Courtney Mahan

I'm a licensed mental health counselor with formal training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and a background in crisis stabilization — which means I've worked with adults navigating some of the most intense emotional experiences imaginable, and I know that the hardest moments don't define where someone ends up. My style is direct and warm. I'm not the kind of therapist who nods a lot and says "how does that make you feel?" — I'll actually teach you skills, explain what's happening in your brain and body,

and work with you to figure out what gets in the way of the life you want. I also happen to believe that therapy doesn't have to be heavy all the time. Humor and humanity belong in the room too. I work with adults across New York via telehealth, and I accept Aetna, Cigna, Carelon, and Highmark plans.

My approach is rooted in DBT — a structured, skills-based therapy that was originally developed for people experiencing intense emotional pain, and has since been shown to help with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, trauma, OCD, and substance use as well. In practice, this means we'll work on concrete skills: how to

tolerate distress without making things worse, how to regulate emotions instead of fighting them, how to communicate in ways that actually land, and how to build a life that's worth living — not just surviving. I also draw on Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and trauma-focused

approaches depending on what each person needs.

The throughline is always the same: practical tools, genuine

curiosity about what's underneath the struggle, and respect for how hard this work actually is.

The first session is a conversation, not an intake form. I'll ask about what brought you in, what you've already tried, and what you're hoping therapy will actually change for you. I'm also genuinely interested in what hasn't worked — because that tells me a lot about where to start.

You won't leave with homework on day one (unless you want to). You will leave with a clearer sense of what we'd work on together and whether this feels like a good fit. No pressure to commit to anything — I'd rather you take your time and come back than push yourself before you're ready.

If you're not sure whether I'm the right person for what you're dealing with, feel free to reach out and ask. I'm happy to be honest about whether I can help.