Redfish Counseling

Redfish Counseling Counseling services in Winston-Salem and online for clients anywhere in NC.

We serve kids age 3+, teens, adults, couples, and families with evidence-based therapy approaches customized to your goals, helping you get you where you want to go, faster.

🤔 "Is therapy for me?" "Am I being dramatic?" 🤷 We hear these questions all the time. The truth is, you don’t need to wa...
05/19/2026

🤔 "Is therapy for me?" "Am I being dramatic?" 🤷 We hear these questions all the time. The truth is, you don’t need to wait for a crisis to justify getting extra support. In fact, you don’t even need a "big reason" to start therapy. Therapy services can be just as impactful as a *preventative* care resource as when they're used to address an immediate issue or acute point of concern.

If you’ve been wondering if you're just being dramatic, or if your problems are "bad enough" for counseling, consider this: wanting to understand behavioral patterns, quiet a looping mind, or untangle a sense of being stuck are all "good enough" reasons to check out therapy (especially if you have been hitting walls making progress by tossing things to your typical support network).

A good rule of thumb? This week our authors Sydney Elder & Jenny Smith say: "If you’ve been asking yourself the question, 'Should I go to therapy?' more than once recently, it’s often worth exploring why that question is coming up."

🔗 Read their full take at https://www.redfishcounseling.com/post/mental-health-awareness-month-when-should-you-talk-to-a-therapist (link in bio)

05/14/2026

A warm welcome to Abriana, our Graduate Clinical Intern for Summer & Fall 2026 at Redfish Counseling! 🎉🐟 Abriana will be available to begin seeing clients at reduced rates and/or on a pro bono basis beginning Monday, May 18th (both in-person and online)!

Currently a student in Wake Forest’s Master's of Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, Abriana brings a direct, curious, and authentic presence to her sessions. Abriana believes (as does the research) that therapy is a space for real human connection—a place where you can dive deep to understand how your experience, context, story, and aspirations all weave together. Prior to her internship with RFC, Abriana worked as a case manager assisting people navigating recovery from brain injury, served as a practicum student helping individual clients processing trauma recovery and self-harm risk, and presided over a mental health support group network for college students (among other things!).

Abriana is especially passionate about working with individuals age 16+ navigating:
🔹 Complex trauma
🔹 Concerns related to ASD and other neurodivergence
🔹 Personality disorders

With her own personal journey as a guide, she is comfortable wrangling the emotional complexity and intensity that often comes up in deep therapeutic work.

🔗 Ready to work with Abriana? Schedule your intake now at redfishcounseling.com/new-clients (link in bio) or email scheduling@redfishcounseling.com today!

05/12/2026

👋 Meet Asia Pepper, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA) at Redfish! 🐟 🥳
Asia brings an unparalleled level of warmth and authenticity to sessions with clients. In her clinical work, Asia often supports clients navigating grief and loss, trauma, transitions, and gender-related concerns; as well as anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges. If you’ve been looking for a space where you don’t have to "perform" or know exactly what to say, Asia’s approach is built for you. Asia specializes in working with young people (13+) and adults who are looking for a compassionate, collaborative "process partner"; someone who's equipped with the tools needed to help create meaningful, lasting change.

Head to redfishcounseling.com/new-clients (link in bio) or email scheduling@redfishcounseling.com to reserve a phone screening and connect with Asia today!

Let’s be honest: if you've never done it before (and maybe even if you have), therapy can seem kinda weird. Spilling you...
05/11/2026

Let’s be honest: if you've never done it before (and maybe even if you have), therapy can seem kinda weird. Spilling your guts - on purpose - with a total stranger is a relatively atypical social experience, and it's completely normal to feel a bit on guard when thinking about signing up for this on a regular basis.

To set some realistic expectations, here's how a typical startup session ("intake") goes:

Your first session is a pretty well-structured roadmap. Expect a ton of questions about your history and current goals to start building a treatment plan that works for you. Oh and paperwork. There is also paperwork.

The Pace: You control the thermostat. If you aren't ready to share a specific detail, that's fine.

After that? Ongoing sessions usually run about 45–60 minutes. Your therapist will tailor session structure and processes based on your feedback and goals, and use their various tricks of the empirically-validated trade to help you start making change that shows up in daily life.

