Therapists for college students near Duke University

I offer individual, partners/couples (including polyamorous partners), and family counseling, in addition to letter of support services for gender transition, for anyone age 13+. My primary focus areas are exploring & supporting identity development (racial identities, LGBTQ+ identities, etc), developing healthy relationships, improving communication, processing trauma, understanding family dynamics, & resolving conflicts. I am open to working with anyone who thinks they would be a good fit, but in general, I tend to be process-oriented, often focusing on how different dynamics impact clients’ experiences. I most value building trusting relationships with my clients and strive to offer a nonjudgemental listening space. I believe that clients have the right, and the ability, to make the best decisions for themselves.

Welcome! I am a warm, sensitive, compassionate and positive person, which is the foundation for the work I do as a therapist. I connect well and welcome diversity in my clients, and I have a unique ability to be supportive and give positive feedback, while also encouraging you to challenge yourself and push ahead towards your goals. In my practice, I provide an accepting, non-judgmental environment which helps facilitate a trusting, caring relationship with my clients. My approach is client-centered and solution-focused. I also incorporate strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT).

At Serenity & Grace Therapeutic Services, we believe meaningful change begins with a safe, supportive therapeutic relationship. Our compassionate team provides evidence-based, client-centered care for individuals, couples, and families navigating life's challenges. We are committed to creating a welcoming, nonjudgmental space where you can build resilience, gain insight, and move toward lasting emotional well-being. Wherever you are in your journey, we are honored to walk alongside you.

I have been working with individuals in counseling for over 15 years, and began my career working with students in the University setting. I have specialized in working with eating disorders, but have experience supporting students with a range of concerns including depression, anxiety, life adjustments and changes, and general mental wellness. I partner with my clients to help them make the changes that THEY are looking for, and do so in a way that is both direct and compassionate.

Living with anxiety, depression, or unresolved trauma can make even simple tasks feel exhausting and leave you feeling disconnected from yourself. In therapy, we’ll gently explore the root of your struggles, identify patterns that keep you stuck, and build healthy coping strategies. My goal is to help you feel grounded, empowered, and free to create a life that feels meaningful and truly your own. I blend CBT to challenge unhelpful thoughts, person-centered therapy to create a safe, validating space, and narrative therapy to help clients rewrite the stories shaped by anxiety, depression, and trauma—empowering them to reclaim control, build resilience, and move toward healing with clarity and confidence. I understand no two individuals are the same, and tailor our sessions together to address challenges unique to you. We will work together to understand the root cause of your struggles and address them with strategies, helping you get closer to the life you’ve always wanted. Step Into Your Greatness

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

College can feel exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming at times. I work with students navigating anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, identity concerns, relationship stress, and big life transitions. My approach is attachment-based and trauma-informed, which means I focus on building a safe and supportive space where you can feel understood. Together, we’ll explore what’s getting in the way and develop strategies that help you feel more confident, balanced, and connected.

Life is full of twist and turns; ups and downs. Learning to manage your emotions and remain mentally stable gives you the ability to endure the unexpected and unknown. Focusing on your strengths and recognizing your weaknesses provides you the opportunity and ability to move forward. Understanding the neurological impact of trauma, fear, disappointment and hurt, gives you the opportunity to adjust and manage life’s complexities. Let’s talk about moving forward.

Let me ask you a few questions. Let me know if any of this applies to you. Do you often find yourself feeling tired, stressed out, overwhelmed at work, unable to focus, or constantly feeling you need a break? How about this, when you finally take a break or vacation you notice that you don't enjoy the time away because there is a laundry list of things  you feel you should be doing or need to get done before you can relax? Have you found that you have a hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep because you are thinking or worrying about any and everything when you just need to get some rest? IF any of this is you, when would you like to get started working with me?

I’m Elena Engle, LMHC, a virtual therapist specializing in EMDR therapy with college students, emerging adult women, and high-achieving individuals navigating anxiety, trauma, burnout, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and identity-related stress. Many of the people I work with are used to holding a great deal together for others while quietly feeling overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or disconnected from themselves. My approach is warm, thoughtful, and collaborative. I help clients better understand the deeper patterns shaping how they feel, relate, and function while building greater regulation, self-trust, clarity, and resilience. This work is often a strong fit for students and professionals who want support that goes beyond surface-level coping and addresses the underlying experiences affecting their well-being.

Welcome to Global Counseling Solutions, your trusted provider of counseling services in North Carolina. We are a team of dedicated professionals with a mission to help individuals overcome behavioral health challenges and achieve a healthier quality of life. We build therapeutic relationships with our clients, focusing on their unique needs and goals. Our clinicians create customized treatment interventions to address specific concerns while promoting personal and professional growth. At Global Counseling Solutions, we genuinely care about the success of the people we serve and are committed to helping you become the best version of yourself. If you are in North Carolina and seeking assistance in managing a personal concern, we invite you to explore our services and join us in your healing journey.

Finding the right therapist can be overwhelming and confusing. The relationship between therapist and client is of utmost importance to therapeutic growth. My work with young adults focuses on helping them learn effective skills to manage the challenges they face as they navigate this next phase of their life, emotionally, socially, academically, and professionally. I look forward to speaking with you to help determine if my experience and approach may be a good match for you.

