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37 licensed therapists & providers in South Carolina—2 in Charleston. Available as soon as today, in person and online
Our providers work with individuals, couples, families, & teens for anxiety, depression, grief, & more
We accept UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, BCBS Plans, Humana, Aetna, & many more. Self-pay options available, no membership fees
94% of clients feel truly understood by their provider. 3 out of 4 see improvement in depression & anxiety symptoms within 3 months
Discover how starting couples/marriage therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
I believe therapy works best when clients feel genuinely seen, supported, and empowered - I bring a warm, collaborative, and nonju...
About
I believe therapy works best when clients feel genuinely seen, supported, and empowered - I bring a warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental approach grounded in real-life understanding and compassion to meet your goals.
For the past five years, I've worked as a school counselor. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Gonzaga University, a Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations & Corporate Communications from Georgetown University, and a Master of Arts in School Counseling from the University of Denver. I recently completed Clemson University's Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and am eligible for my LPC-A in South Carolina. I am a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and hold an Initial School Counseling Certificate. While I primarily work with children and teens, I enjoy supporting clients across all stages of life.
I will listen and support you in a warm and nurturing environment and will be a positive support on your journey. I frequently incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and a strengths-based approach to support clients experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma. I can use Play Therapy to address emotional and behavioral challenges in younger clients.
I will create a therapeutic, supportive, and safe space where clients can be themselves, express their emotions, and work toward meaningful goals that support a fulfilling life. Feel free to schedule an appointment with me so that I can be a support for you on your journey!
Education and training
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As a veteran and counselor, I help service members, first responders, and their families make sense of what they’ve been through a...
As a veteran and counselor, I help service members, first responders, and their families make sense of what they’ve been through and take practical steps toward a life that reflects what matters most to them.
Hi, I'm Dr. Troy Pharis, a licensed professional counselor with over 10 years of experience and a doctoral degree in health science. For the past five years, my clinical work has focused on active-duty military, veterans, first responders, and their families—people who often carry high-stress experiences long after service ends. Having served 20 years myself, I understand life in uniform and aim to provide a space where you don't have to explain the basics to be understood. I typically work with clients who are dealing with trauma, stress, anxiety, irritability, difficulty adjusting, or feeling stuck with no momentum for change.
I primarily use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), an action-oriented approach that helps you stop getting stuck and start moving toward what matters most to you. I also incorporate EMDR to help process past events that may still be impacting you. Clients can expect a laid-back, informal environment with real conversations and tools that actually work.
You don't have to have everything figured out to begin or even know where to start—if you're ready to move toward what matters most, I'm here to help you take that next step.
I know how hard it can be to carry pain for years without support, so I strive to offer a space where you can finally feel underst...
I know how hard it can be to carry pain for years without support, so I strive to offer a space where you can finally feel understood, safe, and not alone in your healing.
I am a licensed professional counselor associate with a background in clinical mental health counseling and experience working with individuals, couples, and adolescents. I support clients facing anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, and identity concerns. My clients often seek greater self-understanding, emotional balance, and healthier coping strategies, and I work collaboratively to help them build resilience and create meaningful, lasting change.
I use a compassionate, client-centered approach tailored to each individual, integrating evidence-based techniques to support growth and healing. I specialize in anxiety, trauma, and crisis support, helping clients build insight, develop coping skills, and create meaningful, lasting change in a safe, supportive space.
You don't have to navigate this alone. I'm here to meet you where you are, with understanding and support, as you move toward the life you want to create. When you're ready, I invite you to take the next step and begin your journey toward healing and growth.
Many of us are just going through life with only the means of breathing and not living, but as a clinician, it is my duty to guide...
Many of us are just going through life with only the means of breathing and not living, but as a clinician, it is my duty to guide and assist people to help them mentally strive to their full potential.
Dr. Dalicia Watson is a Licensed Master Social Worker with over 6 years of experience. Dr. Watson began her social work career as a case manager at the Department of Social Services, working with abused and neglected children and adults. Dr. Watson had the opportunity to work with clients who suffered from depression and/or anxiety, victims of domestic violence, and clients with ADHD. Dr. Watson also has experience working with clients who experience grief, self-esteem, suicidal ideations, stress, and time management.
Dr. Watson's goal for all of her clients is to help them to maintain a mentally healthy and safe lifestyle. Dr. Watson allows the clients to be the experts in their sessions, which helps the clients be in charge of what they would like to fix and work on. She feels that having the clients as the experts helps the clients to see the growth within themselves.
Dr. Watson helps make therapy a safe space for clients to come and let it all out. Dr. Watson meets clients on their level and grows with the client as the client improves through treatment.
As one who has experienced personal trauma, I have an authentic understanding of how we are impacted by painful life circumstances...
