Therapists for college students near Duke University

I enjoy living in the corners and at the fringes of what stereotypical therapy might look like. It is important to me that those who are outcasts, quirky, different, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and the marginalized feel heard. When we work together, I want you to feel like you matter (because you do). If you like the utilization of tarot and oracle cards, we can incorporate that. If you need resources on affirming places to practice spirituality, we can look at those. If you want to talk about kink communities and how to get involved with them, we can find them. Whatever works for you works for me, and I want to help you figure that out.

Hi! I provide outpatient therapy virtually. My style can be described as direct, compassionate, and goal oriented. I don't want you to feel like you're just venting and talking in circles (unless you're needing sessions to just vent vs change). I take a collaborative approach where we will decide together what goals are best and what we want to do to meet those. I can support you in working through a multitude of things from perfectionism, stress management, relationship struggles, trauma, and chronic suicidal ideation or struggles with self harm. Building trust and you feeling seen and understood are absolute priorities in care.

Are you doing your best, yet life keeps demanding more? Maybe you’re facing change, feeling disconnected in your relationships, or struggling with anxiety or depression that makes everything harder. Are you tired of overthinking, holding it all together, and still feeling stuck? Do you want to feel steady again, to trust yourself, find balance, and breathe a little easier? You don’t have to do this alone. Therapy with me isn’t stiff or clinical; it’s a space to be real, reflect, and respond to life with confidence and self-compassion. I believe therapy should feel human and supportive. Growth happens when you feel safe enough to be yourself, not judged or pressured. My role is to create a space where you can slow down, breathe and explore what’s happening beneath the surface. Therapy is collaborative: you bring your story, strengths and insight; I bring tools, perspective, and compassion. Healing isn’t about “fixing” yourself; it’s about understanding yourself with kindness and curiosity. From that place, real change becomes possible. Together, we’ll work toward greater balance, peace, and connection with yourself and with the people who matter most. If you’re ready to reach out, I’d be honored to support you through whatever you’re facing.

Live well, love well, work well. Going to therapy is something everyone can benefit from. When you are facing life’s troubles, therapy assists you in effectively addressing those troubles; transforming pain into joy, conflict into peace, and loneliness into love. Therapy helps people live well, love well, and work well. Whatever state you find yourself in, you will find a caring listener, a resource for finding your strength in a comforting space. Offering online telehealth counseling session.

Life can be incredibly overwhelming at times and struggling with your mental health can feel isolating, even when you're surrounded by others. I'm Destiny Faison, and I want to warmly welcome you to a space where you don’t have to carry it all alone. I work with individuals from all walks of life, with a deep commitment to supporting BIPOC communities, adolescents, college students, young adults, and middle-aged adults. I support those facing grief, life transitions, depression, anxiety, acute trauma, relationship concerns, anger, attachment issues, academic stress, ADHD, interpersonal challenges, and boundary-setting. I draw from evidence-based practices like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Solution-Focused Therapy. More importantly, I meet you where you are with compassion, curiosity, and care. In our work together, you’ll find a safe, nonjudgmental space where you feel seen, heard, and valued. Therapy isn’t about fixing you, it’s about walking beside you as you reconnect with your strengths, gain clarity, and move toward the life you want.

We are a group practice of sex-positive, queer-affirming, trauma-informed, intersectional-feminist informed providers. Each provider manages their own schedule and the easiest way to find out about availability, connect with a therapist by email, or send an appointment request is by visiting our website. We keep our availability updated there regularly and we also have a list of recommended providers for when we are all full.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

You’re up late doom-scrolling Instagram wondering why everyone else seems to have it together. It seems impossible to not compare yourself to others and you think, “if I could just lose weight, I’d be happy.” It feels like you’re doing the “right things” but you still worry it’s not enough. You’ve become your own worst critic, constantly feeling like you aren’t living up to your expectations. You can’t help but notice there’s a tightness in your chest when you realize you have another task to add to your to-do list. Lately, it feels like your anxiety is running your life and your self-esteem is at an all-time low. It’s okay to exhale. Therapy is an empowering space to cope with the “what ifs”, build self-compassion, and discover food freedom. Imagine being able to close your laptop at the end of the day and feel accomplished, even if it means you didn’t “do it all.” Picture yourself grabbing lunch with friends and ordering what you actually want, without the guilt. I support college students wanting to heal their relationship with food and their body, and release the pressure to be perfect. I offer a free 15 minute video consultation call to chat about what's bringing you to therapy, answer any questions you have, and see if we'd be a good fit. Send me an email to get started! Licensed in NC, SC, and VA.

