Martha Gillen , LCMHC

Martha Gillen is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) practicing in North Carolina with more than 17 years of experience as a counselor and supervisor. She has supported people facing a wide range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, career challenges, substance use disorders, and the stressors that accompany family and relationship difficulties. Her practice also addresses issues such as anger, self-esteem, compassion fatigue, and drug and alcohol addiction.

Martha emphasizes respect and collaboration, working alongside each person to tailor care to their individual needs and goals. Her clinical work blends cognitive-behavioral techniques with motivational interviewing, helping clients identify unhelpful patterns, develop practical coping skills, and find the motivation to make meaningful changes.

She acknowledges the courage it takes to pursue a more fulfilling life and seeks to empower clients through each step of change and recovery. Martha offers steady clinical guidance rooted in experience and a strengths-based approach to long-term well-being.

Evidence-Based Approaches for Online Care

Martha brings several practical, goal-oriented methods to her online work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and replacing them with more effective strategies - it is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with life changes. Motivational Interviewing centers on building a client's own motivation to change by exploring ambivalence and supporting self-directed goals - it is commonly applied in work with substance use and readiness for change. Solution-Focused Therapy emphasizes concrete steps and strengths, helping clients set achievable goals and build on what is already working in their lives.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Martha will work with each person to assess needs, preferences, and goals, and adapt techniques from these models to create a tailored plan that fits the client's situation.

Online therapy with licensed professionals offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to maintain continuity of care when in-person visits are not possible, while supporting consistent progress toward personal goals.