Therapists for college students near Duke University

Therapy with horses at Horse Sense is about being able to create and maintain a connected relationship. Our therapy utilizes both the physiology and psychology of the horse to heal the physiology and psychology of the human. This experiential therapy gets beyond simply talking about challenges and instead participants learn by doing, often reaching positive change more quickly than through traditional therapy approaches.

Are racing thoughts and worrying keeping you up at night? Do you have unreasonable fears that hold you back? Do you feel overwhelmed about school, work, and/or relationships? We can help by providing a safe space for you to learn healthy coping skills, process through emotions, deal with life transitions with more ease and confidence.

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.

Hey there! I’m a licensed mental health counselor trained in EMDR, and I run a fully virtual therapy practice serving students in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. I specialize in helping college students who are navigating anxiety, depression, mood swings, difficult life transitions, and PTSD. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by coursework, adjusting to dorm life, or coping with past trauma, I offer a safe, judgment-free space where we can work together to build coping skills, regulate emotions, and find more balance. Whether you need support for daily stressors or deeper EMDR-focused trauma work, you don’t have to face these challenges alone—I’m here to help you thrive in college and beyond.

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 feeling overwhelmed or like you are drifting along with no direction? Having difficulty navigating relationships or the transition to college? I have worked extensively with adolescents and college students struggling with anxiety, adjustment, perfectionism and people pleasing tendencies, We will explore the root causes of your issues while building coping strategies to help you adjust and maximize your time at college. Feel free to reach out to me via email or phone to take the next step in your journey.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

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.

We are a North Carolina based virtual practice that centers the collective healing of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) and of LGBTQIA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) folks.​ We specialize in working with those ​HEALING Trauma, Depression, Anxiety and Relationship Issues and also work with Stress, Self-Esteem, and Life Transitions. Many of the folks we work with experience intense emotions, have issues in relationships, want to break generational traumas, and are looking for culturally responsive care. We offer compassion in a safe space for healing with practical tools to apply day by day. We look forward to connecting with you on your HEALING journey.

My name is Laura Fisher-Caudill (she/her), and as a trauma therapist and human, I am excited to get to know you. As a highly sensitive, empathetic person with big emotions, I love helping other empathetic humans heal from past trauma. As someone who’s experienced mental health struggles and complex trauma throughout my life experience, it’s been incredibly rewarding to provide a space where people can create meaningful connections between their past experiences and current realities and work towards healing from past trauma to find their own inner control, wisdom, and growth in the process. I am deeply committed to helping clients I work with find their inner strength, resilience, and the tools they need to heal from the past and create a life filled with purpose, joy, and fulfillment. My goal is to empower others in learning effective tools for navigating emotional distress and unburdening the pain of past trauma to create their lives worth living! My clients often describe themselves and their experiences as: Cycle breakers in their family systems. They often have lived experience as the “golden child” or “scapegoat” in their family of origin and may struggle with boundary setting or understanding the impact of childhood dynamics on their relationships and trauma responses in the present. Adult children of parents who were/are emotionally immature and/or have narcissistic behavior patterns. Complex traumatic experiences throughout their lifetimes, such as emotional invalidation or emotional trauma/neglect, criticism, and/or judgment by caregivers, being parentified early in life or expected (either overtly or covertly) to caretake emotional needs of their parents and not have needs of their own, being placed in the role of peacekeeper in their family system, and may have experienced sexual, physical, or other forms of abuse as well. Living with a chronically dysregulated nervous system due to experiences of complex traumatic events throughout their lives, often beginning at a very young age. Somatic, or body based, symptoms of complex trauma, such as chronic pain, illness, stored emotions in hips, shoulders and other areas of the physical body. Neurodivergent, specifically being highly sensitive to sensory experiences, emotionally intense, empathetic humans who identify as being gifted and/or having ADHD. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Parents, partners, or loved ones of members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Hi there! My name is Sienna, and I am an LCMHCA in NC. I graduated from East Carolina University in 2025 with a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with an emphasis in addiction. I also graduated from Appalachian State in 2023 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, concentrating in Human Services. I believe therapy is a space where you can come exactly as you are. I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all mentality, meaning each session is tailored specifically to you. Most of my experience comes from working with the neurodivergent community as well as students and young adults. I have experience working with anxiety, depression, OCD, interpersonal conflict, substance use, trauma, and PTSD. I also use an eclectic approach that is person-centered and incorporates ACT, CBT, DBT, and mindfulness. Currently I am seeing clients via telehealth in NC.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Whole Mentality, PLLC was created to support clients, and the therapists providing support, as safe as possible an experience receiving care. While we would love to say that mental health care means supportive care for all people, the opposite is often reality. Whole Mentality, PLLC strives to serve people from all backgrounds, identities, orientations, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences with the respect and care we all deserve. We exist to create affirming, accessible, healing centered spaces that celebrate and value clientele and their providers. We acknowledge the impact of the people and systems around us, and how we in turn impact others. While we continue to learn and grow in how we can best support each other - we’ve started with being clear on our values, and commitment to serving our community well.

