Mental Wellness and Counseling Services at Carolina Therapy Connection
Carolina Therapy Connection is SO excited to begin providing Mental Wellness and Counseling Services! Do you ever feel like everyday is similar to jumping on the hamster wheel?! You expend all your energy day after day and it leaves you feeling empty, anxious, and overwhelmed. Whether you are a parent/caregiver, teen trying to navigate the world, or just someone that feels anxious and overloaded by life’s expectations, our licensed clinicians are here to come alongside you and help you to reach your fullest potential. We believe through the power of relationship and the therapeutic alliance, you possess the tools to navigate all of the road blocks and stepping stones in your life. Our hope is that you walk away from each session feeling heard and valued and the skills you are able to tap into will help alleviate some of those feelings of overwhelm.
What clinical approaches are used within our Mental Wellness and Counseling services?
Our services cover a wide range of interventions aimed at improving a child, teen, and family’s overall emotional well-being. These include:
The concept of client centered therapy might seem obvious — after all, almost all kinds of humanistic counseling essentially focus on the client. However, what sets this type of therapy apart, is that it centers the client in a more positive and inclusive manner, providing deeper insight into the adversity they are facing, while also maximizing their ability to resolve it on their own. Many professionals use this ‘talk therapy’ as a support process that encourages positive change within the client. Client centered therapy was developed originally in the early 1930s with the ideology that no other person’s ideas or advice could be as valid as the particular individual’s experience, and that exploring those experiences in a supportive, nonjudgemental environment is necessary in order to achieve a positive therapy experience. It emphasizes that the client’s experience is just as valid as a professional’s insight, and therefore the two parties in the therapeutic relationship should be viewed as equals.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidenced-based psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications. (American Psychological Association, 2017).
CBT is based on several core principles, including:
- Psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking.
- Psychological problems are based, in part, on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
- People suffering from psychological problems can learn better ways of coping with them, thereby relieving their symptoms and becoming more effective in their lives.
CBT treatment usually involves efforts to change thinking patterns by:
- Learning to recognize one’s thoughts that create problems, and to reevaluate them in light of reality.
- Gaining a better understanding of our behavior and emotions.
- Using problem solving skills to cope with various situations.
- Learning to develop a greater sense and empowerment of our own abilities.
CBT treatment also usually involves efforts to change behavioral patterns. These strategies might include:
- Facing fears rather than avoiding them.
- Using role play to prepare for real-life situations.
- Learning to calm and relax one’s mind and body.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DPT) is a research-based practice that uses the skills and strategies balanced in terms of acceptance and change (University of Washington, Dialectical Behavior Therapy). The four skills modules include two sets of acceptance-oriented skills (mindfulness and distress tolerance) and two sets of change-oriented skills (emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness).
- Mindfulness: the practice of being fully aware and present in this one moment
- Distress Tolerance: how to tolerate pain in difficult situations, not to change it
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: how to ask for what you want and say no while maintaining self-respect and relationships with others
- Emotion Regulation: how to decrease vulnerability to painful emotions and change emotions that you want to change
Mindfulness therapy incorporates awareness of thoughts, emotions, feelings, surroundings, and situations into a person’s everyday life. It involves conversations with professionals that help a person develop greater awareness of their thoughts and the world around them. This increased awareness helps them avoid destructive or automatic responses or habits.
Who can receive Mental Wellness and Counseling services?
We will be accepting ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE TO ADULTS for these services – so we encourage family and caregiver counseling, too! You do not have to be a current or previous patient at Carolina Therapy Connection to receive these services.
Elementary School (6 years old – 12 years old)
- Bullying
- Social anxiety
- Low self-esteem
- Pressures of academia
- Life changes (new schools, location, or traumatic events)
- Changes in family structure and dynamics
- Physical aggression, defiance, and lack of empathy for others
Teens, Adolescents & Young Adults (13 years old – 20+ years old)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Lack of interest in activities
- Difficulty concentrating or focusing
- Difficulty sleeping and completing daily routine
- Irritability and impulse control
Families & Caregivers
- Anxiety & depression are common among members of the household
- Difficulty with finding parenting strategies
- Constant arguments
- Grief and loss
- Recent or past traumatic events
- Adjustments to life changes (i.e., divorce, new members of the household, changes in location)
Meghan Respess
Bio
Meghan Respess
Meghan has 11 years of professional work experience in the mental wellness and counseling field. Meghan graduated from East Carolina University in 2006 with a Family and Community Services degree. She worked in community mental health with both children and adults for several years before returning to East Carolina University to obtain a Masters in Social Work. She graduated in 2011 and then pursued her LCSW. She has experience helping clients with stress and anxiety, parenting issues, motivation, self esteem, confidence, & depression. She also works with children and adults who deal with anger and impulse control. Meghan strives to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment.
