Lindsey Reis (she/her) is a queer-identified Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA) and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist (LCAS) who specializes in helping LGBTQIA+ adolescents (14+) and adults navigate anxiety, trauma and complex trauma, identity exploration, and neurodivergence. Lindsey also provides affirming therapy for people in every stage of substance use and recovery, from questioning their relationship with substances, to early recovery, to maintaining long-term sobriety. She provides affirming therapy in Cary and virtually throughout North Carolina. She earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health and Addictions Counseling from East Carolina University, and completed her undergraduate studies at UNC Wilmington. Lindsey brings six years of experience supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals across a wide range of settings, including substance use treatment, inpatient and residential programs for adolescents, correctional facilities, group homes, and community mental health. These experiences have given her the opportunity to support people through crisis, trauma, recovery, identity development, and major life transitions. 

Many of Lindsey’s clients have gotten really good at holding it all together, while simultaneously running on empty and feeling overwhelmed or shut down. They’ve spent more time being who everyone else needs them to be instead of themselves, leaving them feeling uncertain of their wants, needs, how they feel, or what's important to them. They may be LGBTQ+ or questioning their identity and navigating uncertainty, questions, and emotions that come with that. They may rely on substances or other unhelpful ways of coping to find relief or quiet their minds, only to feel stuck or guilty afterward. They may find past experiences still linger, shaping how safe, trusting, or present they feel today. They may come to therapy knowing something must change, yet may not know what healing looks like or where to start. They may be realizing that “having it all together” may be a well-practiced way of surviving that doesn’t feel authentic. If this feels familiar, you're in the right place. You deserve a space that honors who you are.

Lindsey believes therapy is most transformative when clients feel seen, safe, and accepted, while also recognizing the courage it takes to ask for help after trying to do it on their own. So, at the start, she values first creating a trusting therapeutic relationship. Her approach is trauma-informed and culturally responsive, grounded in the belief that our identities, relationships, communities, and lived experiences all shape how we move through the world. She’s known for being warm, curious, and empathetic, co-creating a space with you where every part of your story has room to exist and be heard. In Lindsey's office, you don't need to have the "right" words or know exactly where to begin. You can ramble, laugh, cry, curse, stim, sit in silence, or simply take a breath. Need something to fidget with while you talk? Lindsey’s fidget basket is always nearby. Lindsey also fosters hope and resilience. She believes healing is possible, even in the sessions when it may be hard to believe that for yourself. Because to her, healing happens when we have someone by our side, guiding and cheering us on. So, she’ll hold onto that hope until you have the space to hold it, too. Whether you're just beginning to ask difficult questions or you're ready to make meaningful changes, you don't have to figure it out alone.

Recognizing that no two people heal the same way, Lindsey invites collaboration on what goals and steps feel most authentic to you. At the same time, she recognizes you may not know where to start, and that uncertainty can feel discouraging. Lindsey brings patience, flexibility, and curiosity to this step of the work. She’ll offer options, room to try things on, and provide support as you discover what feels right, with the understanding that you can always change your mind. 

To do this work, Lindsey draws from a range of approaches, including Internal Family Systems (IFS/"parts work"), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Motivational Interviewing (MI) and expressive arts. Lindsey is also pursuing advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an evidence-based therapy for trauma and PTSD. 

If you see any piece of yourself here, Lindsey would be honored to walk alongside you at whatever pace feels right for you.