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.

All of You is a privately-owned practice that provides Family, Group, Couples, and Individual counseling for people looking for a non-judgemental space to start their journey in the healing process. We hold the belief that every single person has the power to change their own lives, the power lies within themselves. We strongly believe that we can help individuals harness their own strengths with the guidance, encouragement, education, and empowerment we provide through our professional counseling skills and own life experiences.

College can feel like constant pressure — perform well, make the right choices, keep it together, don’t fall behind. I work especially well with high-achieving students who look like they have it handled on the outside but feel anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck internally. Whether it’s performance anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, relationship stress, or just feeling like you’re never doing “enough,” we’ll work together in a structured, practical way. I use evidence-based tools (primarily CBT) to help you understand how your thoughts, emotions, and habits are connected — and to build skills you can actually use between sessions. My goal is to create a supportive space where you can be real, feel understood, and leave with strategies that help you move forward with more confidence and clarity. I offer virtual therapy and accept multiple major insurance plans. Book directly through my scheduling link at the bottom of this page to verify insurance and availability.

Kelly Counseling Center provides professional therapy and life coaching services designed to help individuals enhance their quality of life. We partner with our clients through support, psychoeducation, and evidence-based clinical treatment, empowering them to develop healthy coping skills, manage mental health symptoms, and navigate life’s challenges more effectively. Our team of dedicated professionals delivers compassionate, client-focused care in a supportive therapeutic environment. At Kelly Counseling Center, we walk alongside you on your journey of self-awareness, helping you uncover the root of your challenges and achieve lasting growth.

You may be experiencing stress from a difficult adjustment or transition, adapting to college life, struggling with anxiety or depression, grief from the loss of a parent or loved one, going through the pain and loss of miscarriage or grief following an abortion. You may be on the autism spectrum, or the parents of a student who is. You may just need an objective and confidential professional counselor to talk to about relationship struggles. You may be feeling discouraged and alone, needing hope! You have made the courageous first step toward healing and growth by looking for a counselor. It would be an honor to walk with you on your journey toward becoming the person you want to be!

Dr. Dietz's work as a psychologist is rooted in the belief that there is healing power in connection and in sharing one’s story. She works to provide an affirming space that allows clients to explore their experiences and challenges in a more nuanced and compassionate manner. Human beings have an innate need to feel seen and understood. In an increasingly isolating world, therapy offers clients the opportunity to feel less alone in their struggles, while also offering practical coping skills and strategies for growth. Sarah adopts a collaborative approach with clients, to ensure therapy is addressing goals that are valuable and relevant to each individual. Sarah is intentional about approaching clinical work with a multicultural lens as a means of acknowledging and honoring all aspects of clients’ identities and lived experiences. Sarah utilizes a trauma-informed and grief-informed framework to avoid pathologizing normative reactions to trauma and loss. Sessions will often include psychoeducation to help clients better understand and contextualize their challenges, experiences, and reactions.

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