris blocking your way. Debris may show up as depression, anxiety, self-doubt, or even fear. There may also have been something along your journey which caused you great pain that could be hindering your ability to move forward in life. Counseling can support you with clearing the way so that you may see yourself and your path more clearly, allowing you to live the life you most desire.

The goal of Psychotherapy is to feel and function better in the world. That's what I help my clients do. I have been in practice for 40+ years, and have trained broadly and deeply in experiential, interpersonal and couples therapy. Before I was a psychologist, I was a nurse, and offer that background in helping as well. I bring the wisdom and insight of years of practice and life experience.

Changes often raise fear and curiosity. I particularly enjoy working with clients who are full of curiosities and who are willing to explore unknowns and perceive unknowns as gifts. I am interested in supporting clients’ fear related to changes, and helping clients work on variety of issues, including anxiety, depression, adjustment issues, traumas, identity development (e.g., sexual orientation and cultural identities), etc. Prior to arriving in the US, I was a mental health provider in Taiwan. In my early career, I practiced child play therapy and animal-assisted psychotherapy.

I specialize in helping individuals with a variety of issues including anxiety, depression, life transitions, dating, parenting, separation and divorce, and individuation/spiritual growth. I work with clients to facilitate meaningful change.

My approach to therapy is rooted in the view that we are all, at the deepest level, whole and complete; we all have wisdom, love, compassion, and the capacity for connection within us. My job as a therapist is not to fix or to change anyone—it is to help and support you in connecting with your own knowing, power, and ability to grow and meet your goals. I work with adults and older teens seeking assistance with a wide range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, life transitions, and identity development and change.

I work best with adult individuals and couples who wish to address any of the following: anxiety; mind-body issues like IBS, chronic pain, back pain, etc; stress and trauma; relationship difficulties, life transitions, cultural differences, or spiritual issues; and depression. Therapy is individualized, determined by each client's personal needs, interests, and goals. My aim is to support and guide each person through his or her own unique journey towards greater health, wellness, wholeness, peace, satisfaction, and fulfillment. My work is guided by a holistic, mindfulness-based approach, resulting in gradual yet sustainable change.

Personal issues such as anxiety, difficulties with food, a new medical diagnosis, depression, or dealing with a chronic illness or condition may be making you feel like life is one big struggle. Whether you have these sorts of problems or other concerns that are making your life hard or even unbearable, change is always possible if you are willing to work and you have the support you need. I offer that support. I have 4 years of experience serving adolescents and adults with eating disorders, anxiety, personality disorders, depression, trauma, PTSD, and mood disorders. I would be honored to work with you around whatever difficulties you may be facing. Together we will discover new perspectives and skills that will enable you to develop deeper awareness so that you can handle whatever life brings you and thrive.

Life is full of challenges that generate varied degrees of stress, anxiety and depression, even substance abuse. Challenges may include: Personal and family relationships, finances, career, illness and loss of creative engagement with your self and the world. Psychotherapy can offer time and a special place for self discovery, reflection, revitalization, resilience, insight, empowerment and access to your creativity; creative expression and creative living. Our lives can be what we imagine and want them to be. We can develop our active imagination to envision a life of purpose, meaning and the joy we are meant to have.

Individual Therapy is offered. I use a combination of approaches and I build on strengths, not dissect weaknesses. I also see the individual wholistically (body, mind, and spirit) and see each life problem as an opportunity for significant growth.

I do individual psychotherapy and coaching work. I specialize in relationships, trauma and anxiety. My intention is to provide a safe, nonjudgmental relationship in which people can explore their feelings, needs, beliefs and perceptual frames in order to make significant and lasting changes. For some people learning the effective use of assertiveness, self compassion and boundaries can be key components to changing their relationship to self and others.