As one who has experienced personal trauma, I have an authentic understanding of how we are impacted by painful life circumstances and how building new life skills can empower us once again.
I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with 26 years of experience in the mental health field. I work with adults who are navigating trauma, anxiety, chronic worry, self-esteem concerns, and relationship challenges, including the impact of domestic abuse. My clinical background includes extensive experience helping clients understand relationship dynamics, recognize unhealthy patterns, and process trauma in a supportive and thoughtful way. I support clients who feel stuck in patterns of self-doubt, emotional distress, or unhealthy relationships and are seeking clarity, confidence, and healing.
I earned my master’s degree in mental health counseling from Bernard M. Baruch College. My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and nonjudgmental, creating space for clients to explore their experiences at a pace that feels safe and empowering.
If you are looking for a supportive environment to work through emotional pain, gain insight, and move toward meaningful change, I offer a calm and respectful space where you can share openly, identify goals, and develop a plan that supports healing, growth, and healthier relationships. I invite you to reach out when you feel ready to begin.
You deserve dedicated time with a mental health professional — it can be life-changing.
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Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Licensed Independent Social Worker - Clinical Practice (LISW-CP)
Sarah: My go-to approach for helping those seeking couples/marriage counseling is to find out what motivated them to make the initial appointment and to understand their individual and shared goals for therapy. I find great benefit in taking this a step further by looking more closely at the four foundations of a successful relationship: communication, friendship, intimacy, and shared values. During intake, or as a take-home exercise, both individuals will complete a short survey that we will go over together in the first session. I make sure to inform them that even if the scores are low, that does not mean they will fail — they are in counseling after all! We will look at the lower scores and practice communicating to their partner what they could be doing more/less of for that number to increase. I also enjoy providing individualized methods, practices, and tools to use outside of the office. I will also explore their attachment styles together, with the shared goal of forming a secure attachment with healthy communication, respect, and enjoying spending time with their partner.
Ebony: My go-to approach for helping people in couples/marriage counseling is establishing boundaries within communication to process your partner’s thoughts and feelings to inappropriate reactions and comments. I find the best benefit in establishing boundaries because it helps partners establish foundations to address disagreements and resolve issues that occur.
Sarah: I teach clients “communication 101,” where we practice active listening and asking clarifying questions to our partner. Too often we mind-read, make assumptions, and react or respond to our partner as if our interpretation was fact. I also enjoy teaching partners how to be on the same “team,” parenting skills, reconnection, and how to validate our partner's feelings even when we do not agree. My 24-hour rule to build trust is also often used. This is where one person can call the other out for shutting down, or for being too reactive during a “hot topic” conversation. The partners will agree to table the conversation for now but choose an exact time (i.e. 3:30 pm) that is within 24 hours. Anxious-attached partners will be happy that this will be addressed the next day, avoidant-attached partners will be happy that they have more time to think about what to say, and things will inevitably be calmer at that time. This is also a simple way to build trust when both partners show up at the agreed-upon time.
Ebony: I teach the following tools in couples/marriage counseling:
Sarah: I know that a client is making meaningful progress in couples/marriage counseling when they are able to share how they have been using therapy tools at home and are able to compliment their partner on the progress they have seen in them as well. I look for my clients to validate their partner's opinions and feelings respectfully, even if they do not agree. I observe the clients being more kind to one another and reporting back on good memories/quality time being prioritized again. The best couples are those that can problem solve together, without combat.
Ebony: I know a client is making meaningful progress in couples/marriage counseling when there are more small gestures of appreciation within the day-to-day routine to decrease stressors for their partner and/or increase motivation.
Sarah: Clients can supplement their time in couples/marriage counseling with individual therapy. Many couples come into relationships with relational trauma from the past and/or other unresolved personal traumas. While we will be able to address these in some form during our time together, couples counseling will be focused mostly on the goals of the two of them as a couple. Many couples report significant progress in their partners when they are attending individual therapy on the side. I also always bring up self-care outside of counseling. Self-care is very important for any relationship. Having individual, healthy hobbies and activities and socializing outside of just the marriage or relationship is important.
Ebony: Clients can supplement their time in couples/marriage counseling by continuing to date each other and engage in activities together to see how you and your partner are changing in the process. Dating and doing activities together gives you motivation to continue working on current issues and remind yourself of the relationship you can have.
Sarah: To prepare for your first couples/marriage counseling session, you can begin thinking about what goals you hope to work toward throughout our time together. If comfortable at this stage, you can also talk to your partner about their goals, and see if there are some shared goals you both want to be sure to share with me. After we go over the background information during the intake session, we will discuss what motivated you both to make and attend the session, take a look at what has been going on, and address what you both want to see change or improve. I will save the initial goals in your secure chart, and we will look back at them from time to time to see our progress.
