Anxiety and depression therapists and psychiatrists in Durham, NC

Get what you need! That is my philosophy! I am pleased to hold space for individuals that is warm, relaxing, neutral, and intentional. My goal is for clients to explore who they are, process as they need to, and become empowered to change as they see fit. With over 20 years of Social Work practice and experience, a few of my specific treatment areas include individuals living with Sickle Cell Disease, Survivors of Intimate Partner Abuse, Depression, Anxiety, Grief, and Stress.

Cynthia Dupree, PMP, M. Ed., LCAS, ICAADC, QMHP, Qualified US DOT SAP, Amazon Best Seller Co-Author "Aligned for Impact" and Speaker. For more than 3 decades, with passion & purpose, Mrs. Dupree continues to service justice-involved populations who require relapse prevention and recovery services, mental health services, transitional and rehabilitative services to optimize their emotional wellbeing and productivity.

I am from Newark, New Jersey and moved to the south to have more opportunities. I am used to challenging situations, dealing with grief/loss, work place stress, family issues, military life-styles, career transitions, women's issues, relationships, and parenting concerns. I have a Masters degree in Counselor Education from North Carolina State University and over 20 years of professional experience working with diverse populations and concerns.ages. I am passionate about helping people .

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a unique educational background in Pre-Pharmacy and Bachelors of Science in Biology. This diverse educational background plays a role in my ability to encompass the mind, body, soul approach during therapy. I have a strong foundation in trauma-informed care, biopsychosocial assessments, and culturally competency care. I specialize in working with a wide range of populations, but particularly youth and families impacted by trauma. I have experience helping clients navigate complex medical needs, coping with negative emotional stressors, accessing resources, and overcoming the unexpected.

I’ve been practicing therapy for 25 years, which has included 12 years in NC and prior practice in both Kansas and New Mexico. I’ve worked in community mental health most of my career so I’ve had the opportunity to serve all ages and provide treatment for a huge variety of mental health concerns. I’m pretty down to Earth, open, honest, and genuine. I can be direct when needed to help bring awareness or light to a potential problem area while at the same time me providing support and encouragement. I enjoy hearing people’s life stories and helping individuals navigate their way through difficult life situations and problematic symptoms. No judgment, just a person available to help you find what you need.

Partner 1: “I reach for you, but it feels like you’re already gone.” I’m left wondering if I matter to you at all.” Partner 2: “When you come close, I feel the pressure to be perfect, so I pull back to protect us both.” These unspoken messages leave couples lonely and stuck. I help break this anxious–avoidant cycle so partners feel safe, seen, and deeply connected again.

“I don’t understand why I want closeness so badly, yet feel disappointed when I have it. Why do I feel lonelier than others, even when I’m not alone?” Or: “I care deeply, but people say I’m distant or hard to read. When emotions get intense, I shut down—not because I don’t feel, but because it feels like too much.”

These quiet tensions live beneath awareness for many people. Longing and self-protection pull in opposite directions. Needs feel confusing, emotions feel overwhelming or unsafe, and core beliefs quietly form—I’m too much, I’m not enough, connection costs me something.

I help people loosen these patterns, reconcile the Self with more truthful and adaptive beliefs, and move toward self-acceptance and interdependence—where connection no longer threatens safety, but deepens it.

After nine years serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, I realized my deepest fulfillment came not from fixing systems, but from walking with people. Leaving the military was not a departure from service—it was a continuation of it. I pursued social work and theological training to better support people in their most important relationships. Today, my practice is devoted to couples counseling and trauma-informed care. Drawing primarily from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and EMDR, I help couples slow conflict, understand what drives disconnection, and emotional safety. As a veteran and seminary-trained therapist, I bring structure, compassion, and steady hope—meeting clients with respect, grace, and a belief in lasting change.