- Client-centered
- CBT methods
- DBT skills
About Ariel
Ariel Phelps is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) with six years of experience. She is licensed in Virginia and practices from North Carolina. Ariel works with issues including family conflict, parenting concerns, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, relationship problems, grief, anger, career questions and young adult issues.
She uses direct, person-focused conversation to help people name what feels most urgent. Sessions focus on practical steps and skills people can try between meetings. Ariel draws on client-centered methods to keep the conversation grounded in each person's perspective.
She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and test new behaviors. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills appear when someone needs tools for emotional regulation and distress tolerance. These approaches are chosen to match what a person brings to sessions and what they want to work on.
Ariel has worked with concerns related to personality patterns such as avoidant and dependent traits, and with complex issues like infertility, postpartum depression, process addictions, sexual assault and grief. She supports people dealing with infidelity, jealousy, multicultural challenges, and self-harm histories by focusing on clear steps and manageable goals.
Her style is straightforward and practical. New clients are guided through a short intake to identify goals, then offered a plan that blends skills practice with open conversation. Ariel asks people to confirm current session options before booking.
How Ariel Uses CBT, DBT and Client-Centered Work Online
Ariel blends client-centered conversation with structured skills when working online. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening to each person's perspective, helping them shape goals and choose next steps. This approach is useful for people sorting out identity, relationships, and day-to-day choices.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets unhelpful thoughts and patterns. Ariel uses CBT to break down worries, try small experiments, and build more helpful routines for mood and anxiety issues. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) provides concrete skills for managing intense emotions and handling strong urges. DBT skills can be helpful for stress, relationship conflicts, and self-harm histories when present.
Finding the best approach is part of the work. Ariel will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. That means adapting session content and homework based on what is useful in real life.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions around study, work shifts, or travel. It also allows sessions to focus on short check-ins, skills practice, or longertalks depending on what someone needs that week.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
Virginia, North Carolina
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with family conflict, parenting, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, relationship issues, grief, anger, career concerns, and young adult issues.
What is her therapy style like?
Her style is person-focused and practical. She uses conversational sessions with skill-building between meetings.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has six years of professional work experience and holds LPC and LCMHC credentials.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is licensed as an LPC in Virginia and holds an LCMHC; her practice is listed in North Carolina.
Does she work in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the biography.
How do fees and billing work?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.