Ultimately, therapy is most effective when it’s a collaborative process. That collaboration can also include figuring out if your therapist is the right one for you. Research shows us that "goodness of fit" is KEY in helping clients get meaningful clinical outcomes.

🔗 Read the full "what to expect" roadmap at the link in our bio, and reserve a free phone screening with us to learn more!

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge a reality that is often kept in the shadows.When 2 out of...
04/24/2026

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge a reality that is often kept in the shadows.

When 2 out of 3 assaults go unreported, the silence can make survivors feel entirely isolated. But the statistics tell a different story: if you are navigating this path, you are far from alone.

Understanding the definitions, statistics, and impacts of sexual assault -- and knowing where to turn if you or a loved one has experienced an assault -- are all part of the process of reclaiming healing and a way forward. Whether you are looking for local NC resources, wondering how to support a friend who has disclosed their experience, or need to have your own experience validated, we’ve gathered some guidance on the blog to help navigate these complexities.

The weight of the past doesn't have to be carried in secret. It too often is.

🔗 Full resource guide and local contact info available at the link in our bio.

This Autism Acceptance Month, our team would like to highlight some children's literature celebrating neurodiversity! Sa...
04/19/2026

This Autism Acceptance Month, our team would like to highlight some children's literature celebrating neurodiversity! Samantha Franklin, LCSWA - child and family therapist extraodinaire - has curated the list below of resources dedicated to greater inclusion, advocacy, and empowerment.

Representation matters, especially for young people navigating a world that isn't always built for their unique wiring. Whether your family is directly familiar with neurodivergence or you're looking to build understanding, these stories are great tools for the journey.

Featured Favorites:
📖 The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: Discover the life of Dr. Temple Grandin.
📖 All My Stripes: A tale of a young zebra embracing his "autism stripe."
📖 Uniquely Wired: Zak shares his unconventional, wonderful point of view.
📖 Wonderfully Wired Brains: An inclusive guide to the world of neurodiversity.
📖 A Kind of Spark: A story about making your voice heard.
📖 A Boy Called Bat: A novel about routine, animals, and connection.

🔗 Read the full list and detailed reviews by Samantha Franklin, LCSWA, at the link in our bio!

We use the word "stress" so often it almost starts to lose its meaning—until you realize your neck seems permanentely se...
04/10/2026

We use the word "stress" so often it almost starts to lose its meaning—until you realize your neck seems permanentely set to the same height as your ears, you haven't slept through the night in a week, and your stomach has been doing its best clothes dryer impression all afternoon.

Stress isn't just a vibe. Stress is a physical cycle. Whether it’s acute (your wedding day or a traffic jam), episodic (that weekly meeting that never gets easier), or chronic, your body, as they say, is keeping score.

The good news? One of the most effective ways to lower your cortisol (the "stress hormone") is also the cheapest: Nature.

🌿 Research shows that just stepping outside can:
✅ Lower your blood pressure
✅ Boost your immune system
✅ Calm your nervous system

Try it:
Don’t overthink it. You don't need to hike a mountain. Just step outside and ask:
🌸 What do I smell?
🫵 What textures can I feel?
☀️ Can I feel the sun on my skin (or this week, maybe the cold 🥶)?

Your parasympathetic nervous system doesn't really know the difference between a high-tech spa and a 5-minute sit under a tree. It just knows it needs to breathe. Take a breath today and notice what happens.

🔗 Read the full post by Sarah Chase, LCMHC, at the link in our bio for more ways to break your stress cycle.

Did you know that North Carolina has one of the highest percentages of trans residents per capita in the U.S.? 🏳️‍⚧️🌲Tod...
03/31/2026

Did you know that North Carolina has one of the highest percentages of trans residents per capita in the U.S.? 🏳️‍⚧️🌲

Today (3/31) is International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV). While headlines commonly focus on the challenges the trans community faces, today is about something different: Celebration. Visibility isn't just about being seen; it’s about acknowledging the experience, resilience, and achievements of our trans and gender nonconforming neighbors. As Autumn Devitt, LMFT, LCAS, highlights in the blog linked below, the history of NC and the South has always included trans voices in its telling.