Jennifer Brown is the CEO and founder of Perfectly Imperfect Counseling Services. Perfectly Imperfect Counseling Services was created to serve as a place to navigate the many ups and downs life has to offer. We passionately believe in the power of self-acceptance and in the capacity of every individual to become the best version of themselves. We create a safe, non-judgmental space for clients to explore and gain balance so they can experience peace. Through our sessions, we bring authenticity and empowerment to therapy while helping clients increase their confidence, manage their emotions, cultivate relationships, and prioritize their desires. Jennifer's therapeutic approach is tailored to each client's needs, and she strives to create a safe and non-judgmental space for you. Her commitment to helping you find the right solutions to you live the life you want involves a five-step framework to increase confidence, manage emotions, cultivate relationships, and prioritize their desires.

Hi, I’m Dr. Lauren Chase, founder of Climbing Hills Counseling. I help high-achieving women boost their self-esteem, overcome anxiety and self-doubt, and unlock their full potential. Come sit down on your favorite chair, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and let’s talk about the pressure you’ve been carrying, including the constant juggling of work, parenting, relationships, and everything in between. Balancing multiple roles and responsibilities can be so exhausting! Whether you're joining between meetings or during naptime, we’ll work together to quiet the self-doubt and ease the anxiety. Let’s help you feel more like yourself again. As a fellow beautifully anxious person, I understand what it’s like to live in constant survival mode, always anticipating the next challenge and struggling to enjoy your achievements because it’s hard to feel “good enough.” Let’s work together to quiet that anxiety, stop the people-pleasing, and silence that bully in your head telling you that you’re just not “enough.” You can overcome your challenges and reconnect with your true self. Sometimes, though, we all need a little guidance and a push up the hill to get there. By understanding the “how” and “why” behind our behaviors, we can become brave enough to break free from old patterns and start creating a life that feels more aligned, fulfilling, and authentic. I believe therapy should feel approachable, empowering, and rooted in authenticity. Come as you are, messy, tired, driven, unsure. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Together, we’ll create a space where you’re fully seen and supported while you work toward the goals you’ve carried for too long.

Serving predominately the LGBTQIA+ community, Half Moon clinicians take a radically authentic approach to treatment. While we maintain professional boundaries, we also recognize how profoundly healing it can be to work with a provider who is willing to “walk the walk,” be honest, laugh with you, and own their own struggle. We have a great group of highly skilled relational therapists on staff who can support you though a wide range of life’s challenges, including difficult family dynamics, anxiety and perfectionism, depression and low motivation, loneliness, grief, and more. Check out our website and get to know us!

Present. Calm. Centered. Your authentic YOU. These are the things you may be longing for yet sometimes feel out of reach. Life can bring about storms and seasons of hardship that leave their mark on our human spirits. Sometimes we can find our center, yet other times we may feel lost in the seas of emotions - worries and anxieties that sweep us from our connections to ourselves and those we care about. Maybe you experienced painful moments in your youth or adult life that you just can’t find a way to shake. Or maybe you find yourself caught in certain patterns of responses despite knowing you value interacting with yourself or others differently. Maybe you hope to gain more confidence in yourself to follow your dreams. I am deeply honored to explore these thoughts, feelings, and experiences with you, so that you can draw new connections to live the life you want to lead. I work with adult individuals (18 years and up) and have experience with a variety of different presenting concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and addictions. I offer a nurturing person-centered approach where I believe you are truly the expert in your own life. My aim is to use my professional training to collaborate with you on reaching your goals. I use a variety of counseling approaches including motivational interviewing, mindfulness, CBT and brainspotting. With this, I often interweave somatic/body based awareness, emotional attunement and cognitive aspects into the work we engage in together. I also recognize the decision to choose to start counseling can be a vulnerable and difficult one. I believe a strong therapeutic alliance is the most important aspect for supporting therapy outcomes (research supports this too!). I aim to create an environment with elements of empathy, non-judgment, compassion and humor. And if you wind up finding my therapeutic style is not the best fit for your needs, I am glad to support you in getting connected with another therapist.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I enjoy working with adolesents and young adults. I have worked in schools, clinics, hospitals and for the last several years I have been in solo private practice.

