Mills River is among the oldest settlements in the state, and remains to this day a rich rural agricultural community on what is known as the fertile crescent. Sometimes life does not seem to be as fertile as we want it to be, or your thoughts and emotions may be more fertile than you would like. In either case, it can help to talk to someone about your problems.
Counselors in the Mills River area are available now to offer this type of support and assistance. Confidential therapists can help you determine what is not going well in your life and help you overcome it. Contact a counselor today.

Lucie Knapp
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Life Purpose and Career Coach based in North Carolina. I have a BA in Psychology with a minor in Women's Studies from Rutgers University in NJ as well as a Master's Degree in Social Work from the Graduate School of Social Work , Rutgers University.. I have training in Psychodrama from the Montclair Institute of Psychodrama in NJ. I have been in the field for over 18 years most recently working as a Behavioral Therapist and Program Coordinator of the Lifestyle Coaching Program at the Duke University and Medical Center Diet and Fitness Center in Durham NC.. I left there after 9 years to go into private practice. I have worked for many years in the area of weight loss and weight maintenance from the behavioral perspective - one's relationship with food. Within this focus I have had the opportunity of working with clients on the issues that often lead one to overeat.. " its not what you are eating - its what is eating you". Usually the issues have to do with other challenges in their lives and the way that they are dealing with them. .Some examples of this are anxiety, depression,marital issues, communication issues within interpersonal relationships, anger, grief, stress as well as other life challenges. I help my clients acknowledge and identify their challenges and concerns by asking key questions - "peeling back the onion"- then developing a plan of action to put into effect to challenge and overcome these concerns . I combine a client centered focus with solution based focus, cognitive behavioral therapy as well as approaches using a coaching model. I also will incorporate psychodrama techniques when I feel it would be helpful My style is warm and interactive. I am skilled in CBT ( cognitive behavioral therapy), Solution Focused Therapy, Client Centered Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, as well as incorporating some DBT skills as needed. As a life coach I am aware how important it is to not only gain insight into the issues but also develop a realistic plan to over come the challenges. When it may seem helpful I will also use some techniques used in Psychodrama to assist in the therapy . I truly love what I do and honor , respect and show deep compassion for all my clients. I believe that their trust in me is essential for our work together to be successful. I do not take that trust lightly. It takes great courage to seek for a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards change. If you are ready to take that step I am here to support, motivate and empower you. I look forward to working with you!

Connie Drew
I consider it my life's work to help heal broken hearts. I am a counselor licensed in North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky with over 15 years of experience working as a Cognitive Behavioral Counselor and Life Coach helping those that are hurting to heal. I have worked with clients from all walks of life (including veterans) with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, career challenges, anger management and ADHD. I also helped many people who have experienced emotional, relational and intimate relationship trauma or emotional abuse. My counseling style is relationship centered, warm and interactive. The process of counseling is truly about gaining or regaining hope, healing and growth. My approach combines cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic and rational-emotive counseling. I will assist you to tailor our dialog and to develop goals and a treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. It takes courage to heal and having a relationship with someone you trust has proven to be effective when seeking a more fulfilling and happier life. So as you take the first steps towards a change, if you are ready to take that step and willing to do your work, I am here to support and empower you. I look forward to working with you!

Dr. Diane O'Brien
Do you often find yourself struggling to sort out your thoughts and feelings about events in your life? Have there been times in your life when you have wondered if you have made the right choices or if there are other possibilities for you? We have all experienced life changing experiences that have shaped us into the people we are today. Sometimes, a listening ear is all we need. Other times, more in-depth exploration of thoughts and feelings is needed before you can feel better. Whichever situation fits for you, I am here to help. I have been in practice for over 20 years and have had experience working with a diverse group of individuals, couples, and families. Together, we have explored trauma events and their impact on individuals and families, family relationships, couples’ issues, and depression, anxiety, infidelity, spiritual dilemmas, and other experiences that have an effect on day-to-day living. My experience extends to adults of all ages, including an older population and caregivers. I am open to working with couples who are experiencing issues, particularly in the area of communication. Working with individuals who are in the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer's Disease are a new and interesting population for me. For me, counseling is a passion. Being a counselor is a calling, it encompasses me as a person and as a professional. It is my hope that you will contact me for counseling so that I can be your companion on your journey to a more peaceful and satisfying future.

Danielle Ficken
Hello! I am Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. I understands that to have productive therapy sessions, the client and therapist must build a strong rapport. I use a variety of modalities including: Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. I am a good listener, caring, personable, and energetic. I am very tech-savvy and love to utilize technology to enhance the counseling experience. I am currently only accepting live chat sessions as my live video sessions and phone sessions slots are currently full. I realize this is not ideal for everyone, but is perfect for others! I would love to work with you via live chat if this is an effective method of communication for you!

