Courtney Surigao

Practical, collaborative therapy for life transitions

LCMHC North Carolina

Experience: 18 years in practice
Focus areas: Relationship, Family, Grief
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages: English

About Courtney

Courtney Surigao is an LCMHC who blends practical, evidence-informed methods with empathic, client-centered care. With 18 years of experience, she uses approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with solution-focused and narrative techniques to help clients clarify goals, practice new skills, and reduce distress.

Background and approach

Her style emphasizes collaboration and active strategies, including exercises or worksheets clients can apply between sessions to reinforce progress. She works with a wide range of concerns including relationship and family difficulties, grief and loss, parenting challenges, stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, mood disorders such as depression and bipolar, and issues around intimacy, self-esteem, eating and sleeping.

Additional focus areas include adoption and foster care, blended family concerns, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, communication difficulties, and end-of-life and hospice counseling. Courtney places importance on identifying client strengths, values, and realistic steps for change.

Located in North Carolina and licensed as NC LCMHC 4960, she accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English. Prospective clients are invited to match via the Start Therapy process and schedule according to availability, using a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

Approach-informed care delivered online

Courtn ey draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and learn practical strategies to manage symptoms such as anxiety, depression, stress, and sleep or eating difficulties. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy to create an accepting, empathic space where the client's priorities and values guide the work, supporting self-discovery and emotional processing.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and she collaborates with each person to tailor methods to their needs, goals, and preferences. This means combining active skill-building with reflective, narrative work when appropriate so clients feel involved in deciding what helps most.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for different schedules and lifestyles. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity during life transitions and to access consistent support from North Carolina and international locations, while allowing practical tools and homework to be integrated into everyday life.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does she address?

Courtney supports people facing relationship and family difficulties, grief, parenting stresses, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression and bipolar, as well as concerns about intimacy, eating, sleeping, anger, self esteem, and career.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Her work is collaborative and client-centered, combining practical tools and goal-oriented strategies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and solution-focused techniques along with narrative work to explore personal stories.

What is her clinical background and experience?

She holds an LCMHC credential and has 18 years of experience working with a variety of presenting concerns and family situations.

Where is she licensed and practicing?

She is licensed in North Carolina as NC LCMHC 4960 and provides services from that location while accepting clients internationally.

Does she work with clients in other countries or languages?

Sessions are conducted in English and she does accept international clients.

What session formats are available?

Clients can meet via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on their preferences and availability.

How is payment handled and what does therapy cost?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are delivered through a subscription model that may be canceled at any time.

What are the first steps to begin working together?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefParenting issuesCoping with life changes

Also works with

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepression

Additional focus areas

Adoption and foster careBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCommunication problemsEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Narrative TherapySolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

18+ years

Licensed

North Carolina

Languages

English