Wondering how to participate today?
🎨 Engage with Art: Check out work by local creators like SamLevi Middleton-Sizemore.
💪 Support Groundwork-laying: Consider donating to local lifelines like North Star LGBTQ+ Center or the Guilford Green Foundation.
📚 Keep Learning: Visibility is the first step toward safety and justice for everyone.

We believe our community is only as strong as its ability to nurture the success and wellbeing of all its members.

🔗 Read the full blog post by Autumn Devitt, LMFT, LCAS at the link in our bio for a deeper look at Southern trans history and local resources.
[https://www.redfishcounseling.com/post/trans-day-of-visibility]

Did you know that March 30th is Vincent Van Gogh’s birthday?👨‍🎨 🎨✨It’s also World Bipolar Day. It’s no coincidence that ...
03/30/2026

Did you know that March 30th is Vincent Van Gogh’s birthday?👨‍🎨 🎨✨

It’s also World Bipolar Day. It’s no coincidence that we celebrate on the birthday of one of history’s most brilliant minds; one that many suspect may have "met criteria" for a bipolar or related diagnosis today.

Bipolar disorder impacts an estimated 37 million people worldwide. And while it’s often associated with incredible creativity and a unique way of seeing the beauty in the world, we also know it can feel like an exhausting rollercoaster for those living through it and those who love them.

If you’ve ever been confused by the difference between Bipolar I and Bipolar II, you aren’t alone. Even for the pros, the nuances of mania vs. hypomania and other BP-related symptoms can be a lot to tease out.

🔹 Bipolar I: Defined primarily by manic episodes (think: high energy, racing thoughts, and sometimes a bit more risk than our bank accounts or safety would prefer). Typically symptoms are more acutely disruptive when they occur.
🔹 Bipolar II: A mix of depressive episodes and hypomania (a less intense "high" that doesn't usually lead to hospitalization but still feels distinct from your baseline). BP-II as a diagnosis is often mischaracterized as "less severe" - largely because it may not lead to hospitalization - but the "rhythm" and baseline impact of symptoms can cause deep distress and broad impairment.

Treatment isn't "one size fits all." It’s often a jigsaw puzzle of medication, therapy, and, unfortunately for many, a lot of patience. If you’re currently in the middle of a "mood swing" or trying to support someone who is, give yourself some grace. You’re navigating the 6th leading cause of disability worldwide; it’s not uncommon to not have it all figured out immediately.

At Redfish, we’re here to help people navigating BP and related concerns find the right fit for your specific brain.

🔗 Read the full deep-dive by Sydney Elder, LCMHCA, at the link in our bio.
[www.redfishcounseling.com/post/world-biopolar-day]

Struggling to focus? Believe it or not, your desk (or that "mystery chair" covered in laundry - at least, we think there...
03/27/2026

Struggling to focus? Believe it or not, your desk (or that "mystery chair" covered in laundry - at least, we think there's still a chair there...) might be competing for your brain’s processing power. 🧺🚫🧠🥵 In the article linked below, Jenny Smith, EdS, LCSW-S explores both the benefits of tidying up AND outlines some easy ways to get started.

We’ve all been there: staring at a mounting to-do list while the physical clutter around us whispers "deal with me first." It’s not just "mess" -- it’s extra data your brain is forced to process. It's like static in the signal of an otherwise orderly stream of thought.

At Redfish, 9 times out of 10, we’re fans of the gentle reset.

The Science:
Organizing your space isn't just about aesthetics. It actually:
✅ Reduces mental overload (gives your amygdala a break).
✅ Releases dopamine (the "I did the thing!" chemical).
✅ Encourages mindfulness (it’s hard to spiral when you’re focused on a shelf).

The Reality:
If 15 minutes feels like too much, try 5. If you only clean one drawer and leave the rest of the room a disaster? That’s still a win. We’re aiming for progress, not the cover of an Arhaus catalogue.

Ready to reclaim your energy? Start small, let some light in, and remember: your space should serve you, not the other way around.

🔗 Link in bio for the full breakdown on the blog!
[https://www.redfishcounseling.com/post/the-mental-health-benefits-of-spring-cleaning]

Address

1400 Westgate Center Drive, Suite 100
Winston-Salem, NC
27103

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13369143038

Website

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