Leslie Gray , LCMHC

Leslie Gray is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) practicing in North Carolina with 10 years of clinical experience. She developed her skills working largely as a substance abuse counselor and has extensive experience supporting people with co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder. Her background includes helping clients whose lives have been shaped by traumatic experience - from physical, emotional, or verbal abuse to neglect or witnessing violence - and she brings that experience to work with addictions and recovery.

Leslie approaches therapy from an existential perspective, viewing many human struggles as part of a search for meaning and opportunity for growth. She blends a person-centered stance with brief, solution-focused goals so that treatment reflects each person’s priorities and strengths. In practice she also uses elements of cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing to help clients build insight, change unhelpful patterns, and take practical steps toward recovery and improved functioning.

Taking the first step to address difficult emotions or situations can be challenging, and Leslie emphasizes persistence through the ups and downs of change. She invites individuals who feel held back by past experiences, substance use, or life transitions to explore those hurdles together and work toward clearer direction and greater fulfillment.

Integrating Therapeutic Approaches into Online Care

Leslie often draws on client-centered therapy, which focuses on listening closely and supporting each person’s own goals so they feel heard and respected while working through challenges. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, making it useful for anxiety, depression, and patterns that maintain substance use. Existential therapy is another influence in her work - it explores questions of meaning, responsibility, and personal values to help people reframe suffering and find direction in life.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Leslie works collaboratively with each person to determine what fits best based on their needs, goals, and preferences. She combines methods when appropriate and adapts the pace and focus as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call or phone, and shorter exchanges can happen via live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives, maintain continuity during transitions, and access licensed professionals from different locations, while preserving the same therapeutic focus and collaborative planning used in in-person care.