Tawnya Thompson
I am a licensed clinical mental health counselor in the state of North Carolina. I having been working in this field for over 24 years. I am fortunate to have been afforded the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. These settings include substance abuse treatment, mental health crises, domestic violence, critical incidences, youth corrections, individual, couples and family counseling. I have worked with clients who have had issues with depression, anxiety, stress and psychsocial problems. While I have benefitted greatly from these experiences, I believe myself to be most effective in individual counseling. I have taken the benefit of all these experiences and combined them to be the best counselor I can be. No matter the initial presentation of my clients, their issues tend to fall into one or more of the areas of my experience. As a therapist, my theoretical approaches tend to be solution focused, reality based with an emphasis on how my client views him or herself and the world around them. I believe we all make decisions and exhibit individual behaviors based on what we perceive is happening to us and the world around us. My goal is to help my clients determine if their beliefs, as well as their actions, are helping them be the best they can be. In addition to that, I work to ensure that my clients have the emotional tools they need to appropriately and effectively manage the emotional ups and downs of life. As I see it, life is "a continuum of temporary circumstances that we all must navigate the best we can with the skills we have". My calling is to serve others, with the hope that I can contribute in some way to helping them make their lives better..

Suzanne Walker
Hi...I'm Suzanne and I'm a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (therapist) with many years (38 years) of experience. I received my M.S. in Counseling Psychology in 1984 and have many years of training and experience as a clinician and as a clinical supervisor. Life can be both very challenging and difficult. Speaking with a counselor brings a nonjudgemental perspective and helps them process the situation. Counseling helps discover the choices we can make and want to make, even when faced with difficult decisions. I learned a long time ago that the relationship between the person and their provider is the most important element in this journey. Whether your journey is to deal with pain, stress or trauma, to heal, to learn about yourself, to find ways to grow and change or so many other important reasons, I want you to know it takes courage to take the first step and decide to seek help. In order to begin this journey of healing and growth, you need to partner with the right person. The relationship with your counselor is called the therapeutic alliance; the foundation for all change and healing. I can assure you that I will combine who I am, my experience and my training to work together with you to create your individualized pathway to change. I have broad experience across the age-span (adults, families, adolescents and children) and with many cultures and lifestyles. In my life and career, I lived many places and worked both civilian in the local community and with the U.S. military both as a DoD provider. I also experienced many decades as a military family member and so I truly understand military life and all that comes with it. My work with many people from all ages with many different backgrounds and cultures, helps me work with you using a person-centered approach. From my work as a LCMHC dating back many years, I've worked with many people who have faced oppression & prejudice for simply being who they are. I'm very familiar with issues facing members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. My work as a counselor is and will always be judgement free and unconditional positive regard for the person. I listen, ask questions, and offer you insights so that together we can develop a treatment plan and plan an approach to address your needs. My approach to mental health is both holistic and integrated. Together, we’ll use a person-centered individualized process designed to respond to your needs and develop your plan-of-care. I’ve been trained in many therapy modalities and techniques and will decide with you what can work best for you and your needs, such as CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral); Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), Solution-Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Positive Psychology, Reality Therapy, etc.

Giles Christman
Giles Christman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who has over 12 years of experience working with children, teens, adults, families, and couples who are seeking assistance in coping with PTSD, depression, anxiety, anger, stress, OCD, ADHD, family conflict, academic-based issues, blended families, conduct disorders, and more. Giles completed his Bachelor's degree at Brigham Young University and obtained his Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Virginia Tech. Giles is bilingual in Spanish and English and offers trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TFCBT) and strengths-based approaches to assist clients. He also has worked conjointly with schools and juvenile justice to assist families in crisis with their at-risk youth that are experiencing problematic behaviors. Giles assists families and individuals by helping them to harness their inherent abilities. He incorporates culturally competent services that instill trust and broaden understanding of who a person is and the potential they have.

Sarah Banach
I specialize in working with adults struggling with depression, anxiety, high conflict with others, and anger/aggression. I enjoy working with clients to help them find their voice and understand how to both identify AND effectively communicate their own emotions. In my work I focus on building healthy skills to be able to utilize and build self-esteem to assert your needs to others and build boundaries for unhealthy relationships. By joining me in therapy, we will work together to address the patterns that have you feeling stuck. I utilize CBT and DBT skills within sessions to help you become more self-aware and build emotional strength.

Melissa Henry
I am licensed in North Carolina and Virginia with 6 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & depression. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

Alexandra Stone
I am licensed in North Carolina with 7 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress, anxiety, trauma, abuse, motivation, self esteem, confidence, & bipolar disorder. I also have experience working with depression. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.
Find a therapist serving clients in North Carolina
Types of therapists available to clients in Mills River
Understanding the type of therapy you'd like to search for is crucial before finding a therapist or psychologist. Be sure to narrow your search for therapists in Mills River that can offer psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), talk therapy, group therapy, marriage and family therapy for individuals or couples, or couples therapy depending on your needs.
Licensed therapists & mental health professionals available through BetterHelp's online platform
Mental health therapists in Mills River available through BetterHelp are accredited to help individuals and couples. Mills River therapists' credentials can include licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), and clinician or doctor of psychology (PsyD). Regardless of their licensure, Mills River therapists are trained in any type of therapy in the Mills River region and in the state of North Carolina.
How a therapist can help you destress, manage your emotions, and guide you towards the life you want
Therapists in Mills River can help clients in improving healthy relationships, communication skills, working through life transitions, couples challenges, managing a mood disorder, improving coping skills, self help tips, offer life coaching, family life, or change in negative thinking patterns. A therapist in Mills River may also provide a safe place and validation for clients experiencing emotional pain, or that simply want a psychological assessment.