Expert in the areas of Anxiety, Depression, Self-Discovery, Self-Awareness, Life Transitions, Navigating Relational Issues, and Trauma
Adolescents and Adults
Offers Virtual and In-Person Appointments
ABOUT ME
Hi!
As a person who has STRUGGLED with feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and depression, I know the importance of connecting with a counselor who ACTIVELY listens to what you are saying, is able to VALIDATE what you are experiencing while also being able to provide a different perspective at times when it is needed in order to help us see things in a different light.
Many times we just need someone to talk to who isn’t our friends or family members so that we can truly say how we are feeling or figure out how to effectively problem solve through different situations.
Having a counselor who you feel really hears you and understands where you are coming from can be such a RELIEF.
It is all about having a good connection with our counselor because they can help to provide us with how to problem solve, work through our emotions, and at times face our biggest fears or issues head on all the while with them at our side to help SUPPORT us in this journey called life.
In my own experience, the more I tried to deal with my feelings by myself, the WORSE I felt. I tried to cope on my own by using meditation, exercise, medications, and talking to friends. Medication helped me manage what I was experiencing at the time, but I knew that wasn’t the long term answer for me. While meditation and exercise are always beneficial, neither provided much relief to what I was experiencing daily.
When talking with my friends, who I know meant well, they couldn’t always meet me where I was because many times they were trying to help me FIX the problem instead of VALIDATING what I was experiencing as being true and real. This is when I knew I needed to find someone to talk to who wasn’t my family or friends.
It took me a while to find the right therapist for me and once I found her I knew this would be a life changing experience. She helped me by changing my view point with different situations and within a few weeks things started to make sense and I began to feel like MYSELF again! What a RELIEF it was to feel like myself again instead of the stranger I had become to myself!
I realized that I did not have to carry these struggles alone anymore but that there was someone who was there to support me and to help me understand that my emotions were completely natural and valid. I started to understand how my past experiences and reactions influenced my current life and how I needed to change those cycles so that I could begin to work towards a life that I wanted.
This experience CHANGED the course of my education, which led me to pursue counseling as a career. I want to be the counselor for others who are struggling in life so that they know they are not alone.
I am here to listen first and foremost. I want you to know that our time together is a time for you to talk about all aspects of your life and that you are truly being HEARD. I am an open and honest person and I want to help you identify your areas of strength and struggles so that you START LIVING the life you want to live. During this process, I also encourage you to be honest with me as well so that we can work together.
I believe that you are the expert in your own life and that you have more knowledge on what you are experiencing while also having an idea of where you want to be. That is where I come to meet you and help to provide you with a road map while also helping you to navigate towards where you want to be.
The reason I became a therapist is because I am passionate about helping people work toward becoming the best version of themselves, just as my therapist did for me. That often requires asking the tough questions and dealing with harsh answers sometimes. When the answers might be hard to face, I help to provide space to be able to process all those intense emotions and thoughts because let’s be honest – no one wants to face those alone.
I am EXCITED to begin working with you so that we can begin to find what is working in your life and what is not so that we can make those changes. Let’s also acknowledge what to hold on to and what to let go of so that you can begin LIVING THE LIFE YOU DESERVE TO BE LIVING!
Put yourself first by taking the next step and reaching out to schedule an appointment with me. I know it may be hard to make that INVESTMENT in yourself but always know you are WORTH investing in!
Ready to Talk?
If you want to find answers to what you are experiencing, contact me now to book an appointment so that we can together begin your journey towards healing.
When working with client’s, I follow my professional ethical guidelines which are the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics. Below you can review these ethical guidelines so that you are also informed on how I make ethical decisions.
Payton works with individuals 16+
NC LCMHCA # A18880
NPI # 1063198174
Payton’s clinical supervisor is Lauren Stegall, LCMHC, NCC, LPC, LRT/CTRS, Qualified Supervisor (#QS134345), whose contact information is lauren@stegallcounseling.com and (704) 234-8003.