Colleen Cash

I will join you wherever you begin and offer untraditional hours to better accommodate your schedule. Telehealth allows you the opportunity to take a moment to focus on yourself in your own environment, protect your valuable time, and provide opportunities for spontaneous, additional support via text message or added sessions between scheduled appointments. I offer later evenings and Saturday afternoons to accommodate my ongoing clients for any needed additional support for those things that come up expectantly. Do you spend too much time in your own head thinking, analyzing, worrying, and going over the what if’s or why’s, only to get to the same conclusion that currently dissatisfies you? Do you find yourself to be frequently overwhelmed or distracted from your life, family, relationships, sex, or career goals? I can help you process your choices, and think differently so that you can feel differently and grow into the person living the life you desire. Throughout the course of my professional career, I have had vast experience working with diverse populations/races/cultures, sexual orientation, interpersonal relationships, children and their parents, adults and couples, finances, parenting strategies, and alternative lifestyles. I encourage you to take your first step and set up a quick consultation so that you can determine for yourself if together, we will be a good fit for you. Licensed in North and South Carolina

My approach

My foundational approach is to develop a trusting and therapeutic relationship, one which feels safe and allows you to be comfortably vulnerable and transparent to encourage maximum benefit for your time and efforts. I adapt my eclectic therapeutic strategies and techniques to accommodate what we determine most resonates with and helps you. My clients tell me they appreciate that I am direct, hold them accountable, and are honest with them, but compassionate as well. I am very practical and teach techniques that can be applied to almost all situations in life. I begin using a combination of Cognitive Behavioral, Schema Focused, Narrative, and Brief Solution Focused therapies.

My focus

I focus with my clients on concrete, practical solutions to life's challenges. Together we explore and identify the origin of thought patterns and dig deep to question the effects of the events that occurred that created the thoughts that keep them stuck. I believe that choosing alternative thoughts will elicit different feelings and result in more desirable outcomes. I find this approach to work well with children over 8 yrs through adults and also very well in family sessions.

My communication style

I am honest, call it like I see it, gentle when necessary, or sensitive, but traditionally very direct. I will question your patterns and automatic thoughts to guide you to identify potential alternative thoughts and decisions. I will coach you into finding a new method that will prompt you to have better feeling emotions.

My journey to mental healthcare

I was asked why and how I decided to wake up every morning doing what I love. The short answer is that I was groomed to be an attorney and changed my mind sophomore year in college because I had the most amazing Social Work professor, Sandy. What I learned then was both careers involve 'making a case', arguing for a particular point of view, outcome, or truth. Instead of delineating fault and applying it to my client's legal circumstances or defending/ prosecuting guilt or innocence; I help everyday people 'make their own case' to value their worth and live the lives they desire. 'Making a case' in law, and in therapy, is practical, applies information and past precedent to current events and outcomes. I don't stand in front of a jury or judge, the case is won with your success.

My goals for you

Early on I like to co-create initial long-term goals and then get to the heart of what it's supposed to look like when we arrive. It requires effort and reflection to change and adapt goals throughout the process of therapy. I don't give out worksheets or busy work for homework, instead, I recommend books, podcasts, social group activities at times, gratitude exercises, etc. I have gotten amazing feedback and client results when bringing homework results back into the session. My ideas are practical and doable, and bring clients a step closer to the long-term goal they identify.

My first session with you

The second session is where the magic begins! Frankly, the first session will not be as life-changing as the rest because there are tasks that need to be accomplished. I will need to ask you some history questions and catch up to your life rather quickly. I will be learning a lot from you about what makes you tick and we will begin to identify your goals. That said, we will get to interact and create our style, bond, begin to feel comfortable, share our expectations, and shape how we will interact throughout our time together. No worries though, the hour will fly by as we get to know one another and we'll be lucky to end on time. Sorry if it is disappointing that all your challenges won't disappear on day one, but it's the reality.