Chris Burgess

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who believes therapy should be practical, honest, and focused on helping you make meaningful changes in your life. My approach is direct but collaborative. I won’t tell you how to live your life, but I will help you look honestly at what is working, what isn’t, and what may be getting in the way.

I earned my Master of Social Work from the University of North Alabama and also hold a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University. My clinical experience includes working with adults navigating addiction and recovery, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, anger, relationship difficulties, major life transitions, and questions of identity, purpose, and direction.

My work draws primarily from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), psychodynamic therapy, Motivational Interviewing, CBT, and DBT. Rather than forcing every client into one particular model, I adapt the work to the individual and what they are trying to accomplish.

I have particular experience working with people in recovery, veterans and first responders, men who may be uncomfortable with traditional therapy, athletes and performance-oriented individuals, and clients who value a straightforward and nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship. My practice is also LGBTQIA+ and kink-affirming.

You do not need to arrive at therapy knowing exactly what is wrong or what you want to change. We can figure that out together. What I do ask is that you are willing to be honest, curious, and engaged in the process. Therapy can be supportive, but it should also help you move.

My approach to therapy is direct, collaborative, and individualized. I believe a strong therapeutic relationship should provide both support and challenge. I will listen without judgment, but I will also ask difficult questions, point out patterns, and help you examine the things that may be keeping you stuck.

I draw from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), psychodynamic therapy, Motivational Interviewing, CBT, and DBT. I don’t believe therapy should feel like a collection of worksheets or techniques. Instead, we will use the approaches that best fit you, your circumstances, and what you want to accomplish.

Much of my work focuses on understanding the connection between your past experiences, current patterns, values, relationships, and choices. From there, we work toward developing greater self-awareness while also identifying practical changes you can make outside of the therapy room.

I particularly enjoy working with clients navigating addiction and recovery, trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, anger, relationship difficulties, major life transitions, and questions of identity or purpose. I also work well with men who may be skeptical of therapy, veterans and first responders, athletes and performance-oriented individuals, and clients who prefer a straightforward approach.

Ultimately, my goal is not to make you dependent on therapy. It is to help you understand yourself more clearly, make deliberate choices, and build a life that is more consistent with what matters to you.

My approach to therapy is direct, collaborative, and individualized. I believe a strong therapeutic relationship should provide both support and challenge. I will listen without judgment, but I will also ask difficult questions, point out patterns, and help you examine the things that may be keeping you stuck.

I draw from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), psychodynamic therapy, Motivational Interviewing, CBT, and DBT. I don’t believe therapy should feel like a collection of worksheets or techniques. Instead, we will use the approaches that best fit you, your circumstances, and what you want to accomplish.

Much of my work focuses on understanding the connection between your past experiences, current patterns, values, relationships, and choices. From there, we work toward developing greater self-awareness while also identifying practical changes you can make outside of the therapy room.

I particularly enjoy working with clients navigating addiction and recovery, trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, anger, relationship difficulties, major life transitions, and questions of identity or purpose. I also work well with men who may be skeptical of therapy, veterans and first responders, athletes and performance-oriented individuals, and clients who prefer a straightforward approach.

Ultimately, my goal is not to make you dependent on therapy. It is to help you understand yourself more clearly, make deliberate choices, and build a life that is more consistent with what matters to you.