Therapy offers a safe place to turn when life feels overwhelming. People often come with concerns around trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, or substance use. Beneath these struggles is often a desire to feel at home in their body, to quiet self-doubt, and to experience more connection. Together, we can create a path toward healing, resilience, and greater compassion- for yourself and in your relationships. I take a holistic, trauma-informed approach that draws from EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), CBT, DBT, ACT, and somatic therapies. By integrating mind, body, and emotion, I help clients process painful experiences, build resilience, and reconnect with themselves in a way that supports lasting healing. My approach blends warmth, compassion, and practical strategies you can carry into everyday life. My goal is to help you reclaim the time and energy that’s been lost to hypervigilance, fear, and self-criticism, and replace it with connection, meaning, and freedom. You don’t have to stay stuck in survival mode. Reach out for a free consultation!

I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist. I have over 10 years of experience from working as an Associate Professional in Community Support, a Qualified Professional, Intensive In-Home Counselor, a Team Lead, Intensive In-Home Counselor, and an Outpatient Counselor. I earned my BA from the North Carolina State University and my Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. I work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families who are dealing with a wide range of challenges including depression, anxiety, relationship problems, trauma, grief/loss and substance abuse. I tend to integrate multiple theoretical perspectives in the therapeutic process to best suit the individual. Counseling approaches that may be used include cognitive-behavioral therapy, family systems, person-centered, strengths based and motivational interviewing. I am also a rostered clinician in Trauma Focused – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and trained in EMDR. My goal is to empower clients to make positive changes towards their identified goals.

My clients often struggle with challenges in their relationship’s whether they be romantic, friendly, or family relationships. My clients worry about abandonment, often finding issues from their past show up and negatively affect their relationships. Some feel they may be in a codependent relationship but not sure. Our work together will help you understand how past pain affects present relationships. Then we will work at unpacking that baggage, organize it, and put it away in a safe place. Although it may never truly go away, you can confront it in a way that allows you to move forward and find happiness. My goal is to get to know you and the issues that bring you to counseling. We will work together to help you establish a baseline of calm, good self-care, and coping skills. This will help you feel safe and secure before we dive into unpacking the things that are causing you pain. Together we will set goals, to help you realize all of your unique strengths, create healthy boundaries, and self-esteem to build a happier, healthier life, I look forward to working with you.

Your college years is a time to establishing yourself as an independent person with a life of your own, separate from your family of origin. During this time, you may be particularly focused on career goals, college and related activities, establishing more intimate and longer term relationships, finances, or setting up your own home and learning how to manage it. But, sometimes the things don't necessarily go as you had planned and this can certainly be upsetting and overwhelming. Or, perhaps there are experiences from your childhood that you’ve never really had the chance to work through? Anxiety, stress, depression, substance abuse, relationship problems, and other concerns are common during this phase of life. Now is the time to chart your own course. Therapy can help you reach your goals and be your happiest, healthiest, and most authentic self.

Are you trying to keep up with classes, deadlines, work, relationships, and family expectations while quietly feeling like you are falling apart? Maybe you cannot turn your thoughts off. You keep procrastinating, missing assignments, losing motivation, or feeling anxious about your future. Maybe your romantic relationship has taken a turn and it has you feeling down or unlike yourself. You may look fine to everyone else, but inside you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, lonely, or unsure of yourself. College is supposed to be exciting, but right now it may feel like too much. I’m Teinesha Smallwood, LCSW, owner of Whispers of Serenity Counseling and Consulting PLLC. I provide online therapy for college students and young adults throughout North Carolina. I help students work through anxiety, depression, academic stress, burnout, trauma, grief, relationship problems, family conflict, low self esteem, difficult life changes, and more. Therapy with me is not about being judged, lectured, or expected to have everything figured out. It is a space where you can be honest about what is really happening. Together, we can work on calming your thoughts, managing stress, setting boundaries, rebuilding confidence, and finding practical ways to feel more in control of your life. Virtual sessions make it easier to receive support without traveling or adding another task to your schedule. Whether you are struggling to adjust to college, questioning your direction, or simply tired of pretending you are okay, you do not have to handle it alone. **Schedule a free 15 minute consultation. You don’t have to do college or life alone.**

Life can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to balance responsibilities, relationships, work, and expectations while also managing anxiety, stress, or unresolved trauma. You may appear to be holding it all together on the outside while struggling internally with burnout, overthinking, self-pressure, or feeling emotionally stuck. I specialize in helping clients process, heal, and grow through life transitions, anxiety, and trauma in a supportive and nonjudgmental space. I utilize evidence-based approaches including EMDR, CBT, DBT, and ACT to help clients move beyond survival mode toward greater clarity, balance, confidence, and emotional relief. I believe therapy works best when you feel safe, respected, and actively involved in the process, so I take a collaborative and personalized approach focused on building insight, strengthening coping skills, and helping you create a life that feels more manageable and fulfilling.