Relational Psychotherapy therapists in Oak Island, North Carolina NC
Relational Psychotherapy
Philip Cooke
Psychologist, PhD
It takes courage to change, especially when you feel stuck with painful and confusing thoughts and feelings. You may find yourself struggling to change self-defeating behaviors and frustrated you can’t find relief. Psychotherapy can help you get unstuck. As we explore what is bothering you, you develop a deeper understanding of what is keeping you stuck and use that understanding to work toward living a more fulfilling life.
Psychotherapy is a process for better understanding ourselves, especially our automatic, often hidden, and sometimes contradictory motivations, feelings, and desires. If you’re interested in understanding and addressing the psychological factors underlying your concerns in life, I might be a good fit for you. Please take a look at my website and contact me to schedule a free phone consultation.
10 Years Experience
Relational Psychotherapy
Sound Mind Sound Body LLC
Psychologist, MPsy, PsyD
The concept of Sound Mind Sound Body LLC is based on an Ancient Greek proverb that in order to be truly healthy, one must be healthy in both mind and body-if there is an imbalance, there is less fulfillment in one’s life. My goal is to help you to achieve that balance. There is an obvious emphasis in attaining physical health, and too often, there is less emphasis on the importance of mental health. In particular, how mental health can be impacted by physical health, and how physical health can impact mental health. Whether you experience chronic illness, trauma, identity issues (sexual orientation, ethnicity, the roles we play)-these are all areas that can affect one’s overall health. As a clinical psychologist, I have years of experience working in all these areas and hope to serve you to improve your well being. As someone who also struggles with chronic illness, specifically Crohn's Disease and PSC, my personal experience can also be helpful in improving understanding and treatment. Asking for help is hard, especially when you are in pain or feeling isolated. It's a brave step to reach out for help. I strive to help you find your healthiest self and to improving your quality of life. Feel free to e-mail: drwells@smsb-llc.com
8 Years Experience
Relational Psychotherapy
Stegall Counseling PLLC
Licensed Professional Counselor, LCMHC, NCC, LRT, CTRS
I’m different than most therapists out there. What makes therapy with me different?
Well in order to understand that, let me tell you the quick story of why I became a therapist.
After graduating from college, I felt lost. I bounced from job to job, but struggled to find my true passion in life. I was scared I would never find what I was supposed to do in life and this caused me intense anxiety.
I didn’t feel like myself.
My family and friends were really concerned about me because I stopped laughing all the time and instead I wanted to stay home and avoid people.
I kept trying to keep my thoughts positive, but I found that when working in a toxic work environment it was hard to keep my thoughts positive. Instead I would find myself checking my heart rate, having feelings like I want to pass out, and wanting to RUN to my car to get home ASAP. These emotions were exhausting and draining.
My mom was the one who told me that I really needed to go see a counselor to talk about what was going on with me, since I was constantly irritable and never happy.
I struggled with the idea of having to call to set up an appointment.
I thought to myself… “A therapist won’t understand me and she will just judge me!”
After struggling for a couple more weeks with complete misery, I could no longer live with so much anxiety anymore and I made the call to set up my initial appointment.
On my way to the appointment, I almost had a panic attack in the car. I was crying the whole way there so scared of what she might think or say.
Once I arrived, I sat in my car for a few minutes, but decided I needed to go into the office.
I was breathing so hard that I was afraid I was about to have a panic attack.
After checking in with the front desk, I had to get some water and sit down while trying to make myself relax.
Once I sat down in her office, she was the most genuine person I have ever met.
Therapy was nothing like I had expected.
She helped to make me feel accepted and to understand that my emotions are important. She helped me to understand that my emotions help to guide me in life, but when they become so intense they become ineffective.
The more I understood what emotions I was feeling such as sadness, upset, frustrated, angry, irritated, mad, resentful, and embarrassed, the more I realized there were so many things I didn’t know about MYSELF or really didn’t want to admit to myself.
I attended therapy weekly for several months and began to identifying that the job I was working was NOT what I wanted to do for a living AND not where my TRUE PASSION was in life.
I decided that I could no longer continue to live in this state of HIGH INTENSE ANXIETY. I knew that my mental health was first priority.
I found the experience to be the complete OPPOSITE of what I expected it to be. I expected judgement but instead she gave grace, compassion, and empathy. She helped to ask me questions which caused me to be real with myself in what I truly wanted from life – HAPPINESS, COMPASSION, PEACE, LAUGHTER, AND EMPATHY FOR OTHERS.
I realized that by going to counseling personally, I wanted to become a counselor so that I could help others in their personal struggles and for them to know someone is there to walk with them through this thing called life.
7 Years Experience
Relational Psychotherapy
Jonathan Schmalz
Psychologist, PhD, HSP-P
We often seek therapy because we are hurting and unhappy in our relationships with others and ourselves. Anxiety, sadness, restlessness, and loneliness are often the clues that we feel off-track. Whether you are new to it, or have been in it before, therapy presents the opportunity to invite a professional fellow human into your journey of meaningful living.
I provide evidence-based treatment for anxiety, relational, and trauma-related concerns for neurotypical and neurodivergent adults. I also work with individuals seeking to explore and understand their experiences of gender and sexuality. Our work begins with clarifying the nature of and sources of your concerns, setting a path forward, and working together to help you implement and maintain the changes you seek.
15 Years Experience
Relational Psychotherapy
Karen Baumstark, Ph.D.
Psychologist, Ph.D., CMHIMP, CTACC
In searching for a therapist, you are taking the first step in what could be the most important journey of your life. It is definitely possible to make important, lasting improvements in your life and levels of happiness, satisfaction, and success. Therapy is often an effective way to attain these goals. With almost 40 years of experience working as a counselor and then a psychologist, I am well-qualified to help you identify what is standing in the way of increased life satisfaction, and help you effectively work towards your goals. People often get stuck in old patterns that make them unhappy, want to change them, but don't know how. I work together with my clients to understand how old patterns in thought, feeling, and behavior got established, and then explore how best to change those patterns. I enjoy doing longer term, deeper work with clients, to create significant, meaningful, and lasting change. I often employ a holistic approach, exploring personal history, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and relationship history and issues, as well as issues including medical history, self-care habits, and experiences of spirituality. I view the therapy relationship as a partnership, respecting the pace and timing that the client requires.
34 Years Experience