About
How Just Be Came to Be
Just Be Counseling Services is the fullfillment of Annie and Emily’s shared vision to create a therapeutic space that is affirming, client-centered, and congruent with our professional values. After gaining clinical experience in community mental health agencies, we decided to combine our talents and resources to open our own counseling practice in 2022. Located in the small town of Burlington, North Carolina, the founding principle of Just Be Counseling Services is to provide compassionate, competent and accessible counseling services to people of all ages, backgrounds and identities. We are proud of what our two-person team offers the Alamance County community and are grateful for the opportunity to attend to the mental health needs of those who seek our care.
Values That Guide Our Practice
COMPASSION
Compassion is what fuels and guides the work we do. We believe that every client deserves acknowledgement of the ways in which they suffer from a therapist who is genuinely invested in their wellbeing and committed to their healing and growth.
AUTHENTICITY
Part of what makes therapy such a powerful experience is that it offers you the opportunity to bring your full, authentic self into the counseling space. This process takes trust, safety, and intentionality. We are committed to showing up authentically and fostering an environment that invites you to do the same.
AUTONOMY
While we are honored to help you identify and bring about changes in your life that support your mental health, we believe that you are the ultimate authority on your life and choices. We believe that the most effective therapeutic relationships are rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and a deep respect for the agency of our clients.
EQUITY
We strive to provide equitable services, meaning that we actively work to create a practice where all people are treated with fairness and inclusivity. We acknowledge and celebrate the strengths of people with marginalized identities and are committed to providing culturally affirming and responsive care. We recognize that being an equitable service provider requires on-going learning and a willingness to address the ways our social privilege can limit our attunement with our client’s needs and perpetuate harm. When we fall short of living up to this value, we welcome correction, repair, and reconciliation.
The Big Picture
Annie loves being a therapist. She feels excited when getting to know a new client and feels gratitude to current clients, who trust her to be a partner and witness to their hard work of healing, growing and transforming. Annie strives to create a therapeutic space where clients feel understood, valued, cared for and supported. Annie uses playfulness, humor, compassion and open-mindedness to foster strong therapeutic relationships with her clients. She welcomes and celebrates clients of all identities and backgrounds to her office.
Emily cares deeply about her clients. She believes that all people are deserving of empathy, understanding and healing and she aims to create an atmosphere where her clients can feel heard, seen and fully accepted as themselves. Emily exudes warmth, patience and openness as a therapist and fellow human being. Emily celebrates diversity and believes in providing inclusive and equitable services to clients of various identities. When she isn’t counseling, Emily also handles all billing and insurance filing for the practice.
Casey is a graduate student serving at Just Be as a counselor-in-training. She enjoys working with people from a person-centered approach and hopes to create a space where clients feel unconditionally cared for and supported. Casey works with clients who are 11 years old and up. Casey grew up in Burlington, NC, so knows the area well. Before coming to Just Be, she worked as a birth doula and midwife assistant. When she is not at the office, Casey enjoys weaving, visiting farmer’s markets with her family, and watching Great British Bake Off.
The Details
Annie works with people across the lifespan (ages 3 to 100+).
Emily works with teenagers and adults (ages 13 to 100+).
Annie works with
Children who are...
- in the foster care system and thus may be struggling with trauma symptoms, separation from their parents/attachment figures, or difficulty adjusting to a new placement.
- exhibiting behavioral concerns, such as angry outbursts, aggressive behaviors, difficulty with transitions, challenges with being flexible, etc.
Annie and Emily work with
Adolescents who are...
- struggling with life transitions, like starting middle school, making or keeping friends, or adjusting to a divorce or blended family.
- experiencing academic challenges in school
- having frequent conflict and/or withdrawal from parents/caregivers.
Adults who are...
- struggling with life transitions, which may include: navigating college, changing jobs or feeling unsure of their career, or experiencing changes within their family.
- experiencing relational concerns with loved ones including, conflict, estrangement, unhealthy boundaries, etc.
- feeling overwhelmed balancing competing demands of working, parenting, and/or caretaking.
People of various ages who are...
- neurodivergent (including diagnoses of Autism and ADHD).
- experiencing anxiety, depression and other mood disorders.
- struggling with eating disorders or disordered eating
- struggling with negative body image.
- grieving death and/or loss.
- struggling with low self-esteem.
- navigating identity questions about gender, sexuality, etc.
- experiencing distressing symptoms from the effects of trauma (including sexual abuse, assault, early childhood trauma, etc.).
Annie’s clinical approach for counseling children is based in Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) concepts. Annie utilizes both directive and non-directive child-centered play therapy techniques. With teenagers and adults, Annie bases her practice in Person-Centered Therapy. She incorporates aspects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), expressive arts and other creative modalities.
Emily’s clinical approach is rooted in Person-Centered Therapy. She utilizes techniques from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and other interpersonal and insight oriented therapies.
The Fine Print
Annie was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Initially believing she would become a teacher, she worked as a classroom assistant in a school dedicated to serving autistic children while working on her undergraduate Psychology degree. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2016 and ultimately chose to pursue counseling by earning a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2018. Both degrees were achieved at UNC Greensboro. Annie has been practicing as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC) since 2019. She has worked in both hospital and community mental health settings before establishing a private practice with Emily in 2022.
Annie enjoys frequenting coffee shops, reading books of many genres,cuddling with her rescue dog, and re-watching her favorite TV show: Schitt’s Creek. Annie’s dream vacation would be to travel to the Maldives, where she wants to snorkel in clear blue waters and marvel at the abundance of marine life.
Emily was born in Ardmore, Tennessee– a very small town on the Tennessee/Alabama state line. She received her Bachelor’s degree in History from Cumberland University in 2012. With a plan to become a history professor, she completed her Master of Art in History at UNC Charlotte in 2015. Emily decided to change career directions and she pursued becoming a counselor, earning herself a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2018 at UNC Greensboro. Emily began her career as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC) in 2019 at a community mental health agency in Lexington, NC. She gained valuable experience working with teenagers and adults with a variety of mental health concerns before transitioning to private practice with Annie in 2022.
Emily is an avid crossword solver, guitar player and spectator of musical productions. She enjoys creating music and art, as well as dabbling in graphic design. Emily’s dream vacation would be traveling to New Zealand, where she would love to explore the hot springs and lush mountain scenery.