About

Hi! My name is Keely and I am a licensed clinical mental counselor (LCMHC) and a licensed clinical addiction specialist (LCAS) in the state of North Carolina. I am also licensed in the state of Georgia as a licensed professional counselor (LPC).

I have over eight years’ experience working in several areas of the mental health field. Most recently, I have worked in behavioral health hospitalization, mental health emergency/crisis and outpatient practice. Additionally, I have several years of experience focused on substance abuse treatment programs.

Although that sounds like a lot, it simply means I have experience working with wonderful people who struggle to cope with a variety of mental health issues at different levels of severity. I have the most experience working with stress/anxiety, depression, bipolar, addictions, communication/relationship issues, personality/interpersonal problems as well as self-esteem issues linked to guilt and shame. I also have experience working with eating disorders, trauma (I am working on becoming an EMDR certified therapist), and grief/loss.

I am dedicated to this work because of my own experience with mental health. I am the child of parents who suffered from undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues. It has been a difficult but rewarding journey to overcome my own mental health issues. I am thankful that day-to-day I continue to learn and find even better ways to cope. I understand how scary and overwhelming making the decision to seek help is. There is still a great amount of stigma around having mental health issues and the process for creating a better life can feel so frustrating, confusing and lonely. However, I know how much life can change for the better when you find the right support and make the steps towards self-care!

I use a person-centered, holistic, research-based approach to treatment. Simply put, I meet you where you are, taking into consideration your individual lifestyle choices and the experiences that have made you the person you are today. I primarily use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused counseling.

I will be adding Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy after my training is completed. EMDR is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to aid recovery from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.

Collaboration is important. I am here to walk with and advocate for your better mental health. Together we will work to establish concrete goals and develop steps for overcoming your current problems. If you are looking for quick fixes, I may not be the best counselor for you. True mental health and wellness happen slowly, holistically, and consistently just the same as physical health does. I look forward to working with you.