Annalisa Ferguson
Bio
Annalisa Ferguson
Annalisa is a 2023 East Carolina University MSW graduate with a gerontology certificate. Prior to that, she graduated with a Bachelors in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. She was born in Sicily, Italy and her wonderful parents moved her family here when she was 2 years old. She is really proud of where she came from and loves to keep in tune with her family’s culture and language. Annalisa is bilingual (English & Italian) and loves to engage with other cultures. She loves working with young adults, as she feels like she can relate to the stressors and challenges faced in growing up and starting new! She also loves to incorporate mindfulness in treatment whenever she can & watch people grow and be proud of themselves.
Annalisa has experience in providing strengths based, person centered, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to individuals of all ages, primarily focusing on teens and adults. She loves working with individuals who are in a new stage of life, struggling with their self-esteem, or struggling with anxiety, depression, OCD, and ADHD. She received her gerontology certification while in graduate school and enjoys to work with older adults looking for a new outlook on life.
Starr Odom
Bio
Starr Odom
Starr offers in person or tele therapy services to children, adults and families. She offers a variety of therapy modalities to fit the clients needs. She values the therapeutic alliance and strives to meet clients where they are. She has experience working with with individuals struggling with symptoms of anxiety, depression, difficulty with new life transitions. She also has experience working with children and adults with ADHD and helping clients find ways to adapt and manage symptoms of ADHD. Starr has a passion for working with individuals during the perinatal period and individuals struggling with infertility. If you are struggling with symptoms of anxiety or depression during the perinatal period, or as a parent Starr would love to talk with you! Infertility, postpartum and parenting can be lonely, but she would love to be a listening ear. She has experience working with individuals struggling with symptoms of anxiety, depression, difficulty with new life transitions and children and adults with attention deficits.
Dedra Gregory
Bio
Dedra Gregory
Dedra is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with experience providing therapy to children, teens, and adults. She believes we are all equipped with the tools needed to thrive and be successful; however, we may need help utilizing those tools, and that's what therapy is for. In 2009, Dedra graduated from East Carolina University with her Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. She received her clinical license in 2016 and is currently working towards her certification to become a Registered Play Therapist.
Dedra believes in a personalized approach to therapy and encourages individuals to customize their own goals and determine the pace of their therapy journey. Dedra has experience offering Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Play Therapy to children and adults who are coping in various areas, including depression, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and career and personal development. Dedra offers in-person and teletherapy sessions, and she truly believes her life's purpose is "helping others to help themselves.
Ronald Blanchard
Bio
Ronald Blanchard
Education: BA in Psychology, MS in Clinical Psychology, MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Certified EMDR therapist.
Specialties: PTSD, trauma, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, co-occurring disorders, stress, grief, and loss.
Years in Practice: 20+
Ron Blanchard is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist, Certified Clinical Supervisor, Master Addiction Counselor, and National Certified Counselor. He is EMDR trained.
Professional Affiliations: Addiction Professionals of North Carolina, National Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors, National Board of Certified Counselors, American Counseling Association, Association of Specialists in Group Work, and Licensed Professional Counselors of North Carolina.
Ron has lived in Eastern North Carolina for over 40 years. He received a Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from Capella University and a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University. He has extensive experience working with adults, couples, and groups and specializes in PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, co-occurring disorders, grief, treating trauma and loss. Ron has worked with clients who have psychological and/or substance use disorders during both inpatient and outpatient treatment. He has experience working with the criminal justice system as the Clinical Director for Region One, TASC (32 counties along the coast of NC). He uses a holistic treatment approach utilizing the integrative methods of EMDR, CBT, REBT, Motivational Interviewing, and solution-focused counseling. He aims to help his client establish a state of emotional balance and overall wellbeing.
On a personal note, Ron is a retired Marine Master Sergeant and a Vietnam Veteran.
Our Mental Wellness and Counseling services will be provided virtually (tele-therapy platform) OR in-person at our Greenville clinic location. It will consist of individual or family counseling. We will only be accepting Private Insurance and Private Pay for these services.
Getting started is EASY! If you are interested in our mental wellness and counseling services, call or email us to get started today! Our referral coordinator will help answer any questions you may have and make the process as easy as possible for you!
How Do I Get Started?
If you are interested in scheduling a screening, evaluation, or just want to learn more about our services, call or email us to get started today! Our referral coordinator will help answer any questions you may have and make the process as easy as possible for you!