You are sitting in therapy watching your therapist's lips move while she tells you for the fourth time that her cousin is gay and just got a “very butch” haircut. You can’t help thinking, “She just doesn’t get it.” He misgenders you, or forgets your partner’s pronouns, she pulls out Food and Mood, and he talks about how apple cider vinegar might be the solution to all your problems. She hasn't lived in a fat body. He hasn’t experienced homophobia or heterosexism from the inside. What initially seemed like a small hill to climb in your relationship has started to feel like a mountain. Maybe she tells you your black top is so slimming. Maybe once he referred to queer people as ‘homosexuals.’ Maybe, when you report your experiences of oppression, she tells you that the other party probably meant well and just wanted you to be healthier or have it easier in the world. You don’t trust him with your whole self, how can you? You’ve tried so many therapists in the past and she’s not that bad, is she? You continue to hope that therapy with a therapist who doesn’t quite get it will be enough to meet your needs. It’s not enough. You deserve a therapist who understands your lived experiences. You deserve a therapist who knows what it’s like to have your doctor prescribe weight loss to treat arthritis in your wrists, and who can truly hear it when you tell them about your experience with your homophobic aunt at Thanksgiving. You deserve a therapist who approaches the world with a solid intersectional anti-oppression framework that sees society, rather than some flaw in you, as the central piece of your problem. I can be that therapist. I’m fat, I’m queer, I have an intersectional lens, and I want to dismantle systems of oppression one client session at a time.

Are your imposter syndrome and perfectionism besties? You’re high energy, curious, spontaneous, and fun to be around! But you’ve just forgotten another important birthday or missed another huge deadline. You’re feeling overwhelmed by all the things you have to do and it never feels like you have enough time to do them. Maybe you’re also feeling stuck or stagnant in your career, it was something you were passionate about but now it’s unfulfilling. You're living for your next PTO but it doesn't matter how long it is, it's not enough to feel rested. And maybe you wonder… is this just what adulting is like now? Clients come to me needing someone who can help get to the root of their problems, because therapy should be a place where you find peace beyond just what’s wrong today. Therapy sessions are a combination of talking and exercises—whatever makes sense for you. We will always go at your pace, never pushing to place you’re not ready to be. Let's work together to help you be fully present in the important moments in your life, whether it's breakfast with your family or an important presentation, and spending your time doing what you're uniquely gifted to do, what brings you the greatest joy, and allows you to make your deepest contribution to the world. Schedule your free strategy call today!

I'm a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) and Registered Art Therapist (ATR) with 20 years of experience across inpatient, oncology, eating disorder, college counseling, drug and alcohol counseling, and outpatient settings. My work focuses on integrating creative + talk therapy integration—especially for adolescents & families—helping clients access emotion, develop insight, and build practical coping skills. I offer individual, family, couples, group therapy with a focus on DBT-informed skills and trauma-informed expressive approaches.

Hello, and welcome. I’m a licensed clinical social worker who works with adults navigating anxiety, OCD, and a history of trauma. I know how exhausting it can be when your mind keeps pulling you away from the life you actually want to live. My approach is active and collaborative. I won't just sit back and listen. I often bring humor into sessions too—it's a natural way to soften rigidity, gain perspective, and open the door to change. Together, we'll draw on evidence-based, trauma-informed methods, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and other cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based approaches, shaped around what actually works for you. Where it's helpful, we'll also bring in mindfulness and somatic techniques to build your ability to get present, even in moments that feel hard. At the center of this work is curiosity and self-compassion: learning to meet your thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them. That shift tends to be what opens things up—clearer self-understanding, more effective ways of coping, and the courage to make choices that move you toward living well.

You don’t have to figure it all out alone. I work with teens, young adults, and parents navigating life transitions, relationship challenges, and growing self awareness. Many clients feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure how to move forward. I believe each person holds the insight and strength needed for growth, and my role is to be part of your team as you sort through thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Together, we slow down, build understanding, and create meaningful change while strengthening relationships, emotional awareness, and confidence in navigating life’s challenges.

Over the last 20+ years, I have helped children, adolescents, and adults of all ages discover new skills and healthy coping strategies to overcome trauma, stress, anxiety, and depression. My counseling style is warm and interactive. I believe that everyone has a need to be heard without judgment. As a result, I practice active listening, treating everyone with respect, dignity, sensitivity, and compassion. I acknowledge the amount of courage it takes to recognize the need to pursue a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps toward change. My technique combines cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness, a solution-focused approach, motivational interviewing, and client-centered counseling. Our dialog and your treatment plan will be adapted to meet your unique and specific needs. I believe you deserve to live a healthier happier life. If you are ready to take that first step onto a healing pathway, know that you do not have to take it alone. I am here to support and empower you. I look forward to cheering you on as you embrace a new chapter of your life.

It is my goal to provide a space where you feel heard, appreciated and inspired. I specialize in assisting those who are experiencing anxiety, depression, isolation, frustration and various life challenges; dysfunction related to family/friends/work/romantic relationships; challenges with relationship building; and individuals with a history of foster care/adoption who want to explore related emotions. What you can expect is an experience tailored to you. I am encouraging, supportive and compassionate.

I’ve found that the most effective counseling takes a team approach: I am knowledgeable about mental health treatment, but you are the expert on you. We’ll explore your concern together and find a solution you are comfortable with. I do virtual sessions only. Check out more on my website! https://www.michaelburroughsllc.com/