Ebony: To prepare for your first couples/marriage counseling session, you can provide grace to each other to express thoughts and feelings in a safe space to address root issues. The first session can come with nervousness and uncertainty about how your partner will respond. Give each other the chance to identify concerns to know where to start to improve.
Couples therapy and marriage counseling, also known as relationship counseling, helps couples work through their specific relationship issues. Some examples of common focuses within couples therapy and marriage counseling include:
The types of therapy used in couples and marriage counseling include:
At Thriveworks, Couples/marriage therapy is led by licensed professionals — often licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) — who are experts in their field and best-equipped to help couples.
The Gottman Method of couples therapy is a research-supported approach designed to enhance relationships by bolstering the bond between partners, resolving conflicts, and fostering shared meaning in their relationship through comprehensive assessments and tailored interventions that improve communication, trust, and the overall health of the partnership.
If you’re facing persistent relationship problems, communication breakdowns, or unresolved conflicts that are impacting your emotional well-being and happiness, Couples/marriage therapy may be beneficial for you.
While marriage and couple’s counseling is typically recommended for couples who are experiencing persistent or severe relationship issues, any relationship can benefit from attending these sessions.
Marriage and couples counseling at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you and your partner.
On average, couples attend marriage and couples counseling for 12 weeks. However, couples & marriage counseling may last longer or shorter, dependent on the couples’ needs, the challenges they’d like to work through, and the pace of their progress.
At Thriveworks, we accept most major insurance plans, allowing many clients to pay as little as $0–$50 per session with their co-pay. We also offer self-pay options for those out-of-network or without insurance. Self-pay rates for talk therapy range from $160 to $240 for intake sessions and $135 to $195 for follow-ups, depending on your state. For psychiatry services, self-pay intake sessions are $255–$375, with follow-ups ranging from $175–$300, also varying by state. More information on current self-pay costs is available on our pricing page.
One of the main reasons people seek couples therapy and marriage counseling is for help with their closest, most intimate relationships. While couples therapy tends to be viewed as something for relationships in crisis, there are many reasons that individuals in relationships pursue it. Whether the reasons are large or small, they deserve to be explored and improved upon.
Couples therapy and marriage counseling at Thriveworks Charleston has helped many couples with a variety of issues. These qualified therapists help their clients learn new insights, improve cognitive and emotional skills, as well as adopt new habits that can have a huge impact on their lives and relationships. The couples therapists and marriage counselors at Thriveworks Charleston can guide couples toward better relationships. If this sounds like something you’re interested in or could benefit from, give us a call at (843) 480-4034 to schedule a couples therapy or marriage counseling appointment.
Throughout our relationships, there may be small conflicts that arise every now and then. In other cases, there may be large issues that appear or prove to be monumental. Each scenario can be explored with the help of a professional therapist who can guide couples through the “bumps in the road” or the seemingly overwhelming roadblocks. Some of the most common issues couples experience are:
The foundation of all relationships, communication can be face to face, over the phone, text messaging, and social media. Counselors can teach couples how to communicate with each other in positive ways. The type of communication people experience while growing up strongly affects how they communicate in adult relationships. Thriveworks Charleston can help couples to adapt a communication style that works well instead of falling back on problematic habits they learned in their past.
Sexuality is complex and personal, entailing more than just sexual activity. An individual’s personal definition of sexuality may include feelings of attraction toward another, how they choose to be intimate, and feelings relating to body image and personal values. There are as many individual expressions of sexuality as there are preferences for music. When individuals experience confusion or distress about aspects of sexuality–anxiety, embarrassment, anger and hurt–counselors at Thriveworks Charleston can be of great help and act as your support system.
One of the most hurtful and damaging experiences a couple undergoes is infidelity, but it doesn’t mean the relationship is beyond repair or has to end. In couples therapy or marriage counseling, individuals have a safe place to begin the journey toward resolving the issue. Experienced therapists at Thriveworks in Charleston, SC can help find meaningful and practical ways to work through the rough waters of unfaithfulness.
These examples are only a few of the many issues couples may experience in their marriage. Whether couples experience a few ups and downs or a seemingly unsurmountable issue, there is help. Consider working with a couples therapist or marriage counselor at Thriveworks Charleston.
Call Thriveworks Charleston at (843) 480-4034 to schedule a session or to find out more about how couples therapy and marriage counseling can improve your relationship. When you call to set up your appointment, a scheduling specialist will help you find the right counselor, psychologist, or therapist for you. Additionally, they will assist you in finding an appointment day and time that works for you and your partner. We have extended hours in the evenings and on the weekends.
We look forward to working with you and your partner! Schedule an appointment at Thriveworks Charleston when you feel ready. We’ll be here.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Charleston is located near East Bay Street and Market Street, off US-17. It is right by Waterfront Park and a short distance from the Historic Charleston City Market.
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37 therapists available in South Carolina, including 2 in Charleston
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