Over 20 years of working with individuals and couples, I have developed expertise working with a variety of issues, including: low mood, low motivation, anxiety, creative blocks, feeling "stuck" (in any area of life), relationship issues, work or career issues, anger management, addictions, compulsive behavior, and personal growth. My approach is client-centered and collaborative. Together we will work to clarify your goals, and develop a plan that will help you achieve them as quickly as possible. To help you actualize those goals I utilize a variety of modalities, including mindfulness therapy, interpersonal therapy and psychoeducational approaches.

Many of us are struggling with anxiety and depression in these challenging times. As a holistic practitioner, my goal is to help my clients find the priority that will allow them to discover a route to a more satisfying life. Too often we remain constricted with pain and fear from the past or broken dreams and worries about the future. If we are able to connect with the healer within, we can find peace and stability in our present circumstances, no matter how chaotic our external world. We can find a way to remove the blockages that keep us from seeing the Truth and Beauty all around us.

In times of great vulnerability, mind-body awareness, self-compassion and insight guide the way to self-empowerment, healing and renewed purpose. We all carry this capacity within. My approach combines evidence-based clinical, holistic and mindfulness-based methodologies grounded in the leading-edge neuroscience of emotional wellbeing and personal growth. I specialize in helping clients navigate anxiety and panic, post-traumatic symptoms, grief and loss, sleep dysregulation, depression, major life and career transitions, clinician and caregiver chronic stress, end-of-life and psycho-spiritual integration.

I incorporate my training of mindfulness, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and expressive therapy (art therapy) to help my clients in reducing anxiety and emotional distress, and thus improving understanding and self-awareness. I’m an artist, a free-thinker, and a trauma survivor. Painting and drawing on a daily basis has allowed me to explore emotions, survive, and know that we are not alone in this one wild and precious life we are living. I want to take care of what’s coming up in your life without judgment and help unlock those parts of you that seem impossible to look at.

I have an engaged, body-mind relational approach, that I call Integrative Counseling. This approach builds on your strengths, and helps you cultivate self-awareness and find new perspectives, leading to a more satisfying and fulfilling life. Integrative counseling includes breathing and mindfulness practices, the development of body awareness, the experience of therapeutic touch, as well as verbal and emotional processing, depending on your needs. As a caring, well trained professional I help people to overcome anxiety, depression, relationship problems, physical pain, job stress, addiction, and life transitions in healthy, nurturing ways.

Often times we feel blocked from what we want, stuck in something we don't want, or experience a flood of thoughts or emotions we can't seem to escape or move through. I offer a gentle, somatic and embodied approach that is uniquely suited to meet the each person. This approach is intended to help clients clients expand their overall capacity to integrate imprints of the past so they can connect to what it is like to be fully embodied in now time. Whether you are experiencing: echos of previous trauma(s), stuck in patterns of behavior that no longer resonate, grief, depression, or anxiety, it would be an honor to work with you.

*I AM NOT CURENTLY TAKING NEW CLIENTS* I have a relational approach to therapy and my work is informed by psychodynamic theories. I believe that long-term growth and change become a reality when we are able to make informed choices and discover greater authenticity in our daily lives. I believe that you can find immediate relief from some of your distress by using mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral techniques. I have experience working with groups and individuals with mood and anxiety difficulties, personality disorders, histories of violence or trauma, and anger management difficulties.

As a Somatic Therapist, I believe that everyone has within them an inner wisdom and inner healing power that is their natural birthright. My role is to help create the environment for that inner genius to arise and find itself. When this is done, new meaning, purpose and life narratives can be discovered and lived out. I have wide experience assisting individuals in managing a variety of behavioral and emotional concerns including trauma, chronic pain and health issues, difficult life transitions, weight management, anxiety, depression, and stress management.

One of my goals as your therapist would be to provide a relationship of trust, respect and warmth. I want to understand your frame of reference, needs and goals, and tailor my work with you accordingly. To do this, I draw from a wide array of traditions and skills, including psychodynamic therapies, hypnosis, Cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness/meditation training, EMDR, Trauma therapy, relational work, and dream work.